Leah Smith

LOVELY LEAH HAS GONE TO RAINBOW BRIDGE (NOVEMBER 2014)

A devastated Rosemary tells us Leah has gone to Rainbow Bridge. She said ” Very sadly I have to tell you that I lost my lovely Leah last week. She had
been slowing right down but then I think she had a little stroke which caused her to be wobbly and she kept losing her legs.

Leah was the perfect and much loved companion. She was so gentle and patient with the grandchildren. I was so lucky to have her for 6 1/2 years”.

Joan and Brian, who fostered Leah are gutted as it seems all the lovely IRR dogs they have known are going to Rainbow Bridge and each one brings back the sadness of losing the others.

LEAH’S HISTORY

Leah is 6yrs and has a golden retriever father and her mother is a golden retriever cross labrador but she looks like a full golden retriever. Her circumstances are that she has recently lost her owners, due to first the wife passing away and then, shortly after, the husband going into permanent care. They lived on part of the estate of a farm. Leah is a very affectionate dog. She walks on or off the lead and comes immediately when called. She is very used to all farm animals and completely ignores them (sheep, cows, horses). She is very good with other dogs. She is microchipped but not yet spayed as she came into season before this could be done.

FIRST FOSTERER, JAN

Jan fostered her for a few days but she had to be moved when she came into season. Jan says:- “Leah is a dear and an extremely loveable & affectionate dog, fully housetrained, always seeking lots of cuddles and attention and adores human company. She obeys several commands such as Sit, Down, Stay, Wait, etc and her recall is absolutely outstanding and she can be walked off lead on the Plains in safe areas. She will pull enthusiastically when she is first going for her walk as most dogs do. In the woods she just trots alongside me and is friendly to other dogs, although upon meeting a new dog she may run towards them and bark a few times looking a little apprehensive, but is not aggressive towards them. She was a little growly initially with my 3 boys but is now tolerating them extremely well, especially considering she has just started her season and I have 2 complete males who are obviously interested in her. Her bark is very quiet sometimes, almost like she has had her bark removed. She will sit and dance with her front paws for a treat which is really sweet. I would guess she has had a few litters judging by her baggy tummy.”

“She has not shown any food possessiveness, nor food aggression in the short time I have had her, although I have fed her separately. She loves her food and eats her Burns kibble with relish without any gravy or meat added. She doesn’t seem to know how to play with toys at all but I am sure this skill can be developed by her new owners with time and input. She has slept in the kitchen on her own, makes a couple of little noises at first but soon settles down. I have bathed her this afternoon as she was so stinky and filthy. She acutally lay down in the bath most of the time adoring all the pampering. She was covered in large lumps of dried fox mess, as well as other disgusting matter, particularly around her neck area and underneath her terrible collar.

Leah appears to be an almost perfect little dog in all ways. Although I have only had her here for 2 days I will miss her greatly – and I don’t usually take to bitches at all! Her adopters will be very privileged indeed to be given the opportunity to care for such a special and dear little love.

SECOND FOSTERER, ANNE

Anne then fostered her during her season and said:- “She’s lovely, settling in fine, she no longer snatches treats and will walk to heel if you have a gravy bone in your hand. She is quite happy with Bella (F.C.R.) and Tilly (Goldie) but not too keen when Denzil (Cocker Spaniel) visits. However, we are keeping him away from her because, even though he’s only 7 months, he is getting excited!

Leah comes back when called most of the time, unless she’s hunting rabbits with Bella in one particular spot. She’s very good with children, she just sat there waiting to be made a fuss of. Leah has met a girl of eight years old and she just sat quietly beside her to be made a fuss of but we have not met any younger children

We had an early start this morning as Bella and Leah together decided we should be up at 5.45am it was play time then, they didn’t need to go out or need water they just wanted us up to make a fuss of them!

When Leah first became aware of the aquarium in the lounge we couldn’t move her away from it she was transfixed for 20 minutes just watching the fish. I think she would be ideally suited to someone who will be at home with her most of the time, she just wants as much company as possible but she’s settled in well to life in our home and, of course, we do work.

Leah has some of Susie’s little ways, and looking down on her from above she looks similar if a bit heavier, we have called her Susie several times when we were not thinking. Yesterday I threw a ball, which she retrieved and brought back to me and sat in front of me with it, I didn’t push my luck and try a finish, she only did it once and wouldn’t do it again. I also put her food down and told her to wait which she did, someone obviously spent a lot of time training her. She is very strong and does pull sometimes, especailly if going somewhere new for a walk. I know she’s in season but we don’t have stray dogs in our village and we know where we can take her safely. She had a paddle in the river yesterday, but wouldn’t jump in from the bank, even when the geese were tempting her! The wooden bridge across the river was also something new to her – she was very nervous but we made it. She and Bella are great friends, but Bella can not understand why she will not play with toys with her!

We have three cats, Leah was aprehensive to start with, think she’s been got by one before but now completely ignores them. one has even rubbed noses with her – so fine with cats and children. She doesn’t settle at night if there’s a light left on when she’s put to bed, she thinks if someone is awake they should be making a fuss of her, with two sons of 24 and 26 they don’t always want to got to bed when mum and dad do, in fact sometimes they only get in at 3am! We have learned now to turn the lights off then Leah settles well but she’s an early riser, usually by 6.30 – even earlier sometimes, 5.15am this morning! But all she wants is a cuddle and to know you’re still there. The only sad thing is she does not know what to do with toys and apart from one time when she fetched a ball thats all she’s done.”

Leah then started to get a bit grumpy with Honey and Meg a two year old, tall, black lab when out on her walks but remained a lovely bitch and so affectionate at home and was fine with Tilley and Bella and even with Denzil who visited alternate nights and has walks in the morning with all the other dogs. Anne said Denzil was jumping up at Leah and grabbing her ears, ‘talking’ whilst doing it and she turned her head away and ignored him. We suspect it is because her hormones are causing problems post season.

THIRD FOSTERER, JOAN

Leah went to a prospective home but it didn’t work out for her as the lady felt she needed a slightly more experienced owner with more time for training than she was able to give so Leah went into foster with Joan in Surrey. Leah immediately responded well to clicker training, as did Josh, her own gorgeous golden retriever boy, who took a renewed interest in his training too.

On her first day, Joan said “She was fine last night and just a little whine at 6.30 this morning so we let them out, gave them a biscuit and she settled down again. Just met one dog this morning a pointer, she reacted to it but not aggressively. Met a group of flyers carrying their planes she walked past them all and just gave a little bark at the last one but didn’t pull towards them at all. She’s absolutely no trouble at all, comes when called and is very obedient and in fact I would like to see her a little more up for it, but no doubt that will come!!!!”

A day or two later, she said ” Leah has settled in very well. She is quiet but loves a fuss and also food. Enjoyed a walk this afternoon on lead and was interested in the model planes but wasn’t fazed at all and ignored the flyers. She did have her tail up and was grumbling in the back of her throat when we passed a chap with a small crossbreed but I kept her on a short lead and luckily the other dog went straight past. She didn’t bark at them though but I’m not sure what she would have done if off lead.

She seems happy enough but her eyes look sad which upsets me. She is fine with Josh although doesn’t interact with him at all yet and the same with him although he has had a few sniffs at her rear end!!!! According to the lady who had been hoping to adopt her, she was the same with her lab, Cookie, and while Cookie slept upstairs she just stayed downstairs so I don’t think she knows how to play either with toys or other dogs but hopefully that may change.”

A few more days on, Joan said “Leah is the perfect house guest in every way, just a bit too quiet but very loving and very obedient. But there definately is a slight problem there and so probably needs an experienced dog owner. She met Tess and Bomber, local dogs (goldie and lab) and was fine with them although she does go a bit stiff when first meeting a dog. Later in the walk she saw a collie in the distance (I know this collie is a bit iffy and he used to growl at Josh) but from quite a long way off she was pulling and growling so we changed directions to avoid him. It may be she knows even from a distance the dogs that may be unfriendly.

She seems to enjoy Josh’s company even though she doesn’t interact very much with him at the moment so she would be happy with someone who had another dog providing they got on of course. She may still change though as she settles down so watch this space. As Josh had a long walk with Foxy and I left Leah with Brian, I took her out later on her own. She was quite happy with this, didn’t seem to mind not being with Josh, as I think she is quite independent, and so would also be happy being the only dog.”

LEAH IN HER FOREVER HOME

Leah is now living very happily in Southampton with Rosemary who says “She is settling in very well and is moving around the floor more confidently. Leah is as good as gold and is such a pleasure to have about the house. The other night I fell asleep on the sofa and was woken up by a wet nose!

Leah does like to get up quite early but we have been going out earlier to avoid the heat. She can be a bit of a puller on the lead but we are working on that. Thank you to all of you for finding me such a lovely companion.”