We live in a housing scheme,our house backs onto fields , so rural outlook. It's a semi detached house. A word of warning, this may only be 14 years ago but attitudes to dogs had not quite reached us. Dogs wanted to rule the world in the new millennium. Jake was 18 months old and 33kg from gundog stock. He was a tall dog with that beautiful velvet double coat. We had never had a rescue dog before, so for the next few years Jake was our pupil. Poor sod. He traveled in the car wonderfully. He was allowed to take his time and see his surroundings. A bed was set up in one part of the kitchen. Being late we took dogs for a walk and discovered a puller. Back home fed and left for the night. We went to bed, our bedroom is directly above the kitchen, bark, bark and bark . Then it became a steady stream of woofs. I had the children and a hubby as well as the neighbours to worry about. Woof, woof, woof It will be fine he'll go to sleep eventually. I did know that going down to him would have made him worse. He slept in the previous owners bedroom because he barked. Jake barked for two hours and had a breather to continue for most of the night. Needless to say not much sleep was gotten by anyone. I made the decision not to give in. I spoke to my neighbours and asked if they could cope and give me a week. They were wonderful and claimed they never heard him. Three nights later silence. I never slept but Jake did. We sit at a table for dinner which is in the kitchen. Dawn never came near at dinner time. First meal on his arrival , five of us at the table and Jake jumped up and stole from my plate. I couldn't believe it. When the previous owner said he stole , I thought she meant when your back was turned. It was late summer of 2000 when Jake came to live with us ,the back door was opened a lot. We had a fence up but it was just a four foot thing. Well we learned the hard way Jake could take up the high jump, he just about stepped over it. Straight into next doors garden. Yeah as I shout for him to come back, nope over their fence he goes and away. To say I was terrified is an understatement ( I was left feeling like this on numerous occasions because of something he did). All family called in to find him. We live in a village and most people know each other. They found out we had a black lab. The phone calls I would get over the next few years from people who had , seen or found a black lab whether it was Jake or not. In fact I have had two bitches on separate occasions brought to my door thinking it was Jake. People can be really kind at times. He was found nearby and brought home. New fencing had to go up. In the meantime an obstacle course of fencing would have to do. It's a good job the google camera didn't photagraph our back garden, it had a fence made of the orange plastic seating from the community centre. Taking Jake for a walk was a major problem. 33kg of strength pulling the whole time. I did discover around this time he loved and I mean loved a ball. So until something could be done about the pulling, he could still be excerised. I don't remember the first time we found out he ran away when off lead. I don't mean he went too far ! I mean actually looked at me when I called his name and turned about and bolted. Not in a I don't like , I'm scared from you but in a ha! Ha! Come get me! Catch me if you can. So our first week with Jake was all about finding out the hard way exactly what the previous owners problems were. By the end of the week Jake had another new name. JakeNO! To be continued..........
Re: Jakes first week in his new home.. Part two And?.............. So not fair doing this is chapters
Re: Jakes first week in his new home.. Part two [quote author=Cupcase link=topic=9101.msg130406#msg130406 date=1418575522] Three nights later silence. [/quote] Oh, I bet that felt WONDERFUL!
Re: Jakes first week in his new home.. Part two Love a good story. This is great. What a shock to the system Jake must've been....
Re: Jakes first week in his new home.. Part two Oh my goodness, I've seen that stop, look, and run away a time or two myself.....you are keeping us in suspense, no fair!!
Re: Jakes first week in his new home.. Part two Really enjoying this. Can't wait for the next installment....but I suppose I have to.
