Murphy-Bear
I lost my beloved "Digger" on the 11th May to old age, the Vet came
to my home to put him to sleep and it was so very calm and peaceful.
He still fronts my Website however as it was created around him and
will remain as his permanent memorial.
I rang Janet Butler and asked if she could find me another male dog
as a companion for "Lulu" and I've always had at least 2 dogs here
anyway. She asked me what was the maximum age I would go up to and I
said 10, what colour,I did'nt really mind.
Well Janet Butler came and vetted my home and and shortly afterwards
she rang to say she had a dog she thought would be suitable for me.
He was yellow, 10 years old and called "Murphy". Apparently he was
kept with a couple of very young dogs one being 15 months old and it
was getting too much for him. The owner had taken him on from a relative who had lost their home and rented accommodation would not
allow dogs.
This was the picture I was sent of Murphy (have named it Murphy before!). OK I had always asked for
a black dog as first preference, but this time I had agreed to accept
any colour if the dog was the right one for me!
On the 6th of June Jill brought him to us at around 5pm, I was told
he was a very big boy and indeed he was. He was rather stiff in the
joints I knew this and Janet had recommended “Seraquin” for this and
I had already bought him a good supply along with a new collar a blue
hologram one (Lulu has a pink one!) I already had everything else he
needed including a new memory foam bed.
Well when he arrived we all walked him round the grounds and he
actually got in the pond (its only 9 inches deep) but I had to help
him out. He was the first one of my labs to ever go in. Then I took
him into the house and Jill left. I then fed him and Lulu and after
his meal he immediately got on his new bed and slept for the whole
evening.
He has settled in as if he has always been here, a very intelligent
gentle giant. He has been with me now just over a month and his
stiffness has very much improved, he has become quite lively and can
now jump out of the pond and bounce about. He knows he is not
allowed to go in but if my back is turned he is obviously very
tempted.
This is how he looked the day after I got him, very different from the
original picture I was given. He barks now if anyone comes to the door,
can “shake hands”, has learned our routine here so quickly.
During the hot spell we had I thought because he liked the pond maybe
he would like the paddling pool I had here (which at one time had
been used for Ducks when we had them). I cleaned and disinfected it
up and filled it with water. Lulu got in and drank some water, but
do you think he would get in it, not a chance! He sat down and would
not budge,in the end I put my wellies and got in myself, then he got
in but obviously was not impressed, so we both got out and I emptied
it and put it away. He loves being outside in good weather, has
learned that he can carry a toy with him (Lulu has lots) and has
completely changed from rather a subdued (for a Lab) boy to a quite a
merry one.
Thank you Janet and Jill for matching me up so well with the right
dog, I know having run Basset Hound Rescue many years ago, how
difficult that can be. They do such an excellent job with the follow up
and support too.
Both dogs are of course on my website at
http://www.dogpage.ision.co.uk which has links to the Labrador
Rescue South East & Central website.
Please when thinking of adopting about an older dog they really
deserve a good home even if its just for a few years, they are so
rewarding.
Barks and Wags to you all from Murphy & Lulu. |
Amber
Around August/Sept. 2008 Jean and Tony Scott decided that they would like to get a dog since they were both retiring in May 2009. In early Nov 08, they had a mail from Mindy to say that a little lady has become available..Amber ,a beautiful golden labrador with the most appealling amber coloured eyes.Tony called straight back & a photo was duly dispatched. It was love at first sight & they took delivery the following Saturday. She was a very timid dog at first but soon became more confident once she realised that they only wanted to love and care for her. She began to enjoy going to work with Tony where she gots lots of walks and attention from various people. He even takes her fishing. She had all her innoculations in December as well as a Rabies jab - the start for her Pet Passport so that she could travel to France. They even had her spayed in March - the vet used keyhole surgery, so she has no scars & recovered very quickly.
Her favorite games is sticks - throw a stick and you'll be her friend. She comes into contact with their daughter's black lab - Rex and Amber really bosses him about. The Scott's are now in France for the summer - where Amber has a much bigger garden than in the UK. Unfortunately she hurt her paw on the second day here which resulted in two trips to the vet in one day. The first time for tick treatment & the second to have a nail cut off. She's fine now and has just got back from seeing the Tour de France go by. All in all she is such a gorgeous good tempered, well behaved dog - Jean and Tony would like to thank LRSEC very much and share their lovely story with you.
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Barney
Just wanted to send you all at Lab Rescue a little update on Barney the Bear as we call him.
We lost our dog in June of 08. After a week we decided that the house just wasn't a home without a waggy tail to greet us at the door. I had always had labs as a kid & as we have a young son we decided that a friendly lab was the way to go. We contacted lab rescue & explained to our co-ordinater exactly what we we were looking for.
* Good natured Lab
* Smaller Lab
* Female Lab
* Chocolate/yellow Lab
*Neutered Lab
After a couple of weeks Janet contacted us & told us all about BARNEY!
A MALE, ENTIRE, GIANT LAB!
After I had heard his story, I decided to be open minded & give him a chance.
Thank god I did. He is an absolute joy!
When He first DRAGGED Janet up our driveway, We were shocked at just how big he is. He is honestly the tallest Labrador I have ever seen. He was boisterous & ravenously hungry.
The first few weeks were tough, I won't lie. But after having him neutered & some (A lot) of training, We now have the most beautiful family pet. He is truly a gentle giant.
He & our two year old son are the best of friends (see pic). They follow each other around & even snuggle up in the dog bed together
He has been walked off lead since August. The first time we let him off was terrifying, He had never been let off the lead before so we just didn't know what to expect.
I unclipped his lead & held my breath.
He sat down & looked up at me as if to say " What do you want me to do now?"
He loves other dogs & has made lots of friends - both doggy & human. In fact I would go as far as to say that he is a local celebrity. Everybody knows his name & comes to say hello.
Lots of people tried to convince me that we should have our next dog from a puppy as we have a young son.
Barney is testament to the fact that older dogs really can learn new tricks.
I would urge anyone looking for a new pet to contact Lab Rescue.
Every dog deserves a second chance..........& who knows. You might just get as LUCKY as we did!
Kind Regards & Thanks
The Stacey Family
Hockwold
Norfolk |
Berkeley
He is my friend and brings me joy every day, I am extremely fortunate to be able to be part of his life. As he sits next to me every night, as I do this website, he reminds me why I spend so much time with Labrador Rescue. He is there to encourage me to keep fit by running every day and is nice enough to give me lots of "breathers" while he stuffs his nose in another bush whilst on our running route. He is there for the family and gives all of us love when we come home. Most of all, he has enabled me to meet lots of other people who care deeply for this wonderful breed.
thanks mate
Wayne
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Holly
Having never owned a dog, it took two years for my partner and our three children to convince me it would be fantastic to have a dog. We contacted "lrsec" and had a lovely meeting with your area helper from Cannock. She was fantastic, and after being accepted we eagerly awaited her call. At the end of June 2006 she called to say she had found us a seven month old little girl. We had asked for a bitch at least two to three years old, but she thought this one was perfect. Kylie arrived on the first of July with a shabby lead, two food bowls and the attention span of a goldfish, but she was beautiful and it was love at first site. Her previous owners had been feeding her the wrong food, so her bowels and behaviour were all over the place, but with some advise we weaned her onto a more suitable food.
Nearly one year on, we cannot imagine life without her. We renamed her Holly, and after a lot of (ongoing) training she will now WALK on a lead, sit, stay, belch and pass wind very nicely! We recently had a week away as a couple (bliss) and put Holly into the local kennels (she had a whale of a
time), when we contacted the kids they were missing the dog but not us... They are now trying to convince me that Holly needs a friend!
Thank you for Holly, and all the best with the fantastic work you do
Sue, Bruce, James now 15, Blythe now 13 and Georgina now 9 Holly x |
Rosie
We would really like to tell you all about our dog Rosie. We got her from Lab Rescue nearly five years ago. See was only ten months old and we were her 3rd family. Her previous owners found that she was too boisterous. Well, she was really only being a puppy. Anyway Rosie has become such a huge part of our family and we can't imagine life without her. She is such a people dog, that she thinks all visitors have come to see her. Rosie hasn't had a great start in life. Not only are we her 3rd home, she had to be spayed twice. After the first time of being spayed, she developed symptoms of having a season. The vet confirmed that she did indeed have a third ovary. Anyway I am pleased to tell you that this has had no effect on Rosie, she is still completely adorable. She is such a good girl who has never caused us any bother. So much so, that we are considering getting her a play mate. The picture below is one taken at a get together with other Lab owners. Rosie is now famous as this picture is on the lab rescue website on the cards that they have for sale.
Love
Martin, Debi, Hannah, Emma and Ben
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Murphy
Hi, my name is Sofia and I am 12 years old and I got a dog from Labrador rescue about one year ago. My sister and I wanted to share his tale because he is such a loving and friendly dog, and the whole family love him to bits. The story starts with us filling in a form for Labrador Rescue to state the type of dog we wanted. At first we thought they would never get back to us, but, after weeks of waiting, they finally called us to tell us there was dog for us. My Sister and I were ecstatic. All we knew was that he was very big and boisterous, and we suspected that it was going to be a real challenge. The next day he arrived, and everyone, including my mum and dad, were really excited. Murphy came bounding up the path to meet us. We let him off the lead once he was inside and he ran around the house. Anne, the representative from Labrador Rescue, was there to introduce us to our new family member, and we knew right then that he was the one for us. Murphy is still with us, and the whole family love him to bits; he’s a real part of the family. Since we’ve had him he’s calmed down a lot (he was a bit mad at first) and really settled in. Murphy is so loving and friendly, my nine year old sister and I love him so much. All four of us (mum, dad, me and my sister) would never be with out him.
We love him to bits. |
Buddy
Sunday July 10th 2005 - The day Buddy bounded into our house he bounded into our hearts.
We had been told that Buddy was boisterous and destructive and looking for his third home! Not exactly an inviting CV you have to admit. We already have a 13year old German shepherd called Lady. She has trouble walking and various health problems, so we did wonder if we were doing the right thing by Lady taking on such a young energetic dog, but from first sight of Buddy we couldn’t resist and rose to the challenge.
In the early days Lady had the strength to put Buddy in his place and show him ‘the ropes’. Although she is weaker now and Buddy a very strong young lad who likes to push his weight around sometimes, her influence has certainly had a calming effect on him. This said Buddy loves chasing in the park with other dogs or romping and rolling around on the floor with whoever will play with him. He can be naughty and mischievous but he is also extremely good natured and loving. He is also the most handsome dog for miles around, and it is not only us that think that judging by the comments we get from people.
We took Buddy to training classes and there is no doubt that he learnt quickly but he was also branded the ‘clown’ of the class. When he got fed up doing as he was told he would roll over and wave all four paws in the air. You couldn’t help but laugh.
He is boisterous but no more than any other young dog and as far as destructive goes, well I think he is kept entertained and exercised enough for that not to be a problem.
He is also gorgeous, endearing, full of fun and an important part of our family. We wouldn’t be without him.
We certainly did do the right thing.
Chris & Gill Wright |
Fidget
My name is Fidget and I was rescued 9 years ago next month. My Mum and Dad said I was a 'sorry sight' when I arrived. I was frightened of everyone and everything. I'm a lot better these days, although I still find meeting new people a bit scary. I have a little brother called Bosun (photo underneath). Mum and Dad got him 5 years ago so he could help me become braver. It certainly worked. He's a real live wire and, lucky boy, not a rescue. We always go to the Dog's Party every year and we've won lots of prizes in the competitions, especially the fancy dress.
I'm getting on a bit now and will be 10 in September. The joints are stiffer these days and some 'Just for Men' wouldn't go amiss around the muzzle, but I can still show those younger dogs a thing or two!
Please go along and support the Dog's Party. It's so important as it helps Labradors like me to get warm and loving homes. We are all looking forward to seeing our friends again in September (2 legged as well as 4 legged) and hope you can find the time to support a very worth while cause.
Lots of Love, Kisses and Licks
Fidget Pollington |
Buddy

Hi there, after reading Berkeley's story on dog tales I thought I would update everyone on my own story. Last summer having lost a dog 3 yrs earlier (a little Yorkie) I decided it was time once more to open our home to another loyal friend. As we couldn't replace our last dog we thought we'd go for something different. We looked at all the rescue homes before we stumbled upon LRSE&C. I was dead set on getting a bitch no older than 4yrs old, that is until I found Buddy, a 5yr old male. He's very handsome, very affectionate, very loyal and very hard work. Unfortunately, he'd spent 4 months in kennels before he found a home with us & has had lots of problems, but I wouldn't change him for the world. He has brought so much enjoyment into my home & we all love him very much. Here is a picture of him enjoying the sun in the garden.
best wishes Tracy |
Maisy
Hi my name is Laura Patrick and I am a helper for Labrador Rescue South East and Central, covering Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire.
I wanted to share with you a picture of my two Labradors Maisy the Chocolate Lab and Molly the Short legged Black lab.
My Work with Lab Rescue started 2 yrs ago...
We got Maisy from a boarding kennels when she was just 2yrs old, and after a matter of months I persuaded My Husband Nick that she was lonely!! Bearing in mind for 3yrs we weren't going to have a dog as we already had a Daughter and a Cat !! I looked on the internet as we decided we wanted another lab, but that it had to be another rescue dog, after the usual home assessment we were contact by Sue to say they had molly a short legged black Labrador and that she would be arriving with us the next day!! When Sue and John arrived the next day John too had fallen in love with Molly, I'm sure its her little legs. Well there was no settling in period as per the attached picture you would think the two of them had grown up together, even the cat likes them both.
When my husbands working nights he takes the 2 Dogs and the Cat around our local Green and across a small bridge and I'm sure causes many a laugh for those just coming home from a night out at 4am in the morning!! But the cat even wakes me up 5mins before Nicks due home just so she doesn't miss the
walkies with her sisters!!!
So my message to anyone reading this who hasn't got a dog, its the best thing we did, we have made many friends in our local area and through Lab Rescue!! AND Just look at the 2 of them, they love each other dearly, I'm just working on Nick for a third, every rescue lab we take to a new home I say " Wouldn't she make a great sister for the others but I don't think its worked yet...
I'll keep you posted !!!
Thanks Again
Laura, Nick and Shannon Patrick
Maisy, Molly & Bella
xxx
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