A Year in the Life of Our Beautiful Dogs

Can a whole year have flown by already since we adopted Rosie and Jim? Well, yes, it has. And what a difference there is now with these two bundles of fun. When they first came to us, both were very thin and cautious. No wonder; they'd had a rough start to life, and then a period of life in kennels surrounded by other anxious dogs. Rosie especially was quite timid.

It has been lovely watching them gain confidence in their new home and in us. Jim settled in more quickly, but still doesn't like sudden loud noises or swift movements near to him. Rosie took longer to trust us, but now she's a complete cuddle-pot and doesn't think twice before clambering onto a lap for a snuggle. She starts off most games. She's currently in love with a ragged bit of cloth which is all that remains of a rainbow-coloured teddy bear. Jim is fond of dismantling toys...!

We needed to do lot of work with their behaviour when outside, as they were very reactive to other dogs, yapping frantically whenever another dog approached them. This needed a lot of patience and repeated training and reassurance. They can still be unsettled if a strange dog bounds up to them, but they've also made a few buddies who they regularly sniff noses with.

They're gorgeous dogs, and they've become a central part of our lives. It's great to arrive home form work to be greeted by a flurry of excited yip-yapping, happy wagging tails and demands for cuddles.

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