Andy Spalding

SANDY FROM HIS HEARTBROKEN IRISH RESCUER

“Well, my boy Sandy is loaded up and ready to go. He’s such a lovely dog and I will miss him terribly. It breaks my heart to think that someone just left him in a Pound. I can’t understand it but I’m just very grateful that you are taking him and giving him a chance. He’s a wonderful lad who is so clean he cries terribly when he has to do his business. He just wants to be loved! I know he’ll get that in his new home and I hope he brings his new family lots of love & laughter.

He doesn’t really like a slip lead on him; he tends to cough and choke if he has one on. He does not do this with a harness on and even a collar doesn’t seem to bother him. He may have been tied or something because although after a while he’ll stop. It’s almost like someone that can’t wear a polo neck without feeling like they’re choking. When I first got him and he did it I thought it might be a cold or kennel cough or something like that but the vet said no, he checked him thoroughly and we noticed it was only when he was on a slip lead!

I hope you all love him the way I do! He deserves nothing less than a wonderful home and I can only say thank you for giving him this opportunity.”

Sandy is a neutered Golden Retriever Cross. He has got on well with all other dogs that he has come into contact with whilst being in the care of his fosterer. He loves people and is very affectionate.

Sandy was delivered safely to Fran by Malcolm on Saturday. He said he was very quiet and timid.

FOSTERER REPORT

Fran said “Sandy really is a little poppet, he has a beautiful soft coat and is really dainty and quiet around the house, after my mad lot it’s quite a novelty. Having said that we let him run loose this evening (with his long line attached just in case) and he raced around the fields playing ball and generally having fun with the others. He even came back every time Andrew whistled him, unfortunately I can’t whistle so it took me a bit longer to get his attention but he showed no inclination to run off and was happy to stay with the other dogs. I would put his age at about 12-18mnths and he still shows some puppy behaviour, grabbing the toggles on my coat, pinching my slippers and trying to nibble my nose and chin when I’m cuddling him, but he is so adorable he can get away with it.

He has been clean in the house and will go to the door when he wants to go out and so far has been the perfect house guest. The other dogs have accepted him totally as he is very respectful towards them and not at all pushy. He walked well on his lead and only pulled a little bit but he is so light I hardly noticed. I haven’t got a harness small enough for him so he had to have a collar on (I have left it on him because of his dog tag) and it didn’t bother him at all.

He really is the sweetest little dog I have met in a long time and so far I can’t find any fault with him (I hope I’m not going to regret saying that once he’s got his feet under the table). He is a little underweight so at the moment he is having three small meals a day but again he will wait until you put his bowl down and is not at all food possessive.

I let him off lead totally today and he behaved like a star, staying with the other dogs and coming back like a rocket as soon as I called him. I received his vax card off Jane today and it confirms he is 12 months old. It’s a bit difficult to tell from the pics but he is about the size of a cocker spaniel but a lot slimmer built. He really is an adorable pup and picks things up really quickly, having the other dogs to show him the way helps.

He follows me every where and has been mildly interested in the ferret and the chickens though not unduly so. (the chickens weren’t so keen I think they thought he was a fox). He is in the habit of jumping up all the time and trying to get on your lap but I have to hold my hands up and say I haven’t been very good at saying no because he is so scrummy I just want to cuddle him all the time (much to Sabre’s disgust) I really must work on MY training.

It was sad to see him go but Sandy has gone off happily to live with Emma and Allan in Essex”.

FIRST NEWS FROM EMMA

Sandy is absolutely fine at the moment. He had a little bit of dinner when we got in and now he has plonked himself down in the kitchen. He seems to feel safest in there so we will just leave him to it.

We are going to take him out for a little walk when it cools down. It is a bit hot at the moment. He is getting on well with Crosby as you can see.

Thanks to Fran for looking after him and for letting us take him home. He will be more loved than you can imagine.

FURTHER UPDATE

We thought we would send you a quick update to let you know how Andy is getting on. Well, what can we say. He is perfect!! He has been with us 6 days and has totally settled in and we feel as though he has been here forever!

We have decided to rename him Andy as Sandy sounds too much like my parent’s dog Sadie and it has been causing some confusion between them!

He has slept soundly every night so far, not even a peep out of him on his first night, what a star boy.

He has got the most fantastic personality. He is very comical and he makes us laugh all the time, he should be on the stage!

We have taken him to the park by the beach and the big open fields nearby and he has loved it. We decided to let him off his lead in both parks as they are both very safe and we have found that he has brilliant recall.

He loves the water and has a couple of lovely swims in the lake! Don’t know who was most surprised when he jumped in, him or us!

After a little bit of sulking Crosby, our little Cairn, has now accepted him. They are getting on really well and as Andy can run very fast Crosby is getting some great exercise trying to keep up with him and catch him.

Rita the cat wasn’t too impressed to start with but she is becoming more confident every day as Andy is very submissive and at the moment is actually quite scared of her, mind you I am not surprised with all the hissing at him she does.

We feel that we have been blessed with rescuing a wonderful dog and we are so grateful to Pauline, Jackie, Fran and IRR for allowing us to bring him home.