Hi, my name is Margaret and I am Charlies mum.
When we were told about her, the cruel treatment and conditions she was receiving and being kept in, we went straight to the address we were given.
When we saw the state she was in, obviously distressed and in pitiful condition, we could no sooner have left her there than flown to the moon.
The expression on her face as she looked at us cannot be described, and when we reached her she could not get close enough to us. Our minds had been made up the minute we saw her and soon my son was taking her away from that hell hole.
I stayed to get her medical certificate then quietly spoke to some of the neighbours about her. The things they told me about what had been done to that little girl made my blood boil. I have to admit I was angry that they had stood by and done nothing, but I was told that, had they tried, they would have suffered the consequences.
We took her home and she settled in immediately. Not once did she pine for her previous owners, the bond between the three of us was instantaneous.
We had to start the inoculations again as she had only received one at twelve weeks. She also had a thorough medical check up and was given medication to help improve the condition of her claws, which broke and split easily.
She was starved, so we had to feed her little and often until she was used to being fed regularly.
We encountered terrible behavioral problems with her at the beginning. She was terrified of strangers, especially heavy set men wearing baseball caps. She viewed all dogs as potential danger and reacted accordingly, "stay away or I fight".
It took almost two years to work our way through those two problems and, coupled with the health issues, it made for a very difficult time. She worked very hard to regain her trust, but she got there, bless her, turning in to a very lovable dog.
To begin with I hoped it was lack of muscle tone which made her hips ache, so walks were short and regular. Following the incident when she chased the deer, it became obvious it was a lot more. X-rays confirmed Dysplasia in both hips, the right more advanced than the left.
My vet confirmed it was partly due to lack of nutrition and also the abuse when her back legs were pulled through the bars of the cage while her bones were still soft.
She was started on a course of injections to stimulate growth of the cartilage and ligaments in the joints, in an effort to strengthen them and reduce the symptoms. They were working, but as we were moving, I had to find a new vet to continue the treatment.
We did, but from the word go I did not like him much, neither did Charlie. The day he hurt her was the last straw. My son was furious and acted out of pure instinct to protect her. He was told in no uncertain terms exactly what we thought of him before we left.
Her new vet was brilliant and I only wish I had found him first. He was always gentle and very caring. In fact, we were there so often he grew very fond of her, as did the nurses.
The day she was attacked was a nightmare. She was in such agony it was heartbreaking. The vet was very gentle in his exam, but even so it hurt her. He gave her a morphine injection and stopped the bleeding from the ripped claws. Every day for two weeks she had injections and antibiotics.
She didn't recover from that attack and, after x-rays, it was decided the right hip would have to be replaced.
We took her to a Veterinary Hospital in Devizes, a four hour journey away. My brother-in-law drove us there in his people mover so that, with the seats down, she could have a flat bed in the back and I could stay beside her.
The nurses filled me in on how she had been when everything was going on without me there. I felt awful, but it had been for her own good.
When she recovered so well it was wonderful. She thoroughly enjoyed herself and had great fun exploring etc.
The day we saw the rogue Boxer which had attacked her coming at us, I was determined he was getting nowhere near her. The first kick was not hard, but when he came again I kicked as hard as I could.
His owner was furious, but when I asked him if he really wanted to end up in court again (I had sued them for the cost of the initial treatment following the attack), he backed off. A few weeks later I heard that animal had attacked two more dogs and had been destroyed.
When Charlies left hip needed replacing, it was doubly upsetting. Another operation, more upset for her.
She bounced back stronger than ever though. During the second recovery period she was a little madam, wanting to do things before she was ready! Boy did I have my hands full.
She had been doing so well, despite developing IBS, still managing to tear claws periodically and giving us a nasty scare when she got kidney problems, so when she developed osteoarthritis in her shoulders it devastated us. After all she had endured and overcome, it seemed so unfair.
My vet said she could have the shoulders replaced, but at her age I didn't think it would be fair on her. Apart from the risks with her kidneys if she had an anaesthetic, there was the fact that the disease would probably attack her elbows and knuckles too.
Various treatments, including a repeat of the course of injections, failed to make a significant, lasting difference. In desperation I bought a Bio-Flow collar. She had one previously, before the first hip replacement, and it had been extremely beneficial. Although it helps a little, even that is not helping to any great extent now.
So now we take each day as it comes. It is easy to see when she is having a bad day, and we respond accordingly. She still has injections every two weeks and medication three times a day.
As she told you, we have her pal Amy to stay for a few hours three days a week to give her some company. The picture shows how much they love each other!
Charlie has given us far more than we can ever repay. She is the most wonderful companion, protector and friend a person could wish for.
We will always do our best for her.
Although my visits to vets were always upsetting, they had become an accepted way of life.It was still very upsetting when I was left there and this time was no different. Dad was with us when we went to the hospital this time, and he was the one who tried to put me in the cage.
I fought and cried but eventually I had to go in. Mum was crying and she went out, but dad stayed with me until I calmed down, then he left also.
I was shaved, bathed and dried then taken back to the cage. Food was brought, but again I would not eat. Mum had given me one of my soft toys and I lay there with my head resting on it. I could smell mum and dad but it was little comfort.
Next day I was given the injection to make me sleep and I knew nothing more for a long time. When I woke, I was in the cage, drip in my leg, blanket over me, and mum and dad were there. They couldn't both get in the cage with me, so they took turns to sit with me, my head in their laps.
When they left, the nurse gave me another injection and the next thing I knew, it was morning. Food was offered but I wasn't interested, I just wanted to go home.
Soon mum and dad came, dad lifted me in to the back of the car, got in beside me, and off we went.
It was the same routine all over again when we got home. No walks for a month, mum sleeping on the floor downstairs with me, weekly visits from my usual vet.
After returning once more to the hospital for one day, the task of getting fit began again. This time it felt different though.
The last time I had still suffered a little discomfort in the hip which had just been replaced, so I was not in any hurry to dash around. Now there was none of that, and I was impatient to be off and running.
It was hard for mum trying to keep me calm and settled this time and I must have stretched her patience to the limit, especially when I ran off up the front steps once, instead of waiting for dad to carry me!
We got through it though, and in time I was running with my buddies once more.
It felt great to run, especially with my new friend Bella. She was a greyhound and did nothing but run. Hard as I tried, I never could catch her, but hey, trying was great fun!
Everything settled in to a routine, new places to visit, new friends to make and squirrels to chase!
It seemed my life was complete now. Everything a dog could need or want, I had. Mum and dad had always paid me lots of attention. Every time they walked passed me they patted and spoke to me, never once was I ever ignored. I returned their love with all I had to give.
For three years nothing changed and it seemed nothing ever would. Then I started to get pain in my front legs. It wasn't too bad to begin with, but over the next few weeks it got worse.
Again mum took me to the vet and he tried different treatments. They would work for a little while, but never for long. It was osteo-arthritis and shoulder replacements were mentioned.
Because I was now 10, mum said it would not be fair to put me through any more lengthy operations, especially considering the recovery time involved.
Now I could only run for very short periods again. It was hard seeing my friends rushing around, not being allowed to join in much.
I learned to accept it and eventually I was happy just to wander around quietly with mum and some of my less active friends. Over time some of the older ones had gone and I missed them, but I still had most of them.
They seemed to sense I couldn't run with them now and were always gentle when they came to see me.
Now I am 11 and can't walk great distances. I still enjoy going in to the field to say hello, but I have learned not to go mad like I used to!
For a few hours three days a week, mum lets one of my friends, Amy, come to stay. It is nice to have some doggie company, especially on the bad days when I don't see any of them.
Mum puts my bed at the top of the back steps when the weather is good, and I lie and watch people going by, sometimes with dogs. She still takes me to the field and some days I can go most of the way around, others not. Mum and dad seem to know when it is a bad day and take care to see I don't do too much.
Looking back over my life, I can't help thinking how much it changed the day I first saw them. Sometimes bad memories come back in my dreams, but mum and dad are always there to wake me up from them and make me feel safe.
I may not be able to do the things I used to, but mum and dad do everything they can to help me. They have cared for me, loved me and never let me suffer. I know that they will always do the very best they can for me.
I love them for that.
It took almost six months to recover from the hip replacement surgery.
For the first month I was not allowed to go for any walks. Nor was climbing stairs allowed. Every night mum made up a bed on the floor in the living room, and I slept beside her on my own bed.
Sometimes, if the weather was warm, she would take me round to the back garden and we would sit in the fresh air for a while.
The vet came to see me regularly. The first time he gave mum some cream to rub on my skin because it was sore where my fur had been shaved off. Not long after we came home, he came to the house and took the metal clips out of my skin. It was scary, but it wasn't painful. It was also nice to have them gone.
After a few weeks, we made the long journey back to the hospital where I had the operation. I really thought mum was going to leave me there again and became very upset, but she stayed with me.
I was only there for a few hours this time. I was taken in to the dark room again then later mum took me home. It was a very tiring day, and as you can see from the photograph, I fell asleep.
Next day dad carried me up the steps at the front of the house and I was taken for a very short walk, just to the end of the road, then carried back down the steps. It was a long time since I had walked even that short a distance, and it tired me.
Life carried on that way for a long time, my walks being increased a little each day. Mum took me to the vet every week for check ups, but I felt much better now and didn't want to go. Still, mum took me anyway!
Soon she was able to take me as far as the field. To begin with I did not want to go in there. Memories of the attack flooded my mind, what if that dog was there again!
Mum was very patient and eventually I went in a short way. In the distance some of my friends were playing around. One of them saw me and came running towards me, but mum stopped him before he got too close. Then he seemed to sense something was wrong and came up to me very gently and sniffed me. My other friends came to say hello too, but they were all very quiet.
Mum let me lie down and just watch them play. They kept coming over and lying down beside me for a short time, then they would go off and play again.
Soon we returned home, but every day after that we went to the field to meet my friends.
Gradually, after a long time, I was allowed off the lead to play for short periods. This was more like it! It felt good to be free again, but mum would not let me run for long.
As my strength grew, so my exercise increased until I could again run and play freely. It felt good to run knowing there would be no pain as a result. An added bonus was there were no more trips to the vet!
We didn't see anything of the dog which had attacked me for a long time. Then, when mum and I were in the field alone one day, it came through a gap in the hedge, and it was not on a lead!
I froze but mum put my lead on and stepped in front of me. The dog started to run at us and as it did so, mum put her arm out straight to the side and stood on tiptoe. She flapped her arm up and down and made a lunge forward.
The dog stopped and looked, but started forward again. Keeping me behind her, mum kicked out at it as he reached us. It yelped and stepped back, then lunged again. This time mum must have kicked it really hard because it turned and ran away, yelping as it went.
Then it came back in with its owner who had it on the lead. The man started to shout at mum, but she yelled back at him and eventually he went away, dragging the dog with him.
From that day to this, we never saw that thing again. We saw the owner, but he had a different dog. We still stayed away!
By this time I was six years old and loving life. My circle of friends grew, mum and dad took me to different places for walks and it seemed nothing could spoil things.
For another year all went well, I had developed IBS, but that was under control.
Then one day, after a game with my friends, my other hip felt a bit sore. Over a short period of time it slowly got worse until I couldn't play without being in a lot of pain.
Trips to the vet were a regular occurrence for a few weeks, but soon we made that long trip to the hospital.
I was to have another hip replacement.
When we finally reached our destination after hours of travelling, we were at a different vet. There were several other dogs and people walking around in strange clothing.
Mum took me in to a room where another vet was waiting. He took a big folder from mum and sat down to read it, speaking to mum as he did so.
Then he came over to me and, after saying hello and petting me, he gently examined my hips. They both took me out in to a garden and mum walked me up and down before taking me back in to the room. They talked more, then mum knelt beside me, cuddling and kissing me. She was crying as she stood up and quickly left the room.
I was frantic, howling and trying to follow her. Why had she left me, was she ever coming back?
The vet took me through to a room with lots of big cages. Two nurses came forward, one took my lead and the other one went in to one of the cages. They made me go in there, even though I fought not to. One of them stayed with me for a while, but I just wanted to curl up in the corner and cry.
They left me for a while, but then I was given an injection and taken to another room. Two people lifted me on to a table and held me down gently. I couldn't fight them because I was so sleepy and was finding it hard to move. There was a funny noise and I felt slight pressure on my right hip. All my fur was shaved off from the middle of my back and all the way down my leg.
Then I was put in a big metal thing and given a bath. It was frightening, I hated water, but there was nothing I could do. When it was over I was shivering, but then warm air blew on to me and soon I was OK again.
I was taken back to the cage and all I wanted to do was sleep. There was a funny light above me and I felt warm and cosy.
For the rest of that day I stayed there. People came in and made a fuss of me. One put a tray of food down, but I didn't want to eat. Eventually it got dark and everything was quiet, except for other dogs crying from time to time. A nurse stayed with us and checked on us through that night.
In the morning, instead of breakfast, I had an injection. It made me feel strange and very sleepy again. I remember being lifted on to a table, then nothing!
When I woke up I was back in the cage on a comfy bed and I had a blanket over me. There was a needle in my leg and a drip attached to the bars of the cage. The vet came to see me, but I didn't care, I still felt strange.
It was dark when I woke up again and mum was in the cage with me! My head was in her lap and she was talking to me gently. She was with me for a long time and when she got up to go I tried to get up to go with her. She laid me down again and put the blanket back over me.
She spoke to me and I understood the words, 'tomorrow' 'come for you' and 'home'. I was too tired to try and follow her again, so I just had to lie there and watch her leave. I started to cry, but then I was given another injection and I must have fallen asleep.
Soon it was morning again. They put some food down but I didn't want it. A little while later the vet came to see me. He examined my hip then removed the needle from my leg. When I stood up my hip felt different, it ached a bit, and there were some strange metal things on my skin. But there was no great pain any more!
Suddenly I sensed mum was near by. All the time I had been there I knew she wasn't far away, for some reason I just knew. Now I felt she was really close. I sat up by the door of the cage, waiting, expecting her to walk in any minute. Then she did!
It was such a relief to see her and I couldn't wait to get out to her. She opened the door and I flung myself at her, but she wouldn't let me jump around. Instead she made me lie down while she cuddled me.
Then my lead was put on and we left. The nurses lifted me in to the back of the car on to my big bed again and with mum there beside me, we started the long journey home. We stopped after a while and mum hand fed me some soft food and gave me more water, then she put a warm fluffy coat on me. It wasn't long before I fell asleep again.
This time when I woke up, we were outside our house. It was getting dark, but I could see dad standing by the car. He lifted me out and carried me down the steps. I was allowed to go in to the back garden to relieve myself then walked back to the front door and we went inside.
It felt so good to be home.
My physical state improved sufficiently for me to be able to run with my friends without being in a lot of pain.
We met up most days and while our owners talked, we had fun. In the picture, that is me lying in the middle keeping an eye on some of them after a mad dash around.
It was a wonderful feeling to be able to run and play, or just amble through the woods with my buddies.
One of my best friends was called Harvey. We met when he was six months old and I loved him, even though I was four! He was a collie, the only one I ever liked. He was great fun and we spent a lot of time together.
His owner took mum and myself with them to a lovely valley once. There was a river and dogs were running in and out, chasing balls, swimming, playing with children. Harvey ran straight in, splashing around and generally enjoying himself.
I so wanted to follow him, but this was the stuff that had nearly killed me once, how could I follow him? What if he got in to trouble? I tried to stop him, every time he came out I tried to steer him away. It was no good though, he kept going back in.
Mum took off her shoes and led me to the edge trying to coax me in. She walked in a little way, there was no bank here so you could walk straight in. Eventually I stood beside her with the water reaching up to my knuckles. The water felt funny pushing gently against my legs, but it wasn't hurting me!
Harvey came and stood beside me, nudging me a little and stepping forward. He did that a few times, as though he wanted me to go with him. Then he walked out further and stood with the water up to his stomach, barking at me.
I was still too scared to go out, but mum went! She stood with Harvey and called me to her. I didn't like her being out there without me so I took a few steps forward then stopped. Still nothing nasty happened. Slowly I walked out to mum and she made a big fuss of me, Harvey licked my face. The water felt cool on my feet and the sensation of it running under my tummy was quite nice too! Maybe this stuff wasn't so bad after all.
But then a boy ran past, kicking up water as he went by. It splashed on my face. Memories came flooding back and I ran straight out and on to the grass. Mum came after me and knelt down, holding and soothing me. After a while I stopped shaking, but I never went back in a river again, and mum didn't try to make me.
The treatment I'd had worked wonders, my hips were stronger and more stable, meaning I could run around longer with my buddies. Meeting up with them was so exciting, especially when we went somewhere new.
I always felt more comfortable in my local field though, so that is where I spent most time. One or more of my friends was always there so I had plenty of doggie company.
My friend Toby and I were enjoying a game one day when mum and Tobys' owner suddenly started shouting at us to come. We were having too much fun though, so we kept playing. We wheeled around in a circle, and suddenly spotted the dog everyone avoided! We both froze, then Toby turned and ran to his owner.
Mum was still screaming at me and started running toward me. I didn't know what to do, if I ran the dog would come after me, if I didn't he'd get me anyway. So I ran! I wasn't all that far away from mum when a tremendous weight crashed down on my back, pinning me to the ground. I could feel something gripping my neck and cried in fear.
I could see mum still running to me, shouting and waving her arms. I started clawing with my front legs to try and get free, but the dog was too heavy.
He must have seen mum getting closer because suddenly the weight was gone and I could hear him running away I tried to get up but I was shaking so much it was impossible. Mum reached me, knelt down beside me and held me close. I was so relieved she was there I pushed in to her as close as I could.
She helped me stand up after a little while and we were able to slowly make our way home. Once there I lay on my bed, but when I tried to stand up again the pain in my hips was so unbearable I howled. Mum bathed my paws because I had ripped out four claws trying to get away from my attacker. My blood was everywhere.
Mum took me to the vet immediately. He gave me an injection, then used a strange thing to stop the bleeding before bandaging my paws. He examined my neck, back and hips, but my hips were so sore he stopped the minute I cried. I was given two more injections and he gave mum tablets for me. Then she took me home.
When we got there, I was so sore and tired I lay flat on my side on my bed. I had to keep changing sides because of the pain, but slowly it eased. Later mum gave me tablets which made me feel even sleepier and
soon everything faded away.
When I woke up through the night, mum was lying on the sofa. As soon as I woke she got up and came to me, helping me to move. She gave me more tablets and again I drifted off.
In the morning I didn't get any breakfast, instead I was lifted in to a car and taken to the vet.
This time I was given an injection in the waiting room and soon I began to feel strange. I had felt like this once before, when I was taken in to that strange, dark room. The next thing I remember is seeing mum sitting beside me in another big cage. She was stroking me and talking very quietly.
Soon the vet came and mum went to talk to him. I was watching them and saw mum suddenly start to cry. One of the nurses put her arms around her while the vet kept on talking.
After a while, I was taken out of the cage and given more injections before going home.
Mum stayed downstairs with me every night, and every few hours I was given more tablets. There were no walks anymore and I had to go out the front door to get round to the back garden, because there were steps at the back.
Every day we went back to the vet for more injections and my paws were bathed before being re-bandaged. Slowly the pain got a little easier, but I still couldn't walk much.
One morning mum got up very early and I watched as she packed a suitcase. That meant only one thing, she was going away. I kept crying and mum did her best to calm me. I made out the words 'coming with me' so I knew she was taking me too, but she kept crying!
Soon after, I was lifted in to the back of a car. My comfy bed was in there and so was my water bowl. Mum got in beside me and we drove off. I had no idea where we were going or how long we would be gone, nor did I know what was going to happen next.
We had been in our new home for a few days and I was worried. Change was scary, new smells, strange places, dogs and people I didn't know.
Worst of all, dad wasn't there! At first I thought he would come soon, but days passed without him walking through the door.
It made me very sad and I sensed mum was too, so I spent more time cuddled up to her.
She took me for walks and I investigated all the new smells. Strange dogs tried to speak to me, but I was scared again.
One day mum took me to a big park with two
dogs running around playing together. I wanted to join in, but what if they attacked me?
After a little while a lady came and sat with mum. She had one of the dogs with her and he looked like my very first friend. The lady did not look at me and her dog ignored me too. This confused me and I was not sure what to do.
Mum looked at me and told me to say hello. I had learned lots of words because mum and dad always talked to me. When she said that, I stepped towards the lady, who reached out her hand for me to sniff.
She slowly put her hand on my head and rubbed my ears. She liked me! Maybe her dog would too! So I took a step forward, stretching out my neck as far as I could, my body tensed so that if the dog snapped, I could turn and run to mum.
The little dog sniffed me back and wagged his tail, so I stepped closer. He still didn't attack me, so I went even closer. Then suddenly we were side by side, sniffing every inch of each other.
He smelled OK and I must have been alright for him too because he then tried to get me to play. Mum kept me on my lead, but she and the lady got up and we started to walk, this little dog trotting at my side, still trying to get me to play.
The other dog came over after a while and he seemed friendly too, but mum did not let me off my lead that day.
We met the two dogs on nearly every walk, then one day my lead was removed and we all played together. I loved to chase and my two new friends liked to be chased. Sometimes they would stop suddenly and we would end up in a heap of tangled legs, but it was fun.
The only blackspot was dad wasn't there and I missed him so much.
Mum had given me something which smelled of him. When I was at home, I carried it with me or slept with my nose resting on it.
She also took me to a new vet. This man I did not like and I didn't trust him either. He hurt me one day, he had given me what I now know was called an injection. He was moving my hips around and at one point he hurt me, making me cry. Mum spoke sharply to him and soon after we went home.
Then the most wonderful thing happened, dad came home!
I was so pleased to see him I couldn't keep still. He was trying to say hello, but I kept whirling in circles and jumping up at him. Every time he moved I was right at his side, after all, he had disappeared once, he might again.
He was still there next day, and the next, and the day after that. He was home for good!
We had been in the new place for a while, but all the boxes were still in one of the rooms. I stayed out of there, boxes meant change to me.
A few weeks later, mum and dad were talking and I heard the words 'new house', 'big garden', 'good for Charlie'. At the time they didn't mean anything to me, but that soon changed.
Dad took me out one morning and when we got back, men were taking the boxes and furniture from the house and putting them in a big van. Before long the house was empty and we got in to a car.
This time it was only a short journey before we reached a different place. We went in to a house and mum took me to the back garden. It was really big with hedges all around it. Although I didn't know it then, this was where we would always stay.
I was much braver now, so I made new friends quickly. Most of the dogs I met were really nice and I learned to avoid the less friendly ones.
Especially one! He hated every dog he saw, so mum and the other owners avoided him.
We settled in to our new surroundings easily. I loved the house. There were steps down to the garden and mum put a comfy bed at the top of them for me. I could lie there looking out over the valley and watch people walk by. My favourite place!
Mum had found a new vet too.
Shortly after we had moved, mum and dad had taken me back to the one I didn't like. When we walked in, there was a woman with him.
He gave me the injection then started talking to this other person. As he was talking, he started to pull my hips around. This time he hurt me so badly I howled in pain!
Dad leaped forward and pushed the vet, who then stumbled backwards away from me. Mum knelt down and put her arms around me while dad was shouting at the vet. We left, and never went back.
My new vet was much nicer. When he looked at my hips he was very gentle, and he always made a fuss of me. He also took more care cutting my claws.
Because of the way I had been starved before, my claws were in very poor condition. Sometimes all I had to do was walk across the floor and they would break off. Often when I was playing in the fields one of them would split, and it always hurt.
Poor mum was always running back to the vet with me to have broken ones removed. In time they grew stronger and the problems stopped.
My hips still hurt, but, as long as I didn't do too much, I could enjoy life and play with my friends. Life was great, I was healthy, I was happy, I was loved.
Then one day I fell foul of that dog.
My walks increased in length every day, but mum only allowed me to run for short periods.
Sometimes when we got home I felt a little stiff and my hips ached.
Dad always made them feel better though. He had very warm hands, so he would put them over my hips. The warm feeling eased the ache and made me feel better.
Life was grand now and I slowly put all the bad memories behind me.
Sometimes I would have bad dreams but mum and dad were always there to wake me up. Some of the dreams were so vivid, it was a relief to open my eyes and feel hands gently stroking my head and soothing voices talking to me.
Often dad would take me to a place with lots of trees. As we walked around, my nose would detect lots of different smells which I just had
to investigate. Dad would always wait for me just where I left him, so I never felt afraid.
Toys were something I had never seen before in my old life, but mum and dad bought me lots. They tried to teach me what to do, but until they gave me a small round thing, I wasn't very interested. This round thing was great because it hit the ground and kept bouncing! Chasing it was really good fun.
Dad took me to the field one day and he had a bigger round thing with him. He put it on the ground and used his foot to make it move, then he kicked it to me. I tried to stop it and somehow moved it back to dad. He laughed and kicked it to me again, so I moved it back to him with my paw. Slowly I learned to push it with my nose and dad would chase me to try and take it off me.
One night, after a game with him, I was lying stretched out on the floor with dad. I felt so happy and wanted to get as close to him as possible. I was pushing my head against him and the bottom of the big baggy thing he was wearing came loose.
Somehow my nose ended up underneath it, so I pushed and wriggled until my head poked out of the hole at the top. I wriggled on to my side and lay there with my head under his chin. Dad was laughing and so was mum, me?, I went to sleep!
I felt safe and loved for the first time in my life, and several happy months passed this way.
One day, when we had been together quite a while, mum took me to a great big field. She was picking things off bushes and I was allowed to wander around freely.
Suddenly I spotted something moving in the field next to the one we were in. It was something I had never seen before, an animal much bigger than me. Curiosity took over and I went to have a look, but as I drew closer this thing turned and ran. A very strange feeling came over me and I knew I just had to give chase!
Without any other thought in my head, off I went.
The animal was leaping and running across a large field towards some trees. Somewhere in my head mums voice registered, calling me, but this chase was too exciting.
I ran faster and faster but couldn't catch this thing. It disappeared in to the trees, with me following close behind. Somehow I lost it and suddenly realised, I was alone! No sign of mum! Turning, I followed the scent back out of the trees and in to the field again.
I couldn't hear mum calling, but the scent was still strong and I was able to retrace my wild flight. Then I heard mum calling again, so I ran as fast as I could to get back to her.
When I reached her she flung her arms around me and I think she was crying because her face was wet. I was so tired I flopped down in the shade to rest. Mum gave me a little water and put cold cloths on my feet. It took a long time before I felt able to start the walk home.
We didn't have very far to go, but I had to keep stopping to rest. My hips were so painful I kept wobbling. Mum tried to help me, but it wasn't easy.
Eventually we reached home and I was able to rest, but when I tried to stand to get water, my hips really hurt and were very stiff, the pain made me cry.
A little while later mum put me in a car and took me to the vet. I had been there before and a man had stuck a sharp thing in my neck. It didn't really hurt, but I decided I didn't like this place. It smelled funny and dogs were crying.
The man I had seen before moved my hips around and talked to mum, I had no idea what he said, but mum looked upset. When we got home again, she put something over my throat. It wasn't a nice thing to have done, but hey, I knew mum wouldn't do anything to hurt me. Several times a day the same thing happened, so I became used to it.
After a little while the pain eased and moving was not so painful.
When we went for our walks now they were much shorter. Mum would not let me off the lead and kept making me stop to rest. My hips still hurt, so I didn't mind.
In time mum took me back to the vet. For some reason this time felt different, mum seemed anxious. The man took my lead from her and tried to lead me away. He was taking me from mum and I didn't want to go, something wasn't right, mum never left me!
I fought and pulled, twisting around and pulling back to mum. The vet said something and gave the lead back to her, then he put something sharp in my neck again. After a little while the strangest feeling came over me and I couldn't sit up or stand properly. Sounds and voices seemed to come from a long way off. The man and another woman lifted me on to a table, but this one moved!
I was taken in to a dark room with strange things in there, big machines and things like ropes coming from them. I just wanted to run away but I was so sleepy.
What happened after that is a mystery. Slowly I realised I was in a big cage, lying on a soft bed. Mum was there, stroking my head and talking to me.
Later, we went home, but things changed a lot. I was taken for short walks, things were put over my throat every day and, worst of all, every few days mum took me to the vet to have the sharp thing stuck in my neck again.
This hadn't been happening for long when strange things started to happen in the house.
Mum was putting all our things in big boxes and packing suitcases! It worried me because I didn't know what was going to happen. I liked everything to be the same all the time, if mum moved things around I hated it! Now, suddenly, everything was changing.
A few days later a big van pulled up and two men came in to the house.
Mum held on to me because I didn't like strangers, and these two were definitely strange. They started taking things out of the house and putting them in the big van!
Mum took me out for a walk and for some reason most of my friends were there. The people petted me and hugged mum, I played for a bit, then we went home.
When we got there the house was nearly empty! It was very scary and I didn't know what to do.
Mum spoke to the people who lived near us, then we got in to a car and drove away.
I didn't understand, but we were moving away.
The first few days in my new home opened my world to a host of new experiences. No longer was I kept in a small cage outside. Instead my time was spent in the house, lying on the sofa with my mum and dad, sleeping with my mum either on her bed or on my own comfy one on the floor beside her, and receiving so much love I would have cried with joy if I could! I never felt hunger, in fact for the first few weeks my mum fed me several small meals a day. There was always water for me to drink, a soft place to rest. Slowly I grew stronger.
The only problem was when my mum tried to put something around my neck. I always cried and fought because that thing meant pain, not being able to breathe. Mum was always very patient and gentle with me, never getting angry or shouting at me. She would calm me enough to put the thing on me, then take me outside. To begin with she didn't walk me far, my muscles were still very under-developed so I tired quickly, but also because I was afraid. With every step I expected to feel the thing tighten round my throat, choking me, expecting to be dragged along. Other fears haunted me too, was she taking me back to that hell? Would I lose all my new found happiness?
Over time I learned that I needn't be afraid, I could walk with my mum or dad without being hurt, and, best of all, they always took me home! That was when the walks started to be fun and I experienced all sorts of new things. My nose led me to lots of interesting smells, I once found a rabbit, but mum refused to let me chase it. I still wasn't fully fit so running was off the menu for now.
There was also a problem with people and other dogs. They frightened me, pure and simple. My previous experience had taught me that people were cruel and, although my mum and dad were different, others were not to be trusted. One day a man leaned over me and I thought he was going to beat me, so I snapped at him. Mum put her hand over my nose, holding my mouth gently closed. She said something to the man and he came and knelt in front of me, speaking softly and holding out his hand. Although I was shaking, I sniffed at him. Then he tickled under my chin! I didn't know what to do, so I just sat and let him do it. It was confusing and gave me a lot to think about.
That was my first experience of strangers. It took a long time and mum had her work cut out, but eventually I learned I would not be hurt, in fact, meeting new people could be fun.
Dogs were another matter. My old owners had kept two other dogs besides me. They were kept in the house and were looked after well. Sometimes, on the rare occasions I was allowed out of my cage, the two of them would attack me. Luckily they never did any serious damage, but I learned dogs were not nice. So when mum and I met one on our walks, I would always growl and bark at them. It was my way of warning them that I was bigger and stronger now, so they better stay away.
One day mum and I were out in the fields and we met a lady with a small dog. I had never seen one so tiny before and when it came up to me I was very unsure what to do. It was a dog, dogs hurt me, so I should growl and bark, right?
This little thing didn't seem to care that I was bigger and could easily hurt him. He stood on his hind legs and licked my face then sat in front of me holding up a paw. Confused I looked at mum, she rubbed my head then bent down and stroked the little stranger. He lay on his back and mum rubbed his tummy. I took the risk and put my head down to have a good sniff, wary in case he leaped up and attacked me. He didn't, he just lay there allowing me to do it, then he put his front paws on my face. He licked me again then got up and stood beside me.
We started to walk and this little thing stayed right beside me. When I stopped to sniff, he did too. When he found something interesting, I was allowed to investigate with him. I think I fell in love on that walk and we met up every day from then on. He, with help from mum and dad, helped me to over-come the fear and make friends with other dogs we met. I still didn't like or trust collies, but where we lived then, there weren't many around.
Life continued to be good. My strength improved slowly and the walks became longer. That was when mum discovered the first of many problems.
Hi,
My name, as you have probably gathered, is Charlie. I live with my mum and dad (he's my brother really but I call him dad) in Plymouth. I am a long haired German + Belgian Shepherd. My best friends live nearby and we all gather in the field to exchange news and views. Yes, even us dogs have opinions!
My life has not always been easy, in fact it wasn't until Mothers Day in 1999 that my life really began. Until then it was something I would have escaped from if I could. In order for you to understand, I must go back in time.
Born on 7th August 1997, I was given to a lady who thought I was very cute. To begin with everything seemed fine, the children loved me and my owner seemed nice. It was not long before they all became bored with me and I was thrown out of the house and kept in a cage in the garden. The children used to grab my hind legs and pull them through the wire, which caused me a lot of pain. I cried, but they didn't care.
One hot day I remember the children playing in their paddling pool, whilst I lay sweltering in the heat. Suddenly one of them came and took me to the paddling pool and put me in. I was still a baby so the water nearly covered me. At first the feel of the cool water on my hot body was lovely, but suddenly a hand pushed me under the water and held me there. I couldn't breathe and was not strong enough to get away from the hand holding me down.
I don't remember what happened next, but I slowly became aware of the grass under me and a hand gently pushing against my chest. I was coughing and spluttering, then a man picked me up and held me close, fussing me and talking gently. All I could do was shake and whine, I was so frightened.
Then the man who owned me came out and took me away from the nice person. They were shouting and I got so terrified I cried as loud as I could. The nice man walked away and my owner threw me back in my cage.
After that things got worse. They never spoke to me, hardly fed me and never took me for walks. I was just left in the cage, which got smaller as I grew.
I don't know how much time passed, dogs have no real concept of days and months, but I know I had grown in to a big dog. The cage was so restrictive there was no room to turn easily. I had to sleep curled up as small as I could make myself.
Then, one day, the woman took me in to the house. It was frightening because I did not know what was going to happen. The children were making a fuss of me and so was the woman. I didn't trust them and just wanted to go back to my cage, but they wouldn't let me.
Then a knock came at the door. The woman answered it and I could hear strange voices, a man and a woman. The children were still crowded around me and I couldn't get away.
Suddenly the door opened and a great tall man walked in, followed by a woman. As I looked at them I had such a strange feeling and just wanted to go to them. They both smiled at me and said hello, then came and knelt beside me, moving the children away from me.
The man spoke to me in a quiet voice and they both petted me gently. I'm not sure why, but I felt safer than ever before. The lady ran her hands all over my body and then looked at the man in a funny way. They both stood up, but the man kept his hand on me.
I was worried they were going to leave and I kept pushing up against them both, trying to let them know I didn't want them to leave. They were talking to my owner, who then left the room and came back with a lead. The man took it and attached it to my collar, then suddenly he was leading me out of the house!
The lady was still talking to my owner, but she said something to the man and he led me away, out of the garden and down the lane. It was so exciting to be out and away from the people who hurt me, but there was no way of knowing when I would have to go back.
We came to a field further down the lane and the man took me in there, then he took off my lead. I wasn't sure what to do, so I stayed close to him. He walked me round the field and eventually I had a little run. The man called me and I ran straight back to him, wagging my tail. He knelt beside me, put his arms around me and started to talk. Of course, I had no idea what he was saying, but his voice was so kind and soothing I felt my spirits soar. I knew I wanted nothing more than to stay with him and tried to tell him by nuzzling him and pushing my head in to his hands.
He started to walk from the field and called me to his side. I thought he was taking me back, but when we got to the gate we met the lady who had been at the house with him. She fussed me too, then we got in a car and drove away.
I didn't know it then, but I was going to my new home!
Hi, my name is Margaret and I am Charlies mum.
