Many Tears - Ella, 4yr old X brood bitch

[daunting]

Good luck 

[anniej]

Call made - Silvia is off picking up some more poor spaniels so I have to call back this afternoon.  But, it seems that they will insist on only letting Ella go to a home where a dog has been castrated.  Even our vet is against castrating Piper at this time as he says he is too young and thinks it is an unnecessary risk with surgery.  Piper isn't allowed out to roam on his own and even when he met a bitch on heat at the shoot a few weeks back he didn't know what to do!  He got a wee bit excited, but so did all the dogs, and the owner put the bitch, a little terrior, in a dustbin so she wouldn't go round torrmenting them all!  We are responsible owners, I like to think, and would monitor them both and make sure that if Piper showed any interest in Ella he would get a very firm NO!  I just feel that Silvia is not going to consider us because of Piper so feel quite dejected.  

Many Tears seem to have a policy now that they will only re-home their dogs to homes where existing dogs are castrated or spayed.  I understand their point of view regarding the many unwanted dogs out in the world, but feel that they may be 'chucking out the baby with the bathwater' by keeping to this policy.  Piper is never going to father pups, so in their eyes we should castrate him.  Vet says he doesn't want to do it, hubby says he wants him entire as it makes for a keener working cocker.  I'm stuck in the middle!

annie j

[Elisa]

I do understand Many Tears's policy but feel for you at the same time.  I'm not sure I understand though.  If Ella was spayed, then there would be no pups.  She could go to a home with another girl and still get humped.  I would have thought the main priority here would be to get Ella spayed, so there is absolutely no way she could ever have pups again 

I'm sure the right cocker is waiting for you though 

[daunting]

When you look at it from another point of view.....

These brood bitches are 'forced' to mate therefore you can understand Sylvia's policy on only having them homed if the male is castrated so there are no unwanted/unwelcome advances made.




Not having a go at you Annie or your dog 

[anniej]

I understand Silvia's concerns and point of view, and totally agree that if Piper was showing interest in Ella it wouldn't be on.  I guess I am being over-protective of my boy ~  guilty untill proved inocent?  I think I am going to have to step back from Ella as I don't want to argue with Silvia, I truly admire what she is doing.  I still think that Ella is just the personality that I am looking for to share life with me, but hopefully she will find a forever home soon where she will be loved just as much.

tearfull and heavy hearted.

annie j

[Helen]

oh annie i'm so sorry!

i can fully understand many tears view, but as lyn has testified, it's not always the case that an entire male will hassle a (spayed) female.

although i love the work many tears do i feel that they have missed out on ella having a fantastic new home with you, but am sure that other rescue girlies will come along in time that will fit your bill.

i also really respect you from standing back from this...

big hugs 

[paulb]

what a shame, i am sure there are reasons but it seems a shame that ella had the opportunity for a forever home

[anniej]

There are even more girlie cockers on the Many Tears site now - oh what to do!  I would give a home to any one of them but I can't because of my entire dog 

very tearfull

annie j

[allym]

Awww, please don't cry!  Although, having looked at those 3 new girlies at Many Tears, I am tempted to myself!  Knowing how emotional you are about this situation, do you think it might be worth puting your case down on paper (or e-mail) for Sylvia?  Maybe then you could put across your situation with as much neutral perspective as possible? Being a bit of an emotional person myself, I have done this before and find that it sometimes helps! 

Good luck, whatever you decide.  I'm just aghast at cruel some people can be to such loving little Cockers...

[anniej]

I am balling my eyes out!  with joy!  just spoken to Silvia and as long as I can get a reference from our Vet and take some digital pictures of the garden we can go visit at the weekend!  I am so excitted now and alhtough it's going to be a hard slog with getting Ella house-trained etc I just hope Piper behaves himself!

gotta go get digital camera out now!

annie j

[Magic Star]

Annie so sorry that your situation doesn't comply with the adoption rules, I understand that you must feel anxious and that you feel you know your Piper wouldn't try and hump her.  But, Piper is only young and  he may not have reached the sexual maturity stage yet, it happens to all dogs at different ages and in different ways, what your wee fella is like now, may not reflect what he is like in 6 months (in terms of womanising I mean)  

Was shocked to read about that man on a shoot putting a terrier in a dustbin ,

Best of luck x

Edited to add:  Oh just seen your latest reply, I wish you luck xx

[allym]

Wow!  How exciting! I'm so, so, so pleased for you!!  And, more importantly, I'm so pleased for the gorgeous, gorgeous Ella.

I'll have all my fingers, and Henry's paws crossed for you this weekend!

[Helen]

what an emotional rollercoaster!

^{GOOD LUCK AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!! yayyyyy!}

[anniej]

Right then, the pictures of the garden have been emailed to Silvia.  I've rung the vet and they will send Silvia a reference as there is no one near by to home-vet us.  I've also made a provisional appointment for Ella to have her stitiches out as she was spayed yesterday, which Silvia says went well.  Now I am looking for a B&B in the area so we can travel up on Saturday and stay overnight .. .. can anyone recommend somewhere that accepts dogs, as of course we have to have Piper with us.

And, to reassure Emma, if Piper matures and shows interest in Ella then he will be for the chop!  The last thing we want is a working dog who chases after bitches.  A good working cocker dog here-a-bouts is kept entire to keep them keen but they must also not be interested in the bitches ~ hence none of them knowing what to do about the terrier in season on the shoot - oh and they didn't put the lid on the dustbin and it was just while they were having hot soup between the runs and she didn't seem to mind! it was an empty bin not full of rubbish!  At lunch time when the stopped she was confined to her master's truck.  And I agree with you, I don't think she should have been taken in the first place, maybe the owner was hoping for a littler of terrierxspaniels?

[daunting]

Annie will have a look up a B&B for you - though i am sure Sylvia has someone near her for that so may be worth asking.
Let us know how they get on


here's one-
http://www.pet-friendly-hotels.co.uk/200758.html

its about 25 mins away from Sylvia's - not many others around that have rooms and are close enough