Harry and I are firm believers that things happen for a reason – although sometimes those reasons are not that obvious at the time!
This is our story and how our lives have taken us off in a new direction!
Whilst our kids were growing up we had Stan, an amazing Springer Spaniel who turned out to be the easiest dog we’ve ever had the pleasure of caring for! He’d go everywhere with us and would just fit in with our busy lives, loving being around the kids.
After Stanley’s crossing we needed a break, vowing that we never wanted to go through the heartbreak of losing a beloved dog again! Life moved on, the kids grew more independent and Harry was at home more.
Our daughter started to browse rescue dogs in need of a home. We became hooked, reading through the profiles of all the dogs and decided that we were now in a good place and could possibly consider adoption.
One Sunday afternoon, Harry and I decided to have a visit to Dogs Trust in Darlington, with no particular dog in mind. We said hi through the kennels to lots of dogs until we came to one kennel where a jumpy black Labrador was keen to say hi. He was already reserved and waiting for his new home but the information on the kennel said there was another dog in there too but she wasn’t coming to say hi she was hiding in the back. We spent time sat at the front of the kennel and after a while she peeped through the perspex door at the back. She was very anxious and after a little while of us just sitting quietly, she tried to push open the door to come to the front but couldn’t manage it. All of a sudden, she burst through and came to greet us. We couldn’t resist her and looking into those sad eyes we knew she had chosen us. Finding out that she had been picked up as a stray strengthen our resolve to rehome her.
So, two years to the day of losing Stan we bought home Mollie. That was over 10 years ago. We’ve found out lots about Mollie in that time, her likes dislikes, fears and joys. Mollie was terrified of men, loud noises and sudden movements. We’ve worked hard with her over the years building her confidence and gaining her trust.
A year after adopting Mollie, Alison started to work for Dogs Trust as an Education Officer, teaching children and families about dog safety, dog law and responsible dog
ownership. Mollie passed her assessment to be a school dog and has attended hundreds of schools with me, teaching thousands of children how to be safe around dogs.
It was during this time that Harvey the Bedlington Terrier came into our lives. He’d been handed over to Dogs Trust from a family who could no longer care for him. Harvey was a confident joyful little dog with a funny yap! Our joy soon turned to worry when we found he suffered allergies and was diagnosed with atopic dermatitis and irritable bowel disorder – he was tormented by itchy skin and would often scratch himself until he bled.
With the arrival of Harvey, we also found out that Mollie was reactive around food. She would fight to keep her precious food. Managing this meant everyone had to be very careful around food and treats.
Still to this day, Mollie is always given her own space at feed time and fed separately.
Things took a turn for the worse when out on a walk one sunny day, Harvey was attacked by another dog and sustained bites around his neck. He became seriously ill when one wound turned into an abscess and he required emergency surgery. While recovering physically from the attack he has never recovered mentally and emotionally. He became anxious around other dogs and would react by lunging, barking, trying to make them go away. His stress levels would go through the roof and he would look to Harry for reassurance. From this time he remained very much a daddy’s boy!
Mindful of his anxieties, we stopped walking him around the estate where we live (which is full of dogs) and started using secure fields. He was much happier, calmer and began to enjoy the experience of being outdoors again. Surgery on both his back legs severely curtailed the length of time he could exercise, but, he nonetheless loved his time outdoors, sniffing and chilling, sometimes in need of his wheels to help him get around..
Sadly Harvey crossed the rainbow bridge in April 2023. In the end his heart failed him and whilst we were devastated by his loss, we were grateful it was a quick journey for him. He will forever be in our hearts and his legacy will live on at My Happy Hounds.
Our latest addition was Nellie, our beautiful Labradoodle. At the time (7 years ago), she was a very young bouncy wild dog. Having lived with a large, busy family in the countryside, she had spent most of her time outdoors and found her own entertainment by chasing sheep. After warnings from the local farmer Nellie’s owners put her into boarding kennels and asked the owner to find a new home for her. The kennel owner happened to be a friend of Harrys and rang to see if we could help. Not especially planning on having another dog, we went to meet her and the rest is history as they say!
As you can gather from reading this, all our dogs have very different needs and it keeps us busy! Regular dog walks were out of the question and having somewhere safe and secure was vital for us if our dogs were to enjoy the freedom of off lead time. We were lucky enough to be able to buy a field for our own personal use. It was a godsend for us as our dogs could relax and enjoy the outdoors without worrying about meeting other dogs or Nellie chasing sheep. Two years on and we decided that we wanted to open our field so that others in similar situations to us could enjoy the same freedoms. Not a day goes by now without hearing something negative in the media around dogs- attacks (on humans and other dogs), dogs getting stolen, dog walkers being attacked etc. It’s a scary time being a dog parent, let alone the parent of a sensitive dog like ours.
So that’s it up to now! Our dogs have taught us so much along the way and we learn something new every day!
We’re invested in helping all dogs and their parents, Harry and I are busy working towards professional dog trainer and behaviourist qualifications and our paddocks have been designed with love, care and attention, with sensitive dogs in mind.
We understand your struggles, so come and pay us a visit and receive a warm friendly welcome and share in this journey to create a happier life for our furry friends
Hope to see you soon!
