Louis Phillips

GOODBYE TO OUR VERY SPECIAL NAUGHTY BOY (27.7.2018)

At 8pm of Friday 27th July, Joan had to say a tearful “goodbye” to our very special boy, Louis.

He had been starting to struggle with his walking and, despite trying various painkillers and anti-inflammatories, nothing really did the trick. He was also, intermittently, having upset tummies, which was definitely not him as he had had cast iron guts from day one having a penchant for socks, gloves and his beloved tissues.

The weather was very hot which didn’t help and made him even more lethargicthen, on the Friday morning he had a major tummy upset which meant he spent the day in the vets. They did lots of tests and the prognosis wasn’t good so there was only one option to prevent him from suffering. He quietly slipped away with Joan at his side as always.

Louis was always a water baby. He was never happier than when he was swimming or just splishing about in water.

For sure, he will now be with his best friend Lizzie and his previous little girlfriend, Sophie.

IRR are really grateful to Joan for taking Louis on and for giving him a chance when nobody else would, for riding the roller coaster of the ups and downs of his challenging behaviour and slowly and patiently, with great understanding, working through it all with him.

Joan did everything to make his life as good as it could be like taking him for their quiet annual week’s holiday in November, well away from the fireworks that terrified him. He hated thunder and gunfire too so the one good thing about him ageing was, on starting to go deaf, things bothered him less.

Walks were often at ungodly hours so Louis would feel more secure and happy. Nobody could have done more for him.

Joan’s reward for caring for Louis unconditionally was for him to become the most wonderful, lovable and loving companion and friend. We know she misses him terribly.

Fly high with the angels, Louis, and have a wonderful time at Rainbow Bridge with the girls and your old foster friends Ricky, Eddie and Danny xxx

FROM LOUIS

I once was quite a naughty boy but everyone still cared
Because they knew my early life had left me very scared.
The thought of men and fireworks, thunderstorms and guns
Would set me off and be the cause of many frantic runs.
If I was scared I’d just climb high, the worktops were fair game.
For any food that disappeared they knew who was to blame.
My foster home was dog proof but that was before me
It had to be like Colditz or I would just break free.

I went to be adopted not once, not twice but thrice
But I always did a baddie that wasn’t very nice.
Foster Mum was worried, although our bond got stronger
Biting foster Dad meant that I couldn’t stay much longer
But then my lovely angel came and said she’d rescue me
So warts and all she took me on, I couldn’t hide my glee.
I knew that I was lucky but I still made life so hard
With anybody else, for sure, I would have marked my card

At times, I could be very mean, so much Mum didn’t like me.
But she blamed horrid early days for the way I was to be.
Forever Mum remained determined that she would end my hell
And, bit by bit, I stole her heart and she stole mine as well
I got the measure of my Mum. I knew just what to do
To get that extra bikkie and she hadn’t got a clue.
I used the scared, hard done by look and stared right at the tin.
I know she can’t resist me, to refuse would be a sin.

“Who’s wrecked this bed?” She looks at me “Who’s chased the cat again?”
 The game is up so I adopt a mix of shame and pain
One of my looks from huge brown eyes, my head held on a tilt
Despite the culprit being me, it’s her who’s filled with guilt.
I rest my chin upon her lap and gaze into her eyes
She’s really very gullible for one so worldly wise
I‘m totally appealing, I really act the part
I’ve mastered all the gestures to melt my Mummy’s heart

I do a sit, I do a down, I roll and show my belly
She thinks I’m far more fun to watch than rubbish on the telly
I back on to the sofa and although I’m not allowed
Before she can say “no” to me, I’m beside her, looking proud.
Another ploy is snuggling up beside her on the chair
Knowing wriggling proves to be too much, far more than she can bear.
She doesn’t want to move me cos she loves her cheeky chappie
So she kneels on the floor instead – I win again – I’m happy.

I know she’s going to miss be, I know that she’ll be sad
But Mum will have her memories of great times we both had.
We went to lovely places, I swam in lakes and sea
The freedom in the water was exactly right for me.
We had such lovely holidays, my life was filled with fun
Whether walking in the countryside or lazing in the sun
We visited Mum’s rellies and walked in Gizzie’s field
Thanks to Mum, my life has been so totally fulfilled.

Now, sadly, time has caught me up and I must say “goodbye”
Life’s been so great, it’s hard to go, I cannot tell a lie.
Try not to be too upset, Mum, for now I’m flying free.
Sophie, Lizzie, Ricky, Eddie, Danny and, now, me
For sure, we’ll play together, now young, we’ll have no pain
Then, one day, we will all queue up to greet our Mums again.
With waggy tails, our doggy licks and loads of slobbery kissing
And you’ll give us the hugs and cuddles that we have all been missing

Thank you Mum, you’ve been a star so please try not to cry
It’s only “ au revoir” for now whilst time just passes by.
I know it’s tough to let me go. It’s really hard to part.
But I won’t be too far away, forever in your heart
You’ll feel me in the cooling breeze and in the sun’s warm rays
In drops of rain and flakes of snow. I’ll brighten all your days.
Please enjoy a lovely life. We’ll meet again, it’s true.
My bestest Mum, who loved me loads, be sure, I love you too

HISTORY

LOUIS is a very good looking yellow Labrador who was very fit and active and was aged about 2yrs old when rescued in 2007. He was neutered and microchipped and spent many months in foster with Pauline and Steve in Somerset until the perfect home was found for him.

Happy on Holiday 7 November 2013

Louis is having his annual ‘get away from the fireworks’ holiday by spending two weeks with his mum in a cottage in the wilds of Wales.

He is having an absolutely brilliant time.

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF LIFE FOR LOUIS

His ideal home would be a rural one with one or two adult ladies and one (or more) dogs.

He now seems to be happier around men, when outside the home, but, for some reason, he cannot live in a normal family situation with a man and woman although we think he would be fine with a man who is living on his own, where there would be no need to protect his mistress. He is, however, very much a lady’s dog and, very quickly, becomes attached and devoted to ladies. Men have clearly been really horrible to him in the past so he can still be suspicious at first and reacts badly to confrontation but he has now taken to several different men, which is a huge step forward for him.

He preferably needs a home where he can use his brain and he is proving to be a little star at basic obedience, agility and HTM and very much enjoys clicker training. He certainly seems to have an active brain, which he definitely needs to use to keep him out of trouble. He is very focussed and attentive when he is working and, in his obedience class, he can work happily with other dogs all around him. Another alternative would be with a very active owner who would walk or run miles with him every day. He just loves to have fun and can run and run so “couch potatoes” definitely need not apply:))))

He has recently been assessed to become a sniffer dog but he actually wasn’t keen enough on a ball. The dog training co-ordinator said of him “We have carried out a number of assessments on Louis and I’m sorry but he does not have the particular drive that we are looking for. My impression is that in a kennel environment he shuts down and, unfortunately, all of our dogs have to be kennelled. This may be why he is so good with you in a home environment. He would make a really lovely pet for someone who is not going to feel sorry for him. He needs someone who will treat him as a dog living in the moment – not in the past or the future, but the now, with firm and consistant boundaries and limitation.”

Pauline, who has fostered him on and off for 9 mths, says: “I can’t believe poor Louis is still looking for his perfect home. It is such a shame as he is a real character and I love him to bits. Unfortunately, he and my husband are not the best of friends so, of necessity, he is unable to live in the house as a full part of the family. He seems content enough with his own little pad in the utility room but it is not ideal and it breaks my heart that he hasn’t got an owner that he can truelly call his own. I spend as much time as I can with him doing bits of training and my other dogs take it in turns to spend time with him too. The highlights of his day, however, are the trips to the field, where he happily runs with my 5 dogs as well as other golden retrievers, a Bernese Mountain Dog, a whippet, a GSD and various crossbreeds. I have found Louis to be excellent with other dogs unless they are very aggressive towards him, in which case, he would be up for the challenge”.

He is a typical young lab who is full of beans and needs somebody active and experienced to call his own. He reminds me of Chance in the Incredible Journey……………always into everything and saying “what can I do next?” “life is sooo exciting” “let me at it, let me at it”.

He really does want to please but, bless him, he doesn’t always know how so he has to be reminded frequently of what is right and wrong.

He is not food possessive and will eat gently from your hand, patiently waiting his turn, but, unfortunately, he will sometimes guard stolen bootee and has been known to swallow things whole.

Any prospective adopter will have to be prepared to give him time to settle and time for him to learn to trust them, whilst setting the ground rules from day one. He responds extremely well to confident handling with plently of vocal rewards so, in experienced hands, he is a very easy dog to train.

He is not boisterous but he is very pushy. He would definitely have to go to dog savvy people and not to people who would want to totally spoil and pamper him because that would do him no good at all although, that having been said, he is very tactile and does enjoy tummy tickles with people he trusts.

Louis is definitely not an easy dog but he is a very likeable one and, with dedication and continued training by an experienced handler, he will turn into the most wonderful loyal companion and friend.

LOUIS, HOPEFULLY, IN HIS FOREVER HOME

Pauline says “Louis is now living in Plymouth. The lady who is, hopefully, going to adopt Louis is called Joan and she lives with an elderly dog and a cat. She has had several yellow labradors, the last one being quite a handful but she persevered and she turned him into a wonderful companion just like her previous ones.

We have taken things very slowly and our first meeting in Plymouth went really well. Louis had a lovely walk in her local park and was fine with her little dog (also a rescue who was found abandoned in a bush). He was even reasonably well behaved (thanks to his crate) on first encounters with her cat. At that point, Joan’s greatest reservation was him being too bonded to me, as he cried when I left him and took my other dogs for a walk to give them all some time together.

Anyway, 10 days on, Joan came up from Plymouth to Bath and came to our field. She saw Louis interacting with my other dogs and, again, he was fine with her Sophie ( a small 12yr old cross)) but, what was best, he had eyes only for her. Then we put all the other dogs away and she took him through his repertoire (a pocketful of treats helped)…………..and he was a star!!!!! A bit later, we went to our training class where Joan worked him and she was great with him. She even distracted him, instinctively, when 2 other dogs had a minor disagreement and he started barking. She simply got up from her chair and did a bit of heelwork with him…………sorted!!!!!! Apart from that, he behaved impeccably and as if they had always been together.

Our next meet was another 10 days later when Joan was on her way for a week’s holiday in Dorset and we met up en route for a walk. We then met up again during the week for another walk and Louis was reunited with Valerie and Jean, who fostered him for a couple of weeks just before Christmas and just happened to live in the village where Joan was holidaying. All went very well except for Louis helping himself to 3 pieces of coffee gateaux in one mouthful!!!!!!!!!! Thankfully even this did not deter Joan.

Joan says that Louis is an angel compared to her previous rescue lab, Ben, who was also 2yrs when she adopted him. Many times in the first few weeks, she wondered what she had taken on but, eventually, they became very close and she had him for almost 12yrs. Ben was the image of Louis as were her previous two.

On her way home from holiday, Joan collected Louis and he spent a week with her. Apart from chasing the cat and raiding several packs of her food, growling at her male dog walker, barking ad nauseum at anything and everything, knocking her dinner out of her hand and tipping over a pot of dye in the kitchen………….all went well………OMG!!!!!!! I believe Joan is truelly a saint.

She was very glad of the break when she dropped Louis back off with me for the weekend, as she had a short stay with a family member pre-booked, and I’m not sure if Joan missed him but he definitely missed her and was delighted to see her again on the Monday, when she came to collect him to take him back home with her again. I have to admit, I did wonder if she would come back for him at all.”

UPDATE FROM JOAN 4 WEEKS ON

Joan says “Louis is fine. We’ve been to the beach a couple of times this week, he loves the sea. It’s great to see him bounding through the waves. The barking has improved, it’s not good, as he’s still reacting to every noise, but it’s not as bad as it was. My neighbours have been very tolerant, I keep plying them with alcohol.

I’m not giving up on him, he has some very endearing characteristics, and I’m learning as fast as he is. The behavourist that came was very helpful and it was good to know I’m doing all the right things. I think I’ve lost about a stone, which is no bad thing, as eating is not without it’s stresses these days!!

Last week I introduced him to cows, kites and swinging signs. This morning he had a little introduction to the hoover, it will take a while before he’s happy with it.

He’s walking nicely to heel, and yesterday he went for a walk with a friend, and was happy to go with her, whereas last week he wouldn’t go without me.

We’re making progress!”

REUNION 2008

Not only did Louis gain his Kennel Club Good Citizen Bronze Award but he also won Best IRR Obedience Dog by gaining most points in the obedience classes……well done Louis and Joan.

LOUIS UPDATE – FEB 09

Whilst he is a lot better with men away from home, he wouldn’t have taken kindly to ones invading his home so Louis has been back in Somerset, staying with his friends, whilst his mum has some vital work done.

Here he is with Ellie, his GSD friend, an ex foster dog of Pauline’s who lives nearby and her friend Connie, the Whippet:-

and here he is with his best friends, Danny, Ricky and dirty Eddie

and with his sparring partner, Ferdie

LOUIS TWO YEARS ON

Louis still has his ups and downs but, on the whole, he is very much improved from the terrified dog who arrived from Ireland in July 2007. Here he is with some new friends during a 2 day stay with Pauline.

LOUIS LOVING THE SEA & HIM WITH HIS NEW BEST FRIENDS

Louis is quite a reformed character these days since his great love of water has been discovered and he goes swimming at every opportunity, both in the sea and in streams near his home.

He is much better in the company of men and is happy to be in the company of the cats in his household too now. He can still spook at silly things sometimes but, these days, he is mostly one cool dude.