progress update: 21st Sep 09

Rosie has now found a home !!!

progress update: 10th June 09

progress update: 28th May 09

Hi, it’s me again, Rosie,

I’m having a fabulous time at Della’s – she’s the author and taught me that word ‘fabulous’. I haven’t bothered jumping over the fence again – it’s much more comfy on the sofa – and actually there’s quite a bit of stuff going on here at the moment. We’ve got extra dogs staying – and some children. I love other dogs and kids aren’t bad either because they chuck food at me, and I do love my food.

But it’s the walks that are my favourite. This week we’ve been running every day – that’s me, Della, her son, Adam, and the other dogs. Today there were four of us dogs and it was brill. I love to run with them. I’m good off the lead Della says, I don’t go too far and I come back when I’m scared of something, I mean when Della is scared of something and needs me to protect her – er hem!

I am getting the hang of this tail wagging business now too, Della calls me Miss Waggy. Or sometimes she calls me Frog Dog because I bounce up and down like a frog when I’m excited. Oh and did I mention that I can smile too – when I’m happy, which is quite a lot.

I’m signing off now – time for a snooze. All that running wears you out.

But I will be back with an update soon.

love Rosie Lee xxx

progress update: 25th May 09

I have been told it is about time that I stopped lounging about on the sofa, scoffing my face twice a day and wrote my diary so here it is:-

I ‘ve been with the rescue for over two months having been unceremoniously dumped in a pound to face a certain death.Luckily for me I was rescued at the the eleventh hour. I was quite a spooky dog and at the first sign of commotion would try to jump the fence but nowadays I am far more settled. I don’t like to boast but I am now fostering with an Author and her husband Tony, Della has said that she will help me with my diaries in the future and I can use her computer to write them. Helen said to me that she expects to see an improvement in my grammer over the next few weeks.

Anyway I am now sharing my sofa or should I say Della’s sofa with her two dogs and we get on just dandy. I now go for walks off the lead and love having the freedom to run with the other dogs, not bad for a dog that took nearly two months to allow a lead to be put on. I love cats but only to chase and they never fail to run, silly things if they just stood still us dogs wouldn’t know what to do! I have heard myself described as a Lurcher mix and I was born roughly a year or so ago, my birth certificate was lost so this is just a guess.

I love people and now that I have learnt that I am not to be beaten at every opportunity I am now longer afraid of them.It is very comfortable at Della and Tony’s but I would like a home of my own and I like the company of other dogs so a home with a another K9 friend would suit me best.

I can hear my dinner being served and I wouldn’t want anyone to eat it so I am off to tuck my napkin in and take my place at the table. I will sit down and write another update next week.

progress update from Della :  30th Apr 09

Apart from a couple of escape attempts (she can get over a six foot fence) she has settled in very well.

She loves my dogs – she often curls up with the older one Lindy in her basket, which is a squash to say the least. She is getting more and more confident. She has started to smile – you know that lifting their lip thing that dogs do – when she’s excited. And she also wags her tail a lot now. She didn’t do that at all the first few days.

She is still pretty timid with strangers, especially men, but she is getting better and better with us. She has also now found my office at the top of the house – she is lying under my desk now very settled.

She’s a quiet girl, still good on the lead, and loves her walks. She’s just starting to play as well with my more dominant dog, which is lovely to see. I think she’ll make someone a fabulous pet – she’s the type that would be very loyal and loving. She likes to be with someone, so not a dog you’d want to leave a lot. She howls like a hound if I leave her on her own.

Rosie is a real sweety and has make a lot of progress in a fortnight.

I’ve attached a couple of pictures too.

progress update from Sheryl: 17th Apr 09

We started out on a quiet walk through the area and Rosie was quite nervous.
She was looking for doorways and cars she could possibly get into.
After stopping and starting for 5 mins or so, Rosie finally got
into the walk and was happily tracking the ground and looking around
at passers by and new surroundings.
We walked to the Rec… I think she enjoyed this and was more than happy to meet other dogs but shyed
away from people.
We walked back through a busy main road as her confidence had grown and she wasn’t bothered by loud traffic.
Before we even had chance to notice, a young boy had raced up behind us on his
bike and passed really quickly-making us both jump!
I thought Rosie was really going to freak!! She held her composure bless her, and
didnt really bat an eyelid! What a surprise!
The following day I collected Rosie and we took the same route, as I
want to familiarise her with her surroundings to become more
confident.
She was in a hurry to get to the front door! Much better
than I remember on our first walk a month ago- She was very very
reluctant!
Walking through the Rec we met up with quite a few dogs and people.
There were 2 kids football matches on so it was loud and busy but she
wasnt too bothered-Just nosey!
Rosie is actually quite interested in people as she has to sniff them as they pass us.
This is good progress and her confidence is building each time we walk.
We met a lady and her dog-A small terrier.
Rosie greeted the dog-who was also called Rosie!
The owner and I talked for about 5 minutes about our Rosie’s!
At this point she was happily sniffing the ladie’s legs and was offered a treat.
Rosie had a good sniff at the treat but didnt take it.
She actually looked quite comfortable in the company of a stranger, and allowed the lady to stroke her. Walking back through the busy main road, she was started to show a little nervousness again by
searching for shop doorways she could possibly get into, so we headed home.
Rosie was excited to be back-she even jumped up at the door with
excitement! After devouring her food she then settled into her bed.
I think Rosie is still a little nervous of me. She sees me as her
security when we are out together, but as soon as we get back home, I
seem to be a stranger to her again.
With more walks together to gain her trust I am sure this will help build her confidence in me and
people in general.

progress update from Sheryl: 7th Apr 09

Rosie is like a different dog when I walked her tonight!
She was happy to have her lead put on and didnt struggle going to the door at
all-She was happy to follow me out.
Last time I walked with Rosie (for her first outdoor experience since coming to the rescue) she was a bag
of nerves- What a diference!
I thought I’d walk her somewhere away from the hustle and bustle and started off on a quiet road around the local area.
Rosie was a little nervous about it and cowered at the sound of cars and the sight of
people, but this lasted a very short time.
Soon she was walking well with me and sniffing the air..sussing this place out!
She was still quite wary of people walking behind us and stopped to check them out.
She was very brave though and her curiosity got the better of
her…she had to give them a sniff, or at least get a closer look.
As Rosie was doing so well, I decided to walk her on one of the busy
main roads so she could start getting used to lots of noise.
She was better than I thought she would be- Not much phased her, as long as we
just kept on walking.
If Rosie got spooked, she would walk right into my legs and then freak out a little about that but we soon got that under control!
She must have realised I mean her no harm.
We stopped next to a bus which was just pulling into the bus stop-this was so
loud it made us both jump!
At that moment a crowd of people got off the bus and walked directly around us-
I thought Rosie would get in a panic,
but she proved me wrong and just sniffed as many people as she
could from a distance-
This is great to see as she has been so frightened of people.
There is light at the end of the tunnel for Rosie.
On the lead she walked very nicely. She didnt pull at all. Not once!
Maybe once she gets a bit more confident she may try her luck!
She was pleased to see other dogs along the way and approached a pack of 3
smaller dogs to say hello.
Back home at the Rescue Rosie was met by Clive-Her new friend.
He licked her face all over! It was very cute!
She was just as pleased to see him!

progress update from Sheryl: 1st Apr 09
Today I gave Rosie her first walk in the big wide world since arriving
at the rescue.
She was happy to meet me and came into the room of her
own accord although she was obviously very cautious.
She took a treat from my hand as I knelt down to her.
I didnt give her any eye contact so she wouldnt be frightened off. Helen put the lead on her and we went to the hall way-
That was as far as she wanted to go!
I had a job to get Rosie outside as she was very afraid,
but we eventually got out the door.
Rosie was terrified- She just wanted to run away or get inside to a
safe place,
so she was all over the place and darted towards the front doors of houses on the street- I guess she wanted to get in.
I didnt say anything to her and just kept walking and trying to redirect her as I knew its for her own good and wellbeing to get over her fear.
She followed nervously looking around at absolutely everything.
I decided to take her on a very short walk of the area so I could stick to the quiet streets.
It must have been so loud to Rosie because she was really spooked by the slightest noise.
We walked for about 10 minutes or so.
I made a point of giving people, other dogs and moving vehicles
a wide berth on this occasion as there was so much for her to take in.
I’m sure she will get used to this soon.
Walking back to the rescue wasn’t so hard for her-
She must have picked up the scent and was very eager to get back. Once back at the rescue front door, Rosie was desperate to get in and waited in anticipation for it to be opened so she could snuggle back up in her bed.
I hope that after a couple more experiences outside the Rescue, Rosie will be more than happy to get out and about.
Hopefully we could use Josie, her sister to show her the way by possibly walking them together.
Rosie shows a lot of trust in Helen, as she was settled down after the walk-
I was surprised at how much she allowed Helen to do in the room with her,
and having contact with her without Rosie freaking out!
Just shows to me she is capable of accepting that human company doesnt have to always mean violence.

progress update : 23rd Feb

Today Josie and Rosie were visited by a photographer from the Echo.

They will be featured on Saturday to try and find them a home where they can stay together!

Rosie arrived with Josie she came from the same home previously to ending up in a pound.
We are fairly certain that they are sisters.
She like Josie has been beaten, unlike Josie who is a bit more confident she is still very frightened of people.
Just changing their blankets frightens her.
She will come out of her shell and she will be given plenty of time to do this at the Rescue.
She depends on Josie for security and would love to find a home where they could be together.
She is a gentle dog and with encouragement and time to settle will learn that life is not a constant round of beatings.
She like Josie is sociable with all dogs.

Rosie is about a year old and a cross breed,

she was in the same pound as Josie and also due to be destroyed.

She is a gentle dog but we think
that she has not been treated too kindly in the past.

She gets on well
with other dogs and in time she will gain confidence.