Daisy’s Story

I first saw Daisy on Chris Thatcher’s Facebook page as she had shared Whitehouse Kennels page of an abandoned Bolognese dog in the hope of her being reunited with her owner. She had been abandoned at a local park and picked up by the dog warden.

this picture was taken in the kennels

The kennels were unaware that she was a Bolognese dog and it was not until me and Chris went over to see her just before Christmas that Chris confirmed that she was indeed a Bolognese. She was blind in one eye due to an eye infection which had taken hold and subsequently resulted in her having to have her eye removed as it was so bad. Her coat was also matted down to the skin and she was overweight. She had such a lovely temperament and had formed a bond with the owner of Whitehouse Kennels. I thought to myself that she looked so sorry for herself that I would give her a forever home. I had to wait one week to see if she was claimed by her owner. She wasn’t so I said I would definitely have her.  I already have Rupert who is a nine year old Bolognese and I took the chance that they would get on even though he is used to being on his own and has been thoroughly spoilt for those past nine years.

I brought Daisy home on 29^th December 2017 after her eye operation with a big cone on her head for the recovery period.  The kennels had named her Tatty after the vet who had treated her when they first found her. Due to her looking so tatty at this stage I did not think the name was very complimentary  and I asked if they would mind if I renamed her Daisy and they said they had no objection. Over the next week her eye healed well but was very swollen and much resembling a ping pong pall. Over the next week her eye wept blood which was very concerning and I rang Chris on more than one occasion in a bit of a panic for advice. However, the vets were very happy with it and it has gone down well and she will hopefully have the collar off tomorrow.

As regards her doggy relationship with Rupert he has accepted her very well apart from the cone. When she first moved in she had a lot of adjusting to do – getting used to us, used to Rupert, to the layout of her new surroundings and also getting used to having only one eye. On top of that she has needed to wear a cone for the past three weeks which no dog likes or would ever wish to wear. So, when Rupert and Daisy walk along together in the house she will turn her head and almost knock him out as they are both at the same level. Rupert had quite a few growls to begin with in response to this and the intrusion in his face. As time has gone by and Daisy has been with us three weeks now he has kind of got used to being butted out the way with the cone – its part of his day now. However, he will be very pleased to know that the cone will be coming off soon – more than likely tomorrow so no more intrusions there.

Daisy in her collar

On the whole this has been the only thing that he has had trouble accepting. Oh, apart from her pinching his food too. I have had to put Daisy on a diet as she is quite a chunk. Amazing really considering she has been neglected but if she was previously with an owner who fed her everything and made her overweight then this could be considered to be neglectful too. Anyway, I measure her food out and put both Rupert’s and Daisy’s food down together and she wolfs hers down at a rate of knots and if I turn my back then she will butt Rupert out of the way and begin munching on his too. Rupert is such a calm and friendly character that all he does is sit and watches rather then fight back for his food. If I don’t keep watch on it then Daisy will be twice the size due to stealing Rupert’s dinner and he will be even smaller due to going on an involuntary diet.

Daisy is turning in to such a character and barks and woofs when Rupert does – one dog sets the other one off and vice versa and they run to attack the letterbox each day when the post lady comes – something Rupert has done since a pup much to the post lady’s dismay. I bought Daisy a new bed – a plastic one with a furry insert which Rupert immediately jumped in when it arrived and would not come out so I have ended up buying him one as well and why not – he deserves a brand new bed for being such a good boy in accepting Daisy so readily. We are only three weeks down the line and I expected far more trouble in the compatibility of them but I can’t complain at all – its going perfectly.

I’m looking forward to this Friday as Daisy will be having her coat clipped off by a lady that Chris knows and has put me in touch with. I’m hoping that it does not have to go too short but I know that the reality is that her poor matted coat is so knotted and tight to the skin that she will more than likely be bare when I get her back but if that is what is necessary to make her comfortable again then so it shall be. Not ideal to have no fur in the winter but I have thought ahead and been out to purchase her a doggy jumper today to compensate for her fur until it grows back. In a years time I think she will have a full and lovely coat and I will be able to grow her fur long over her eye and no one will ever know that she only has one eye. And if they do notice, she still looks cute and adorable anyway.

Judith Pearson