As many will already know this litter where hand reared by me from around 8 days old, It was mums first litter and she had been scanned with 4 pups and had 11 all weighing in at over 1lb
she became very sore quickly with the constant suckling form the pups, at around 8 days old she could not bear it much more, she would still go into them but jump out quickly when the tried to feed,
I know these pups inside out as I had spent so much time with each pup,

When we first got into rotts my OH best mate helped us do the garden and build the runs and so on, we offerd to pay him for the work he had done but he just laughed and said "oh when you have a litter one day I will get a pup"
He always loved the dogs and said that when the time was right he would have one,
when my first litter was born he was working away from home, his wife had just given birth to there second son so a pup was not an option then,
two and a half years on and we decided to have another litter, at this point he said he would love a pup, we talked to his wife, all seemed great, we arranged for them to take royce on sundays so that they could see how things were with an adult rotty around, Royce is fab with kids so I had no worries about him going each week and felt it would be a good way of showing them the end product so to speak, they are not small pups very long, and if you cant cope with a big one its best to find out before you get one,

All went well, I had planned on temprament testing pups from around 2/3 weeks old as the chap has three young kids, It became clear from and early stage that Beau was special, very laid back, more intrested in people than the others, a bit soft, and no aggression, possession, dominance issues, one night he was bitten on the foot by another pup and there was a tiny tooth mark, he was inconsolable, as he was a little chubby chap he had problems putting his foot down to stand, he just stood there with his back foot held up as best he could he was 4 weeks old by now, we put his little blue collar on and there were another two pups marked out as possible candiadates for young children,

Beau never changed he just fitted the bill, at seven weeks old, he was gifted to my OH's best friend,

He brought him to the training club a few times and all seemed to be going well, the last time he came to the training club, we covered the what if's about pups. One of the last things I taught them was if you pup picks up something and runs with it, I told them never stick your hand in the front of there mouths, I taught all the pups to drop things when told out, and showed them how to take something out of the mouth should the dog not let go to avoid them swallowing the object or worse to avoid it being pushed further in when trying to get it,

That was the Monday night, by this time the pup had been with them for 5 weeks, He had not collected Beaus kc papers and had not started his insurance un-be-known to me,

The following Sunday night I, as always had gone shopping, around 8.00pm my mobile phone rang and my OH was on the other end, panicking like mad saying the pups not well its bringing up blood and his mate had not had him to the vet,
He was really panicking and said come home right now, so I did, I called his mate on the way home, he told me that at his mums that day Beau had been in the back garden and his oldest son had seen him lift something up from under the hedge, he said his son who is 8 years old had tried to get it from the dog and the dog swallowed it, his son said it looked like a tin soldier,
I was livid, the time to have called me or the vet had been then not 8 hours later when the dog was vomiting blood, he then went on to say, I have called the vet and they said it could cost around £1'500 for surgery to remove the soldier depending on where it was and the damage, he then said I have not insured him yet, I dont have the money, the vet wants £80.00 just to see him tonight and had gave him and estimate of £70.00 for treatment on the spot minimum, he said I dont have £150.00,
he also said that things were not going to well and it was not going to work out, he said once I take him to the vet if all is fine should he just re-home the dog or did I want to have him back,
thats when I lost the plot, I told him to take the dog to the vet there and then and we would sort it out, the jist of it was, OH F**K WE BROKE IT, TAKE IT BACK,

I thought ok sell my jeep and the pup will be fine,

He took it to the emergency vet. The vet made the pup comfy and I told him first thing in the morning to have the pup left with my own vet, which he did, a few hours later the call I had been dreading came,
James said he looks like he has had a bad bout of gastro, no more no less,
he could not feel any blockages and said unless further symptoms developed no further action was needed, He said that the kid must have got it wrong and whatever he picked up was more likely to be somit that caused gastro,

just monitor him and make sure he went for a poo and the like,

I picked Beau up, a bit sorry looking but fine within himself,

the following day OH's mate clalled to see how he was I was as polite as possible and said the pup was fine, so far so good but by no means was I going to let my guard down for a few days,
He said he had talked to his wife and could they now have him back,,,,,,,????? the rest is history,
you can imagine my reply, we have not heard from him since, so guess OH is down a mate, not a bad thing as OH was totaly gob smacked, Just goes to prove you never know people no mater how long you know them,

NEVER GIFT A PUP, PEOPLE DONT VALUE WHAT COMES FREE! TAKE IT FROM ME

I felt I had let the pup down badly,
I now need to make sure I dont make the same mistake again, he has to go to a forever home, He deserves it, He is a one in a million pup not like the other two who are self self self, he just wants to please you,

Andrew is due in the next few days to collect Beau, it will be a huge wrench for us both,

I WILL MISS HIM SO MUCH, he is 7 months old so it is more like handing one of MY dogs away, as apposed to a pup you have known for 7 weeks. Its hard enough at 7 weeks but at this age its gut wrenching,

I wish I could keep him but its not fair on the others with three here the trainings almost none existant,

Will let you all know how it goes, Just thought I would explain why beau is my special boy,
X shona X