Henry Ryan-Smith
what a lovely long life
Aileen told us “Sadly, on 15th September we lost our beloved Henry. Thankfully, Tessa is still going strong, and she and Daisy get on great together but Henry was unique”.
This is the obituary that Richard wrote for 17yr old Henry:-
“Yesterday we had to say goodbye to our beloved Henry.
It is with heavy hearts, that together, we took the difficult decision to allow him to go over Rainbow Bridge.
Rescued from Romania, Henry aka Higgins, The Wolf and Horrible Henry was a feral street dog when he arrived pretty much by default. He was rescued with two other roaming retrievers. The rescuers felt they couldn’t leave him on his own and only save the others. So Henry arrived at Poppy Cottage as a halfway house until someone came forward. It was soon apparent that there would be no takers and Henry slowly made himself comfortable here and settled in. He won our hearts as he slowly came to trust us and was a very welcome addition to our household.
Henry was a very talented magician. Food vanished within an instant. Slices of toast, whole packets of HobNobs, house sitter’s dinners left errantly on the worktop.
His magical skills extended to wonderful acts of escapism as he often slipped through a barely opened door….down the drive, across the main road into the park for a wee and a bundle with another dog before calling it a day and coming home (all with me jogging 20yds behind him trying to catch him up.)
A feral street dog and a baby….how would that work? Well it worked wonderfully as Henry welcomed baby Daniel into our home. When the Health Visitor arrived post birth to check us out. Henry assured her that all was fine by giving a few days old Daniel the biggest lick on his face whilst sat in his new mum’s lap.
Super Smart Henry worked so positively with a dog trainer and became transformed and Horrible Henry was no more. He was a joy to take out on walks even if he did want to leave his mark every ten yards.
He really did leave his mark too! A neighbour was filling a pot hole in the road nearby which was where he reversed his car out of his drive. The concrete had been poured and Henry investigated by plonking his paw right in the middle of it….. his signature remains.
Unfortunately, a compound fracture of his hind leg from his street days which healed without vets attention, began to catch up with him and he began to slow down considerably. He defied his odds though and managed to have an active life until a few short weeks ago when we knew that his time was coming to it’s conclusion.
Henry was so handsome with his Bowie eyes always amazing passers by and he was such a character. A scamp, a thief, an escape artist but most of all an absolutely wonderful pet to have in our home.
Henry’s passing has left the biggest hole in our lives. For ten years he was a huge part of our family.
Henry, we love and miss you terribly”.
History
WHO COULD RESIST THAT FACE?
In 2014 when the gorgeous Henry, a very large neutered male Crossbreed, was rescued from a high kill Pound, he was 8 years old.
EARLY HISTORY
In foster with Aileen in Berkshire, she said of him “Henry was incredibly nervous when he first came in but, as the realisation has dawned on him that he is safe, he has settled quietly and slept contently in his bed. He’s been very clean since arriving and got on well with our resident dogs. He is a very sweet boy who will make a great pet.
Henry’s dream home would be with people who are gentle and patient and who have another dog to show Henry the way as so many things are very new to him. Henry would probably be best in a quieter home without young children due to his nervousness. Most of all Henry needs to be the heart of a loving family, this boy deserves the very best”.
UPDATE AFTER 10 DAYS (27.11.2014)
His fosterer said “What a change in this boy, he’s a real darling. He definitely could be an only dog as he’s become my total shadow and pays almost no attention to my other dogs but he is also comfortable being with theother dogs.
Henry is not keen on things being put over his head (slip lead etc.) so getting his lead on is a bit of a struggle but, once it’s on and he realises he is going for a walk, he’s very happy. He is a fantastic little walker and trots along merrily by your side.
He is very food oriented and has started to fill out a little bit. His coat is already in much better condition too.
Henry is still a little nervous in some situations but he is improving all the time”.
SECOND UPDATE FROM HENRY’S FOSTERER (30.12.2014)
This lovely boy is settling more every day and he’s rapidly becoming a calm and confident dog who will make a super pet. He has now filled out to his proper weight and is very handsome with a fabulous soft and silky coat.
He was initially wary of strangers in the house over Christmas but quickly understood that he was safe and welcomed our guests. He’s quite a good guard dog and will bark if anything unusual is going on outside the house.
Henry is extremely clever and quick to learn. His enthusiasm and energy for walks and play is infectious.
He’s fantastic on his lead, though he needs additional training to ensure he ignores small dogs in particular.
He’s thoroughly recommended for a calm but active household and would be fine with older children / teenagers who are not too boisterous.
JANUARY 2015
Great news – Henry and Neeson have got together and worked their charms on Henry’s foster Mum, Aileen, so Henry is now officially Neeson’s brother. Naturally, we are all delighted to hear the news.