On 18th May this year we picked up Violet (front) and Maggie (back) from a foster home that was looking after them for Many Tears Rescue. They had been in an Irish puppy farm for 2 and 3 years respectively and we thought they would be company for Bailey (big one in the middle).

The intention was to just take Maggie, but they were obviously inseparable and so we ended up taking both, and boy has it been hard. Days sat at the end of the garden shaking, too scared to even look at us. Not understanding how to eat food from a bowl because they were used to eating it after it had been thrown on the floor and an inability to sleep properly because they could not relax.

I don’t know what had happened to them, I don’t want to think about it, but I know they were both continually pregnant so that the puppy farm scumbags could make more money and I knew this would be hard.

We have had many accidents resulting in having to replace our lounge carpet with wood flooring, a few chewed artefacts (Apple TV remote Maggie!) and difficulty training them because they cannot be praised as you would a dog who had always been treated with the respect they deserve. Walks have been out of the question because putting a collar and lead on was impossible and the outside world was too new, loud and odd to them. Presuming they just stayed in the same place 24 hours a day with nothing to do apart from being pregnant.

And then over the past month everything came together thanks to lots and lots of patience. Long story short they are now getting very excited before each walk, they cuddle us all of the time, no more accidents and they finally feel as though they are comfortable where they are. It is so pleasing to see them safe, warm and getting to a point where they will eventually understand what happiness is. Maggie has chosen Joanne as her human, Violet has chosen me which is tricky because Bailey chose me as well so I have to share the strokes and cuddles to stop jealousy, but it is all such a joy.

It’s been a terrible year personally thanks to ME/CFS and not much has gone right, but these two beautiful blondes have made our house feel more full and fun than ever before. Bailey genuinely enjoys playing with them, but sometimes they are a little too much for him. They, however, know when they have pushed him too far because he reverts to his favourite seating pose and for whatever reason they leave him alone when he sits like a human.

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