Ball, Ball, Ball !!
Despite pressure from my son, it was never our intention to get another dog. Our previous dog Sam had been with us for nearly 17 years and it was too painful to bear when he left us. However, time is a great healer and we decided, much to our son’s joy, to look for another dog and decided to ‘rescue’. We saw Archie on the site and he seemed ideal.

After passing the usual checks to our home and speaking with Julie we went to meet him at a kennel in Cornwall where he had been for several months. It was clear from the outset that Archie had a deep affection for his ball and we spent the next half an hour (in the pouring rain) throwing his ball and getting to know him. Archie’s mantra is ‘ball, ball, ball’. Due to the long journey between Essex and Cornwall it was impossible for us to go home and think about our decision (not that there was ever any doubt) or indeed for Julie and Valerie (the kennel owner) to think about us as potential owners and thankfully they trusted us sufficiently to take Archie home with us that day. Not that he needed much persuasion – as soon as the boot was open he jumped in happily. At home we spent several hours that afternoon playing ball with him and when he wasn’t running for the ball he was chewing it.

The first night was a ……. challenge. He settled into his basket easily but during the night my husband opened his eyes to find himself nose to nose with Archie. It was like having a baby again and took us several trips to take Archie downstairs and to make him understand that our bed wasn’t his! Archie is a very intelligent dog and the night wanderings have never recurred. He is now very much part of our family and is a bright, happy dog as long as his ball is never far away and is never happier than when laying with my son on the sofa. My daughter loves Archie to bits too and it is sometimes disconcerting to hear her say that she is coming to the house ‘but not to see you, to see Archie’
This month we believe Archie thinks he is in heaven …… he thinks we have grown a ball tree in the garden and jumps up to collect apples off the tree for us to throw, really not caring that they are. We consider ourselves incredibly lucky to have found such a remarkable dog who we all love and loves us in return. All the people involved at ESSW and the kennel were fabulous, answering our endless questions and even giving me a new pair of leggings and socks when I was wet through (thank you Valerie) and their interest remains in asking for regular updates on Archie’s wellbeing.

If Archie could talk I am sure he would reaffirm how he loves his new home or perhaps he would just say ‘ball, ball, ball’!
Trisha Brooks