Debz Dogz

KC Name: DEBAX OWTBUT DERRYK

Pet Name: Ratz

Breed: Working Bearded Collie

D.O.B: 18.06.08

Sire: Woodland Bob

Dam: Woodland Jess

In true Britney Spears style, 'Whoops! I did it again....................'

It was like any normal Wednesday evening, two weeks before Christmas. I had gone to take my training class at club and got talking to Linda, the puppy class instructor.  She started to tell me about a Beardie pup that was attending.  The owners were having trouble with him and couldn't cope so wanted to find him a new home. The story went that he was aggressive with just about everything, food, toys, tugged on his lead (!), chased traffic, wasn't housetrained and had bitten one of their children. (He hadn't shown any of this at club, apart from tugging his lead). I asked Linda to tell them that I'd have him at mine and find him a new home once we'd sorted his 'issues'. I left it at that coz I had to take my class.

I received a phone call on the Sunday to ask if I would take him. I got the address and off I went to pick him up.  When I got there and walked in expecting a dominant, bolshy welcome I was greeted by a very fat, wriggly pup hiding behind the door.
I asked his mum to tell me about his problems. Mostly, they were just normal puppy behaviours. I asked how he'd come to bite her child and was told that he'd been eating his pig's ear on the sofa and said child jumped on behind him and tried to cuddle him. He didn't fetch blood, or mark the skin.

I asked what made them get a Beardie pup. They'd been on holiday in Wales, seen a litter advertised, went and looked and fell in love with a cute fluffy bundle.......................

I fetched him home and tried everything to get him to 'show himself'. This is one time in my life where I'm pleased to say I failed!!  He is a full on, naughty, leery, wired, Beardie pup that's not that brave but who has the biggest smile going. P'raps not the best of choices for a first time dog family, so I can kinda see where they were coming from. Also they were feeding him four times a day with a well know, pretty coloured dog food, sort of explained why he was fat and hyper. They picked that brand because he looked like the dog on the bag.

I put the word out that he was looking for a home and told a few friends.   I think he'd been here about three days when I realised he wasn't leaving.   

I did the 'for and against' list. To be honest there wasn't that many against. Probably only - I don't need another dog. The fors were huge - he's naughty, he's feisty, he's hairy, he's biddable, he's a boy, he's very trainable, he gives the best cuddles, he's good in the van, he's good in his crate, he walks nicely on his lead (that's a novelty!!), he gets on with the other dogs and the hardest 'for' was because Rej is winding down his Obedience career this year.  

Once I'd decided that he was staying I got in touch with Janice Jackson. She breeds Working Beardies and is the registration secretary for the WBCS.  I gave her all the details I had on him and asked her to do some sleuthing.  It turns out that he is registered with the Working Beardie Society. His mum and dad are both 'employed' on a farm in Wales, so that explains why he likes to keep my bunnies tidy!  He's settled right in with all the others. He's been put in his place several times by all of the dogs, even Dug was brave enough to tell him off!!  He doesn't take offence at all. He sits back for a moment and depending on which dog has told him off, he'll either carry on regardless of find a different game to play.

I've started his training, mainly tricks so that he learns to learn but definitely that it's in his best interest to come back when he's called. He can go a little deaf at times.  After Dug being such a good boy, I think Ratz's gonna bring me back down to earth with a bump, you can see it in his eyes...........