Happy 14th Birthday Pickles!

Well it's ten years to the day I first met Pickles at the Dogs Trust and boy did I pick the best dog there!

I decided at the age of 8 that I wanted a dog of my own (despite already having Bonnie the English Springer). Turns out I wouldn't get my request for another 9 years. So off to the Dogs Trust me and my parents finally went when I was 17. I wanted a Lurcher, that's all I knew, they were my sort of dog. The first kennel I saw contained a little JR and a skinny scruffy looking terrier thing. One of them was reserved and I half expected it to be the scruffy little terrier cross, but it wasn't. That skinny scruffy little terrier was still looking for a home and boy did his tail wag. In fact I think his whole body wagged. I quite liked the look of that little mutt, but I wasn't here for a terrier, I wanted a Lurcher. On we went not really spotting a dog that would fit in with our household and Bonnie the cantankerous old girl.

The staff suggested one of the older long standing residents might suit better, so out came Charlie to see how he'd fit. Well I'm afraid he just didn't, it didn't feel right.

And so my mind wandered back to that scruffy little terrier, the first dog I'd laid eyes on. He came out of the kennel, I picked him up and it was love at first sight. Poor little b*gger had no hair, was all skin and bones and weighed next to nothing, how could I say no?

So "Pickles" was booked and after a homecheck and a bit of a fractious meeting with Bonnie, Pickles kept his name and came "home" at the tender age of 4ish!

Admittedly the first few months were hard work, Pickles had obviously never been fed from a dish (he was convinced the rubbish bin was his source of food), toys and balls terrified him, he wasn't housetrained and he'd never had a bed to call his own. He also appeared to be the stupidest dog in the world and has remained this way from the day I met him!

He bit Bonnie the first night home and I was convinced the whole thing was a huge mistake. Luckily (for him and me) he did settle in and became part of the furniture. He did eventually spend time alone at night with Bonnie in the kitchen and they learnt to accept each other, but when she died 3 years later both he and I struggled to cope with the huge hole left in our lives. So he came to sleep in my room with me. And there he has stayed, Woody came to live with us 1 year after Bonnies death (again from Dogs Trust), but by then Pickles had mellowed and enjoyed the company.

So we were all trotting along together quite nicely, til a certain someone (that would be me!) decided to add to the family and along came Isla another English Springer!

Despite his prickly exterior Pickles has adjusted well to Isla and they only occasionally have a "spat"! Despite slowly loosing his sight over the last few years, going deaf in one ear in the last 6 months and getting creaky joints he's still going. His heart murmur should've finished him off many years ago by all accounts, as should his sheer lack of brains!

But he's still here rotting from the inside out and smelling like it too, so I'd like to say.................










Christmas and not roaming the streets.






My little boy. :smt049






Not looking his best first thing in the morning!






"Is this better Mam?"






With Lily and Woody, enjoying being throttled by a 4 year old!






The gang before Isla arrived!






Pickles and Woody enjoying the snow in their prime!






The dreaded bath, doesn't happed very often for obvious reasons!






Looking slightly smug?






Sat waiting for his treat after his handstrip this year!






With the new addition!






And finally, my little old man. :smt049










Thanks for looking.

Oh Rips, what a wonderful story and fantastic pics of the gorgeous Pickles. Thanks so much for sharing.



Have a great day Pickles! xxxxx

Happy Birthday Pickles.
How lucky you found one another.

Great story and well done you for giving Pickles a chance and a great life.

That last pic is stunning!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PICKLES!!!!!

Jules
xxx

PICKLES!

wot a gorgeous boy..

Happy 14th Birthday Pickles you gorgeous, gorgeous lad

bless him hw may have had a bad start but look how you have turned his world around well done rip.
happy birthday pickles i hope you have many more!

He is lovely emma! I really think he is a sorta mix of wheaton terrier/whippet/n maybe a wee bit of bedlington-he really is gorgeous! And looks quite young actually!
He reminds me of Florrie-the stupidness!
Happy Birthday Pickles, and many more to come!

pickles
wow what a way to tribute pickles birthday and gorgeous pictures hes one true beauty