PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE ..... 17th - 21st October 2011

My best friend Lucy Greenfield and I have both decided to write dog related posts  throughout this week in an effort to persuade you to keep visiting our pages and take Ripley for walks .
You can read Lucys wonderful blog on http://lucymargaretjane.blogspot.com/ . She is the statistic expert , she will zap you with facts and figures and marvellous links to inspiring videos . She has a much more logical brain and I am in awe of her grasp of the whole IT world . I can just about manage to turn on this laptop . So while Lucy dazzles you with her marvellous blog I will unashamedly use a bit of emotional blackmail !

                     
                                                         Dogs Save Lives

Dogs save lives and sanity everyday . Search and Rescue dogs help find victims of earthquakes and people lost on mountains . They sniff out explosives , saving soldiers from certain death . They detect cancer and sense when their owners are going to have a fit . They guide sight impaired people across busy roads and through crowded streets. They alert their hearing impaired owners when the telephone rings or a visitor knocks on the door . They even help load washing machines and fetch various items for their disabled owners .
These are the celebrated , well known , life savers . The wonderful well trained dogs , doing an important job , tirelessly and without question .
However, there are thousands of unsung heroes . Dogs who save lives and sanity every day by just  'being there' . The little dog that comforts the ill , that just sits quietly while his owner recovers from chemotherapy or some dreadful illness or operation . Snuggles and offers a soft head to stroke , an understanding nuzzle of his wet nose , silent comforting companionship .
Some dogs are the only other living thing their owner will see today ! Many older people are isolated and infirm , too frail to venture outside and sometimes too afraid . their dogs are a  " hairy heartbeat at their feet " .  They talk to their dogs and the dogs listen , head on one side , ears cocked , tails wagging . They give their owners a reason to live

One such dog saved my life too . Or , if not my life, my sanity.
In the early 80s  I had been very ill . No need to go into details here , suffice to say  it was extremely serious and I began to feel very sorry for myself . Its hard to always be positive and though I tried to stay cheerful the  'mean reds ' began to take hold .
My husband decided that I needed something new to occupy my mind and so he hatched a cunning plan .

I had always had dogs in my life  but never one of my own . He knew I had a longing for a Maltese , the glorious little , white , long haired dogs . So he tracked down a breeder and Tiffany came into my life on the understanding that I would be solely responsible for her care. And she saved me .

Tiffany at 12 weeks

  
Finally I had something that relied on me alone , a little white scrap who looked to me for food , exercise and love  . I had to haul myself out of my misery and take her out , I had to house train her , lead train her and groom her every day .
Yes , I had to commit totally to her welfare but she gave so much back . Dogs love unconditionally . They couldnt give a fig if your hair is falling out  or you look ghastly from the medication , you are their world .
Tiffany became my constant companion , my shadow and soulmate . She taught me to love the world again , to regain my confidence and return to the  'real me ' .  When I recovered from my illness she introduced me to  the world of   'Dog Showing ' , which became a passion and also the inspiration for a long career in Dog Grooming .
I have had many wonderful canine companions since and they each have a place in my heart . But I will always have a special place for a very special little life saver  . Thank you , Tiffany

                                                                   Tiffany 

I really hope you find your  'perfect ' dog . I suspect many of you already have . I would love to hear about them . We can also ensure that thousands of abandoned dogs find their  'perfect ' owners . Help Pedigree achieve this by clicking on Ripleys lead and taking her for a walk .
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