Meet Alfie 🐶
This year has been hard for so many more reason than just illness.
We bought a beautiful black Labrador from an advert in a paper . I always communicated with the seller by text message and I explained that I couldn’t get up to come and see him so we would have to pass , so of course the seller offered to bring him to us . They explained that they had bought the dog but they couldn’t keep him . They told me this poor little man had a tough life so the minute this little thing came into our home we just fell in love. For more reasons than just how beautiful he was , this gentleman and his son who came were not the most obvious choice for dog lovers . This poor little thing was being held at arms length by this boy who obviously had no love for this beautiful black ball of fluff with chocolate button eyes. There was an overwhelming smell of cheap aftershave.
Leaving this dog with this family was not in the interest of him. So we welcomed him into our home . He was amazing . So funny , cheeky and loving . The first time he growled was over food the worst time he growled was when he went for me and bit me . We were living with a very difficult problem . We read every book , paper , article about dog aggression . This wasn’t just a growl this was snarling uncontrollably, snapping , running at you . The stuff of nightmares .
We could not leave him with our daughter as his behaviour was so irrational. We called in a beahaviorist who saw this beautiful dog go from nice to nightmare for herself . This behaviour was something that she had never experienced in the 27 years she had done this , this lady was top of her field . She gives evidence for the police in court . We knew what was coming next .
I felt like my heart had broken , I would double up clutching my chest it really did feel like my heart had broken . We talked long about what happpned and we could only put it down to a condition callled Canine Rage .
The next few weeks were awful , the house didn’t feel right . We spoke about getting another dog a small dog . I would spend hours looking into dogs and behaviour. I was driving my self crazy .
I knew if I had another dog in our home it had to be another Black Labrador . ,everything we loved about our dog was Labrador
So I looked into Kennel club register breeders and after looking from South Wales to the Scottish Borders I found a breeder that I felt comfortable with . They had a litter of 10 black Labradors bred from their bitch and a Drakeshead Labrador . Drakeshead Labrador are working dogs , bred for temperament . This litter had a dog reserved for a child with Autism . I just knew that this breeder was the right fit for us. My husband didn’t feel the same , he was adamant that he would not put me at risk again , I didn’t have the strength to defend myself against a large dog .
He finally agreed to meet the breeder .
We picked up Alfie the first week in September and he stole everyone’s heart straight away. This was different we knew the background most importantly it couldn’t happen again . We couldn’t be that unlucky.
Alfie is the most beautiful loving dog you could ever imagine . He kisses you so much that you can’t catch your breath . Unfortunately I was ill and got very ill very quickly and led to me being admitted to hospital on the 23rd September so this poor boys life was turned upside down but I think the bonds he developed with my Hubby and daughter are unbreakable.
He slept with my Hubby every night in our bed , I had been training him to settle in his bed next to our bed and he was great. My Hubby was so tired after getting home from work or visiting me that he would just cuddle up to him .
He is just so full of love . As I am lay here writing he has just jumped on my bed for a kiss and a cuddle.
So after a difficult start and change in routine we are the proud owners of the funniest , cheekiest, loving dog you can imagine.
He has such big ears that he will no doubt grow into , he has tennis balls that have a squeak inside them . Since he was tiny I would say to him ” Do the squeak for Nanny ” this led to him shaking his head to get the ball to squeak and of course the ears would just swing uncontrollably. The more he done it the more I laugh this makes him do it more . It is just the most innocent pure love that you can have with a dog.
Alfie lives for us . If he doesn’t see you for an hour he gives you the biggest kisses and cuddles you could wish for . He will eventually flop onto his back for belly rubs and hugs.
He just loves to make us happy , if I am having a tough day he is by my side all day . Every so often he will lick my hand or nuzzle closer for a cuddle . It’s like he knows .
When my Hubby gets home from work it is like he hasn’t seen him for days .
His bond with Our Daughter is the strongest , he adores her . Where ever she is he has to be too . He loves playing with her or going for a walk . He is the proudest little pup when he is walking by her side.
Sometimes the universe just knows what to give you to make your life good again, we got that with Alfie .
He is amazing x