A combination of covid and ageing brought about my 2nd retirement, firstly from long distance (as in nights away from home) and then limited distance (much shorter and ideally not more than 5 hours away from home) but here we go again.
I say ‘we’ because I can’t leave Fran on her own for more than a couple of hours, and am reluctant to do even that. so, as she only sits at home all day looking at nothing she might as well do it watching something from the window of the car. Jules will come too, if there was more than one dog to collect we would have to drop him off at the pension for the day, our destination with the re-homers, and collect him on the way home.
So tomorrow we have a 2 hour journey up to Poitiers to collect Shanna, a Lab/Shepherd X (very unusual for PAD, normally only Dobies or occasionally Dobie Xs) to take her back near to here where she will be kenneled while awaiting a new home. Only just over a year old and totally uneducated she will spend the journey back in Jules’ cage while he lies down beside her in the space left. The last job we did together was for a much older and wiser dog so Jules kept his cage on that occasion.
As if that wasn’t unusual enough, out again on Saturday to Branne, near Bordeaux. Another youngster, urgent but I don’t know why, where Mussu a male Dobie, will be handed over by a young Spanish man. He works in France so I don’t think I will need to brush up my Spanish. Due to his age and suspician again of lack of training, he too will steal Jules’ cage.
Jules doesn’t mind either way even though he does love his cage, especially when the door is open in the garden where he can command control of the gate. Which reminds me, he is still there now, so I’d better give him a whistle to come in to bed.
Always have had that at the forefront Lily, but especially now in present conditions. There are 3 1.5 litre bottles in the car for the dogs, and a 1 litre bottle for us. Reckon we will pass close to you both ways tomorrow when we go to fetch Mussu from Branne. I always take the old N89 from Chancelade towards Liborne, in this case we will turn off after passing through Montpon.
@Gareth No, not Jules, who is a Beauceron/Dobermann X, that is my lovely old Boss, the Rottweiler. He was rescued along with a Dobermann called Adolph after many years as scrap yard guardians in Spain. They became redundant when their owner retired and did not have the room at home to keep them. The owners of the yard did not want them and proposed to kill them till PAD intervened and took them both, because Adolph was a Dobie. In a way he saved Boss. They were both brought to France and lodged in a refuge near Paris, a place I often visited to deliver and collect dogs. I saw his picture with his wide smile, and, as he was unlikely ever to leave that place because of his age and breed, I offered to take him. PAD were delighted and would have paid me to fetch him without any adoption fee, but in the event other dogs of theirs needed transporting to there so off I went. It was love at first sight. As they brought him towards me on a strong, short lead I dropped to my knees and he came straight into my arms. The hoops I had to jump through because of the ridiculous dangerous dogs law in France (and elsewhere) are a whole new story but I came out the other end €800 lighter. It could have been more because my personal test for suitability was free because the examiner (a Rottie breeder) and I were so obviously in tune that he waived his fee of €100. After an hour of walking and talking I was surprised and asked him why. He clenched his fist to his chest and said’ because we have the same heart’. We only had Boss for 2 years before he died at 12 and a half, a great age for the breed. A lovely, friendly, obedient and gentle dog he left a big hole.
Everything went well with Shanna, she was a darling although a bit lively, in keeping with her age. Jules was fine with her too and didn’t mind giving up his cage, it gave him the chance to sit up a bit higher and watch the road ahead. After refuelling at Vivonne, 1.89/litre, we pulled in at the large aire just down the road on the way back, It has lots of lanes in it all under the shade of the trees and a little snack bar which enabled us to take a break with excellent coffee and biscuits. Got a couple of photos of her at Sharons when we got back.
And on the road north witnessed a near miss between 2 lorries. Now I think I can gues what comments this will produce, and bet that they won’t necessarily coincide with my own.
The change of plan was that, instead of going to Sharon’s to await adoption, he was to be taken on trial directly to his new home in the Dordogne, where a Welsh couple wanted a companion for their Beauceronne/Dobermann X.
When we met the Spanish couple at Branne it didn’t bode well because Mussu, sensing and hearing Jules in the car lurched noisely apparently to get at him. The same when I brought Jules out to meet him, but once inside they were completely in harmony.
Interestingly, although the Spaniards could not speak French or English, Mussu sat instantly the man said ‘sit’. An English abandonnement perhaps?
On delivery he came out of the car with Jules well enough but then, overcome by the new surroundings, went back in again and it took a further 20 minutes to persuade him to leave it. After that, all was fine but by that time Jules was really showing how much he liked Leela, but there was no doubt about Mussu. He is staying.
This is meeting Mussu at Branne and afterwards in his new home. Jules is the one with the harness as he has been secured in the car outside of the cage. They kindly allowed us to bring the car inside the garden, less distance for Fran to walk, and we had a nice cool drink in the house.
Thank you but it is only occasional good work now sadly, but needs must, it did feel good though back on the road but I must admit, after 2 days on the trot I was shattered by bedtime last night.
Still, as long as I can impress a JR, got to be worth it.
Once our little man has crossed the rainbow bridge, dog rescue would be something I would certainly be interested in. Not sure I could cope again with losing my own but would like to keep my hand in so to speak.
I said that years ago, but when you start to just foster you get attached and become a failed fosterer and thus an adopter again. It has happened many times to me. Some of my fosters have been withdrawn from ‘sale’ as soon as someone showed a strong intention.
I found some relief in transporting them instead, but have never been without a dog of my own.
Latest news of Mussu is that all is fine, he is integrated with Leela to the extent that they eat in the same room and he waits at the door to go out for a pee. Pulls a little on the lead but they think they will get him out of that.
An English abandonnement perhaps?
