JIMMY

Jimmy came into rescue in a terrible state along with his brother Joey. He was found abandoned at the side of the road in Tuam and were nearly dead from starvation. Just look at the before and after pictures!

He's now found a great new home and is a different dog.

Update:
Here’s an update on your Jimmy – now Frodo. He was 8.55kg last Wednesday, is a healthy, happy, easy little boy and loves being off lead around the fields. We still love him to bits – he’s a ray of sunshine with his funny squeaky yawn and eyes you can’t resist. I am telling him though, that cute is not an excuse for rewriting my rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was a no collar day as he was eating his microchip tag. I’ve now had CHIPPED put on his metal disc.

Thank you again,
Gulie

Nóinín – now Daisy
Thought I'd email you to let you know how Daisy is getting on.  She's really settled in to the family, and we've a great routine of going for walks after school.  Daisy loves the beach, and is clearly a good swimmer.  She chases sticks and surfs in to shore.

On the up side she is great with Jimmy, who loves running along the beach followed by Daisy. They are forming a good team.

I've attached a few photos for you to see of Daisy in her new home.  She's gaining weight, and much happier in herself.  We're very grateful to you for your help with her - she is certainly a dog who deserved a second chance!

With best wishes

Sallyann Marron

PS You'll see that Daisy and Tiger (Idiot Cat) have come to an arrangement. Tiger likes to cuddle up with Daisy, sleeping on her for extra warmth.  I promise you this was not posed! They are great friends, and Tiger chases Daisy around the garden, hunting Daisy's big bushy tail. Daisy deals with it with surprising tolerance.

PARSNIP

Sept’09
We have today adopted Ben, who is now called Parsnip !
I understand that you rescued him and his brother Bill who were the only survivors of a litter.
Parsnip and Apple are getting along famously and Parsnip loves our 5 cats too !
Thank you for your part in the rescue of dear Parsnip, we love him so much and he will have a wonderful life with us.

Tony & Tracey xx

Nov.’09
Just thought we would send you a recent picture of Parsnip sitting will Apple.
Parsnip is really big now, he will certainly be bigger then Apple when he is older.
Parsnip and Apple love each other and spend all their time together.
We are blessed to have been lucky enough to add Parsnip to our family this year, we love him dearly.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a great 2010

love   Tracey & Tony x

BAXTER
I can't believe how quickly he has become one of the family, and how little effort is required. He would chase a ball for Ireland, and I now bring 2 tennis balls with me for walks, one for each dog, although Bax prides himself on being able to pick up both when required. His other superpower is getting his head stuck in the Weetabix box trying to get the last one out, and growling at the same time. Always a useful standby. No health issues at all - we did the Cope Dogathon and he did the whole thing and was still out front on the way back.

Barney

All going well so far.  We have had 2 sessions with the dog trainer and he is pleased with his progress.  We are working on his walking to heel.  He does come back whilst off the lead to a whistle and his name on our walks, but if there’s something a bit more interesting it may take a minute or two!
He doesn’t like the car too much (can’t say I blame him after his trip from Ireland).  
He gets on fine with the cat, and they have shared a sofa.  When we leave him for the odd hour on his own, we have parked up the lane, crept down the drive – all to see if he has been barking whilst we are gone.  No!  Fast asleep on the sofa – and didn’t even hear me come to the door! 
We are pleased to bits with him and I must say I can’t stop kissing him!  He has fitted in our household very well and loves the garden and walks.

Denise and Peter

MEGAN

Just to let you know how Megan is getting on here in her new home.

She has settled in very well and has her paws under every table. She is just adorable, cute and funny. She is becoming a real character/puppy now eating socks, shoes and mobile phones.... She also thinks the rabbits are an appetizer for her.

She loves her walks on the beach every afternoon where is no traffic and it is a wide open space for her to chase the birds and have a good walk/run along the waters edge. She is very good and staying where she is when you tell her to so we can put her back on her lead, only on the beach.
She has found a lovely spot under my Clematis and under the trampoline so she has a birds eye view of the garden/rabbits.

She is becoming better with people everyday. My friends have being so good with her just letting her come to them when she is ready and not pushing her. She gets on really well with my partner and my son. She now cries and gets really excited when we come in, if we have being out.

Thank you once again for giving us Megan. She has really helped me to get over the loss of my other dog Holly. I can now put all my love and energy into a wonderful, loving and loyal dog who deserves a good life after a terrible start.

Talk to you soon
Orla

BENJY

We had been showing your website to a couple of friends, and came across your success stories section.

I don't know if you remember our little fella, a dirty blonde Cairn Terrier/Shitzu mix who we christened Benjy. He would have been between 6 months and a year old at the time, which was July 2007. You had brought him to a new home in St. Marys Road, Galway, but he ran away and ended up in our house in Highfield Park. It took us a few days to trace where he came from, and by the time we eventually made contact with you, we had decided to see if we could keep him.

2 years on, and he continues to bring a lot of happiness to our lives. He is a little bundle of energy who brings a smile to the face of everyone he comes in contact with, old and young alike. We have family members who have threatened to kidnap him and bring him to their own homes, and Davids parents love to have him when we're away (and even when we're not away!!). He is a great companion, even though we know that if we leave the door open he'll be gone like a shot; we've been told that he isn't the most loyal of breeds!

You provide a fantastic service, and we hope that you are able to continue far into the future.

Regards.

David & Dagmara.

SAM

Hi there,

My name is Linda and I live in Somerset. On Friday 14th we adopted a little Collie from DBARC in Wokingham who apparently came originally from your kennel in Ireland. A friend of our's has been looking out for a second dog for us and she sent us an e-mail to have a look at a small Collie called "Slim" on the DBARC site which it transpires is ALSO originally from your kennel. He is now called Sam. He fits in just perfectly with us and our collie/retriever cross called Jack and has made himself right at home in our hearts as well as our home. He's had a bath and a brush up and is beautiful. He's met quite a few of the dogs in our village and he gets on so well with them all. I have attatched a couple of pics from which you'll see that he is indeed "at home". He'll be seeing the vet later today and will be starting obedience training next week. If the vet gives the all clear, we may do agility with him as well.

Rest assured this lovely boy will have a good and loving home with us for the rest of his life. And may I also say what a wonderful job all of you involved in rescuing these dogs are doing.

MATILDA

Note from MADRA: One of our favourite dogs ever at MADRA, Matilda was also one of our longest residents. Maybe due to a combination of her breed and some health issues, we just couldn’t find a suitable home. It took around 2 years (!! We couldn’t believe she had been with us this long!!) before luck came her way, and the BEST home for her came walking in….

Just a quick message to say Matilda is getting on great, settled brilliant with her new best friend Holly. She loves her walks and her food!! She is great off the lead and always comes back when called. I do feel sorry for Holly sometimes because when we are in the car Matilda sleeps on top of her, so cute :)

Jasper when first rescued

Jasper today

Jasper was found abandoned in a graveyard at the age of 5 months; he was there for days in the freezing March weather before someone took him home and handed him in to Madra, who homed him with me a few weeks later.

Jasper was a very humble little dog at first, delighted at the slightest bit of attention and not really knowing how to play. Being a high energy dog, he responded to his new situation by going a bit mad at first; as he discovered he could play he thought everything was a toy was into everything; on the go from morning until night. However, he quickly settled down and learned the house rules and has been a model dog ever since. (I even kind of miss the days when I’d hear the thump, thump, thump on the stairs and catch him halfway down with a shoe dangling from his mouth by the shoelaces and a guilty look on his face!)

We were adopted by a pregnant stray cat within weeks of getting Jasper and he was fantastic with the kittens, really gentle and tolerant. We kept two kittens and the mother cat and they all get along wonderfully.
Jasper is now three years old and a very happy little dog. He loves his toys and will do anything for a chance to catch bubbles, which has been a great help in training him. He lives for his walks and this summer has finally learned to swim, which is his new obsession; he will retrieve his toys from the water until I get bored, as he never does!

He’s become a really important part of the family and none of us can imagine life without him. Getting a rescue dog and watching him bloom has been the most rewarding experience.

Maja

Just thought I'd send you another update on Jake and let you know how he is getting on. He has had a growth spurt the last couple of weeks and is looking more and more like a real dog. He is still getting on great with Elwood, wrestling with each other and fighting over toys but also giving each other lots of kisses and cuddles. Tomorrow he is going to the vet to be neutered, but luckily for him Elwood will be there to keep him company as he has a bit of broken tooth that needs to be removed.

We would like to say thank you for finding him, we couldn't imagine not having him around now! I've attached a few pictures so you can see how big he's getting.

Take care, Josephine, Paddy and the boys

Molly (formerly Bunty)

Well Molly (Bunty) came into our lives last January 2009. She is a very sweet dog with lots of character and now very vocal as well.
She spends the evenings curled up on the sofa with us and should there be any dogs or sheep on the TV she will jump down and try to find them behind the screen! Who said dogs cannot see the TV screen?
She also loves playing ball in the garden but birds are to be chased at all times.
If anyone remembers her can you let me know the history?
I hope you are all well and thanks for finding Molly and doing such a worth while job for the dogs.

Pepe/Tzootzik

He had his dental today... should have been tired and unwilling to chew, but NO! - he just must play with his toys and run around the house. Now you tell him that the vet says to rest a day or two.
BTW, you should add softness of fur as an attribute, along with colour and breed. This dog is SOOOOO soft! No wonder we fight over who gets to cuddle with him at night... ;-)

Tell Tara we are training him, firmly, using 'Take the lead' as a reference.

Hi,
I'm Bailey, my mother, two brothers and I were rescued by the wonderful people of Madra when I was very tiny. Just over two years ago I went to live with my family. I burst into their lives with a lot of love, affection and energy. It seems they didn't enjoy the chewing of toys and books as much as I did so I do my best to not do that so much, for the most part I succeed! I'm two now but still and always a puppy at heart. I love to steal food out of people’s bags; if I find sweets or chocolate there, I can sneak it out oh so carefully and have it away!! My favourite thing in the world is to play with anyone but especially children or other dogs or the two pussy cats I live with, whether they like it or not!!
This picture of me is marching proudly in St. Patrick's parade and I even had my picture taken and put up in a local shop window so I'm a bit of local celebrity.

Millie

After a long wait and many days of listening to my 9 year old beg for a pup Millie bounded into our lives in January 2009 with thanks to Marina and Madra. Millie is a three year old Yorkie mix and a bundle of joy. We didn’t know much about Millie's previous owner but from the very start she brought great joy to our house. Millie was obviously used to older people and it took her a while to get used to our three year old daughter but they are now best friend. She enjoys days in the garden playing football with the kids and loves nights on the couch between them; and our cat has even got used to her chasing and sharing her food. Millie is now the pride and joy of our house and thank you for finding her for us

Jess

We had been meaning to email you for quite some time giving an update on our beloved!
We have Jess (formerly Bess) since July ’09 and she’s proven herself as the focal point of the house! She’s an outstandingly affectionate dog, something which really stood out from day one! Typical Labbie zest for life! Full of kisses and cuddles, oozing with personality and an appetite to match! Jess is the typical sporty lab; she’s a real water-baby and loves her daily runs! Of course, as a youngster she’s has her mischievous moments and can be quite light-fingered particularly when food is in question, she’s not in the least bit fussy! She loves nothing more after a long day's activity than sprawling out infront of the fire. She’s a very gentle dog and is great with both young and old. We love her to bits and are thrilled to have her! Thanks Madra for giving us our terrific loyal friend.
Margaret

Chino/Jodie

Time has raced on and Chino is now a year old. She is absolutely gorgeous and I adore her. Her training is coming on although we do have a few areas to improve on. 
I realised I haven't sent you any recent photos and this one was taken in February although it is a shame she is lying down but you can see how lovely she is. (I've also sent the first photo we ever saw of hers when they advertised her on the Diana Brimblecombe website prior to her arrival in England.) We actually went and saw her and fell in love when she had only just arrived. Height-wise she comes up to just above my knees and I'm 5' 10". She definitely has some German Shepherd somewhere along the way and her coat is quite coarse. I have tried to find out about her sister - Janey (she was a black) but without luck

Once again I cannot thank you enough for rescuing her and for her coming into my life. She is fantastic.

Kind regards
Mary

Sorry its taken a while to get this to you,its a busy house these days with 2 dogs and a 4 year old!! Lola has settled in brilliantly. Her personality has developed so much since, she is now a cheeky, boisterous teenager!! Her love of water has been the biggest change, at the start she would watch Jacque swimming out for a ball with a very quizical expression, now its a race who can get the ball first, some days she even remembers to bring it back!! Herself and Jacque get on so well, recently we shaved Jacque for the Summer and Lola spent a week sniffing him and giving him kisses as if in sympathy!! Thankfully she has nearly stopped shedding her Winter coat now, fascinating to watch how her coat colour changes with the seasons! Jacque has become a whole new dog with her around, shows what a younger woman can do for an aging man! Lola is also extremely patient with my 4 year old, Aimee, she seems to see everything as a chance to have some fun!
Thank you again for all your help and support, I will stay in touch with her progress into adulthood!!

Amber

Hi Folks !

Sorry this has been so long getting to you, but just to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for Amber - she's the most gorgeous, quiet, afraid of her own shadow, mad about football, the beach and biscuits, adored dog we know ! Everyone who meets her is mad about her, especially us.

She had a terrible land in April when she broke her back leg very badly, just jumping for the ball with Cian in the back garden. She had to have an external fixator on her leg for 8 weeks, and now has a pin in her leg, though you'd never know to see her racing around again - Cian (10) wanted to know if she'd set off the alarms going through an airport, so I'm afraid her jet setting days are over ! A warning to all - GET YOUR PET INSURANCE !!!!

She's a FANTASTIC addition to our family, the boys are absolutely nuts about her, and she has to get a kiss and a bikky going to bed every night:) So anyone thinking about adopting a dog - we can't recommend it highly enough.

Thanks all at MADRA, and especially thanks to Helen and Cathal her foster family, who helped get her ready for family life.

Best wishes,
Niamh and Eamonn, Cal and Cian

BRUNO

Just a quick note to tell you that Bruno has settled right in, he is loving his new home & garden & is a very regular visitor to the local beach which seems to be his favourite place.
He has been twice now to his new vet, the first time just for a complete check up & 2nd time to have his stitches out.
His Kennel cough has cleared up nicely & the vet say's he is in great shape & does not expect him back till his booster shots this time next year.
I know it's only been a short time since he arrived but being honest I could not imagine this house without this beautiful dog.
Thank you so much for the work you do with all the dogs at Madra & bringing Bruno all the way from Galway.

I've attached a pic or two for you.

Regards & sincere Thanks

Owen

Just wanted to send you a photo of Henry.(aka Skipper)..he's a total gentleman and has settled in beautifully, he's so loving and everyone adores him..(he's sitting beside me now)..loves attention and company - doesn't like going out in the rain - refused to get out of his bed as it was raining as he was too cozy... Here's a photo of him in the garden, he's eating well, playing ball and learning to play frisbee...I had him down on the farm and he had a great time - was extremely obedient, except when he did taste a hen but the hen was just a bit shaken... Will keep you posted on him..thanks so much...will get a donation off to you asap..so pleased with him, and thanks again for all your hard work - very much appreciate it. x Caroline

KUNO

Hi guys. I met tara at the agility day in glenina and she was asking
about pics of kuno - one of Tammy's pups - since he's all growed up
(yeah right, the little fecker!!) so here's a nice one from a recent
sunday morning down at rinville in ornamore. He flunked the water on
his first introduction, but second time out he walloped straight in and
has been loving it since. when he's not eating ordanance survey maps,
vitamin pills, post, socks, and anything else he can get his chops on
he's a most charming companion, best described as a highly intelligent
eejit. Still not a year old, shorter than expected but he has time to
get that last spurt needed to bring him over the height of my knee!!

All the best for now,

Larry

Holly

Marina hi, just got a moving letter today from Holly's previous owner. I'm sure she's worried about what has happened to Holly and how she's getting on. I would appreciate if you could forward her the attached pics and the following:

Hello there. I know you'll be happy to hear from me. I received the loving and moving note you wrote concerning Holly today. I am the one who got Holly for a friend of mine. I'm a very serious dog lover and so is he. I wouldn't have got Holly for him if I didn't think she would be treated well, but I trust him totally. He previously owned a Rotweiller who died recently and left us both heart broken, but now Holly has arrived. I also got a very beautiful Rotweiller from 'Madra', and as you can see from the pics, him and Holly are great friends and are together quite a bit. I hope you will believe me when I say Holly has landed in a really good home where she is more than well taken care of. She has a comfy bed on the floor, water at her side always, is well fed, is living in the country and loves her walks, she has lots of bones to be chewing on which she keeps in her mouth whenever I visit with Billy; its funny seeing it sticking out of her mouth all the time; she has also ventured up on the couch and it has now become her favourite place to sleep; she loves her spins in the car and spends her time looking out the window; she has plenty of treats and home cooking as well, even though she likes her dog food too. When I brought your letter to her new owner, he went out immediately to buy white bread for her, so she will have the treat she loves each night; she sleeps indoors all the time and is very happy and relaxed in her new home; she has her way with everything and is a lovely affectionate dog she loves watching TV. It's funny seeing her and Billy watching it together; her visits to the vet for her booster etc.. will always be on time. I know it must have been heart wrenching parting with her, and so worrying as to the kind of people who would get her, but do not worry about her any more. She is loved as much as you love her and will always be treated with respect, care and affection and her every need tended to, for we are both serious animal lovers. I hope you can gauge from the photos how happy and content she is. Rest your concerns in the knowledge that Holly has found an excellent home where animals always get priority.

FINN

Finn was rehomed by us at around 10 months old, having been found wandering in a half starved state.

I thought you might like to hear how my precious boy is doing! Well..... he is going from strength to strength, and is such a delight. He loves his daily runs in the woods and his confidence has grown so much. Finn is learning lots of commands and tricks....in the future we are going to try agility and flyball. I have never known such a happy, loving, affectionate dog ...... and can't imagine life without him. Finn has put on weight, is silky and incredibly handsome! He is kind to everyone and even respectful of old dogs! Thank you so so much for saving him ......he is very special.

from http://www.ohmydog.ie/lucky1.html

Lucky

We adopted Lucky from MADRA dog shelter in Connemara in March 2010. We found him while we were looking for our beloved dog Bear (who is also half Rottie) who was stolen from us at Christmas 2009 (please visit Bear's page). We fell in love with Lucky instantly and knew we just had to bring him home to Tipperary. He's a big goofy baby and loves EVERYONE - and everyone who meets him loves him too - he even won the "Best Rescue Dog" class at our local dog show, beating off some seriously stiff competition!

He loves being in the car and if anyone opens a car or tractor door anywhere near him he jumps in like a rocket - and it can be hard to get him out, he's quite a heavy young man and sometimes he can put on a cross face and refuse to move!! He is a very funny clumsy boy but manages somehow to never hurt himself - no matter what silly pickle he gets himself into. He's jumped off banks up the mountains and landed flat on his face, he's gotten stuck behind wooden pallets and rolled off car seats with joy having his belly rubbed and become wedged in the footwell - but he always just keeps his big lolly-tongued grin and happy face on.

He's on the farm during the day and tires himself out chasing after birds and eating the most disgusting things - like fox poo and silage! Eating is actually a big theme with Lucky - he would do anything for a hazelnut or a piece of fruit so they were very useful in training him when we first got him. His other big love is swimming - a river runs through our farm and he adores swimming in it - especially when the weather is warm and his big black coat is a bit too hot for him! Lucky is a soccer pro - I would love to have a photo of him with the ball but he's just too quick - dribbling past as fast as he can go or else zooming by with the ball in his mouth in case you try to take it off him! He's entertaining, great company and is loved very very much by his new family.

Suzy

Just an update on Suzy . Suzy has really settled into her home here with us , she has gained weight and is doing really well. She is off for her final groom tomorrow and boy does she love being pampered . The kids adore her and herself and jack get on famously they are always up to devilment when they get together , its a pleasure to watch them play together . Thanks again Madra forever grateful for our forever friend.

DESI

Just wanted to fill you in on our Madra dog Desi. 

Over the space of an hour tonight he went to our fence a couple of times and was barking at something down the field. It was unusual for him to do this as he is used to the sheep at this stage as he is with us 6 months now. We had a dog trainer help us teach him how to behave around the sheep as he was'nt used to them when he came to us first. When he barked I kept calling him back and asking him to be quiet. Eventually he went racing down the field and I was worried as he was trained not to do this but everyone breaks the rules now and then ;-) Anyhow i heard him barking again and then I heard squealing and Desi kept barking. I got my husband and he went down after him. Turns out there was a lamb caught in the fence. Desi stood by him barking until we got him out. Desi may just have saved that lambs life!! What a great Madra dog :-)

As you will see in the photo he is just wrecked after his life saving mission and is chilling out on the couch after eating a much deserved treat :-)

Wulfric

Just a quick update on Wulfy since he joined us 5 months ago. He has settled in so well and is growing healthier and more confident each day. I thought you might like to add a recent picture of him to your success stories page. His training is going very well, he sits, stays, offers his paw and is very good on the lead but we are still working on the word ‘Down’ which he seems fairly deaf to. He is great with the kids and is particularly fond of my six year old nephew. We have even managed to train him not to pick up every bit of rubbish he finds. We don’t get upset about things like rubbish though as this was probably how he found scraps of food when he was abandoned and we find that bagging the rubbish he gives us is a good way to keep our local lanes clean ;-).

The word he knows best is “biscuit” and no matter where he is (even if he has dug under the fence and is on the bog) he always runs back straight away for a treat. He is such a good, gentle natured dog and is happiest on the beach, playing with other dogs and rolling in seaweed. In fact he is such a social dog that we now have a second dog, a little Chihuahua called Elfwynne and the first day we got her Wulfy presented her with his favourite chewing log to play with and he even lets her share his food (if she is quick enough). She in turn thinks he is the best hot water bottle ever. He is so sweet with her and since he now has a best pal, he has really calmed down and some mornings I even get to sleep in till 7.30am before he starts howling for his breakfast (German Pointers are so chatty!).

All in all, we just can’t imagine how anyone could have abandoned such a handsome, loving and intelligent dog but we are so glad that he is now ours.

Kindest regards

Robyn

Mamma-Lou :) happy in her new home..

Terry

My gorgeous dog Terry :) Who I got from Madra abou 2-3 years ago :D Thank you so much always :) She is one of the best things in my life :D She was known as Gretta when she was in Madra :D ♥

Hi this is my little princess "stacey" we got her off ye about 3 months ago! just want to let everyone know she is doing well and is the best dog me and my family have ever had . Love her so much !!

Misha

Hi, Just to let you know Misha has settled in with us in Newcastle very well. She was shattered after the long journey here and slept most of friday ! She is such a sweet, gentle little girl and just wants love, which she will be getting plenty of ! Thanks so much for arranging for her to be brought over to us. Also a huge thanks to English Setter Rescue. She will get all the love and care she deserves from now on. I have attached a picture of her relaxing in the garden. x x

Pluto

A photo of Pluto (formally known as buddy, one of nellys pups) and one of his fave toys!!!

Zac

Zac adopted over 3 years ago. A welcome addition to our family.

Tilly

Tilly is another of our special dog. A really loving, people oriented dog, she got very distressed in kennels. Because of her breed, she found it hard to find her a new home and was with us for a full year before she finally went to a wonderful new home. Here's her update:

I would like to say a bit about Tilly. I have been keeping dogs for the past 40 years and can say that Tilly is a dream. She is quiet, placid, extremely loving and good with my 92 year old mother and good with children (when allowed!) She is very timid and will avoid a fight or any barking dogs at all costs. She likes to go places she knows and is generally worried when I take her some where new, but she is fine when she goes somewhere the second time. She has started to play and run around when we are out and about. Not the most elegant sight as she barrels through everything but it is a joy to see her in action. She likes her home comforts as you can see from the attached photos. I wouldn't be without her now. We are an ideal match. Thank you for the sterling work you do.


Regards
Jenny

Maya the cat

Maya is celebrating one year in her new home today. She was a very special MADRA case, as she was found by one of our volunteers living rough in the bins area of a flat complex with a badly infected leg as a small kitten. The leg was slow to mend, but was just healing up nicely and Maya had a home all lined up in the UK when a routine pre travel test tested positive for FIV. We were advised to have her put to sleep as she would never find a home and would lead a short and miserable life. She was literally hours from her fate when the wonderful Astrid Want came forward with a rescue place in the UK for her with Furry Friends Animal Rescue, from where she was adopted into a fantastic indoor only home and she is now living the high life in London. She has never had a days illness since her adoption and is a very happy and healthy cat who really enjoys her life.

MAX

Max is a wonderful dog, he is great with our little boy Patrick  - ever so gentle with him.  He is great off lead and does recall to a whistle or his name.  He is a cuddly muppet, full of devilment and loves chewing on rubber bones and on a ragger rope.  He loves swimming and long walks in the woods and trying to keep up with my parents dog Rusty (aka Kenny – Madra).  I will have to try and get a photo of the two Madra dogs together. He gets on very well with our contrary cat who thinks she is the boss of the house and Max is great at guarding the bird table and keeping away the magpies and the crows.

Lily came to us as a foster originally, although I think Marina already knew we wouldn’t be returning her!! She fitted in with us and our resident dog Archie from the start, the cat took a bit longer to come round of course but that’s cats for you!!

She is the sweetest dog, very affectionate, loves to lick everything and everyone and if there’s nothing or no one to lick, she’ll just lick the air!! She will plonk herself on your lap with very little invitation, despite being a collie/boxer cross so not the smallest of dogs, she sleeps with her eyes open and her tongue out which freaked us out at first but we now find it quite amusing, she adores Archie and likes to groom him, cleaning out his ears and his giving his face a good old lick, when they get sardines for their dinner once a week, she does a little dance and twirls round the floor, it’s worth the kitchen stinking of fish just to see it.

In the evenings she cuddles up to my husband and won’t give me a second glance, she especially loves it when he lies on the sofa and she can lie next to him with her head on his chest. It’s hard to believe someone abandoned her she is so very endearing, they obviously did some training with her, she knows ‘sit’, ‘lie down’, gives you her paw ‘high five’ and sometimes will ‘speak’ on command. Still, whatever their reasons, their loss was our gain, we love and adore her and she’s part of our family now and here to stay.