An Unhealthy Dog Obsession

Ben was the beginning of my dog obsession. I didn't have dogs as a kid and neither did any of my family and friends. I always liked dogs, and enjoyed looking after my in laws Bichon, Daisy when they went on holiday. From the moment I got Ben, I became completely obsessed with dogs. I would point dogs out on the street, I would go to places where I knew lots of dogs would be, I would go to pets at home when I didn't need to carrying Ben around with me so I could show him off and so he could meet other dogs. I would arrive at puppy training class early so I could talk to the trainer about Ben, I would be the last to leave the class so I could see the junior dogs arrive. I would get excited about going to the vets with Ben. I took Ben to puppy parties, junior puppy parties, I advertised on Gumtree for local people to meet for puppy playdates!!! I obsessed over his training, making sure he was prepared for the next class. He became the 'demonstration' dog for the next set of puppy classes. This is all sounding a little crazy....never mind, I want this blog to be honest.

 

By the time Ben was 5 months old, I begin searching the internet for another dog, I had decided I didn't want a young puppy again but one from 6 months old. Bear in mind at this point, I did not know much about dogs, I was still under the very wrong assumption that you get a dog, you walk it, you feed it, you love it and all is plain sailing, but its just not that's simple and this has been one of the biggest learning curves. Anyway I started texting hubby links to dog adverts, he was not as keen as me and took some persuading but we started to meet dogs that were in need of rehoming. I remember we met a 12 month old Labrador, and it did a wee all over hubby's shoe and Ben was petrified of it so we didn't feel right rehoming that one. Then there was a female beagle cross who we met and went on a walk with but she was totally crazy and we felt she would be too much for us. Finally I came across a 10 month female black Labrador who had been part trained as a working gun dog. She was stunning so I sent a picture to hubby and we agreed to go and meet her. When we arrived on the farm, we met a gamekeeper who uses working Labradors and Spaniels on shoots. He was looking for a new home for this female Labrador as well as a fox red Labrador who was 6 months old, the same age as Ben. He showed us what both of these females could do in terms of being part trained to work. We fell in love with the fox red Labrador, her name was Elsa and 5 days later we brought her home. Unbeknown to us we would be rehoming this beautiful girl a year later.....