My Double D Weekend - Donkeys and Dogs

My Double D Weekend – Donkeys and Dogs

It was a busy weekend for donkeys and dogs, firstly the donkeys.

Our local garden centre, Endsleigh at Ivybridge had a pet weekend on the 18th and 19th May 2013. All things pet related were on offer, inlcuding free photo sessions with your pet. The DAT Donkey Centre at Ivybridge where I am a volunteer, were invited to have a donkey stand to promote the charity, and I offered to help out on the day. We took our two newest and youngest donkeys, 3 and 4 year old Paddy and Chocolate which was their first trip out together from the centre, so it was a very new experience for them. We set up our stand outside next to the hens and ducks enclosures, and Paddy and Chocolate started munching on their hay and straw and appeared quite happy in their new environment.

Lots of people came and made a fuss of them, and they had very close encounters with some brave little dogs, who were not at all phased with what must have appeared to be gentle giants to them. One sweet little dog, was there from Gables Cats and Dogs Home who seemed to instantly fall in love with Paddy, as he was intent on giving him kisses. On talking to the member who was taking him for walks, it transpired that his owner had died and had been at the home for a short while, but an elderly lady was coming for a second visit and was very keen on taking him home with her. He was absolutely adorable, and he was utterly irresistible.

Another lady who was in a wheelchair had a little Jack Russell on her lap who had 4 little shoes on, and she told us that he had a grass allergy, so had to have these little shoes on every time he went out – cute. She did tell us, that they had to be put on in a particular sequence, and he protested if she did it wrong.

During the day, Cathy (the member of Staff) and I walked Paddy and Chocolate around the garden centre and they were very interested in the planters and statures. The members of the public, as always were generous in their donations, so the relatively long day was worth it, and the donkeys seemed to enjoy it.

Please see the gallery below, which includes the dogs and donkeys meeting.

Paddy's Perfect Patio — Paddy’s Perfect Patio

Our next fundraising event is on 1st June 2013, which is the annual Summer Fair where there is lots of stands, fun and games, displays and also includes a family dog show starting at 2.00 p.m.

AND NOW THE DOG

I am a border volunteer for the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, and when a puppy’s full time socialiser goes on holiday or for a short period of time instead of going in to a kennel they come and stay with someone like myself. Our latest border was little Greta, a 9 month old black labrador who came to stay for just a couple of days. She arrived late on Saturday 18th May (so got back from the donkeys and then Greta arrived), and went again Monday afternoon the 20th May.

She was extremely well behaved and settled in very quickly. We took her for a couple of long walks, up on Henlake Down, which is a little piece of Dartmoor just behind our house in Ivybridge and through Long Timber Woods in Ivybridge, which is a very pretty wooded walk where the River Erme ambles its way through the wood, and where Greta went swimming. She absolutely loved it, and had no fear of the water at all, and was a very strong and fast swimmer. As most dogs seem to do, she loved chasing a tennis ball, but it seemed that no amount of exercise would tire her out, so Steve (my husband) & I were exhausted after the couple of days ,but she was a super dog, very responsive to commands, and I am sure will be super hearing dog for someone.

Below are some photographs that we took of Greta in the short time she was with us.