Barrack needs a home

Barrack needs a home he is micro-chipped, has a passport and has had all his injections. He is approx 18 months old and a really good liitle doggy.

Email Karen ranchograndetenerife@gmail.com if you are interested in adopting Barrack.

Gizmo's Story

Read my story by clicking here. I was an abandoned dog found on the mean streets of Granadilla and taken To the refuge Accion-del-Sol.
My story will be translated into Spanish and German and used as a educational tool for children when visiting  Accion-Del-Sol .:)

Gizmo in the Canarian Weekly

After only being with us for a few days, and despite our best intentions to keep him out of the news, Gizmo is in this week's Canarian Weekly ... Click on this link and then go to page 9, and you should see his pic and the headline: "Gizmo grabs a new home" ...

He's there as a good news story of a pooch from the Action Sol refuge finding a home, and if it helps to encourage more people to think about giving a rescue dog a home, then we say "Wooftastic !"

Gizmo

We have now adopted a Rescue dog from Accion-Del-Sol. To read about Gizmo click here

Blog posts

I will not be making any more blog posts for a while as I will be concentrating on my Artwork, click here

Thank you for following the late Snr Basil's Blog.

Basil - A Small Dog with a Big Heart

Written by Richard Attree

Our little dog Basil just passed away. He had a massive epileptic fit / brain seizure yesterday, and it left him unable to function. We took him to the vet, and it was clear that he would never recover or have any quality of life at all, so we all agreed to put him to sleep. It was one of the most difficult things that Nikki and I have ever had to do, but it was the right decision.

The vet was great. He wasn't overly sentimental, just very kind. He looked us straight in the eye and said: "if Basil was my own dog I would put him out of his pain now".

I have so much respect for my wife Nikki and the way she coped with this. She sat there with him on her lap after he had the injection to sedate him, gently stroking his head and saying adios to him, as he gradually and peacefully went to sleep. She is an immensely strong person, and I have so much admiration and love for her.

He lived to thirteen and a half years old and had a wonderful life. Nikki has documented his life story here: The Good the Bad and the Smelly - A Dog's Life

and you can read the story of how he arrived here in Tenerife in "I Woof Therefore I am ...".

Although he was 91 years old in human terms, he was a very strong little dog and we fully expected him to be around for quite a while longer. At least we were spared the painful experience of watching him deteriorate as the dementia took hold.

I fully believe that similarly, no human should have to suffer the agony of having their brain stop functioning leaving them with no life or soul.

So, anyway, he's at peace now.

We will take our time before we look for another dog. Basil was an irreplaceable part of our little family, but we are "doggy people" and we will be adopting another pooch some time soon. Our life will be a bit emptier till then.

Snr El Baz on our local beach - La Pelada

and with his Spanish teacher

The Good the Bad and the Smelly - A Dog's Life

The post about older dogs got me thinking, I am a old pooch now. Thirteen and a half years (91 one in human years), my eye sight is not so good anymore and I don't like running for the ball or stick quite as much as I used too, and I pee in my dog bed when I am asleep apparently. Anyhow,  it got me reminiscing about my life, when I was a younger pooch . I thought I would share with you a few of the good, bad and smelly times in my life.

My first day at Puppy socialisation classes  that was fun, NOT !. We arrived at the class and I was the smallest pup, scary or what !. I had to do this game were the puppy instructor held on to me and let go when Nikki called my name, to see if I would respond by  running towards her . How stupid was that ! . What did the instructor think I would do, stand there and have a scratch and look around the room aimlessly. duh !. I was in a room full of giants, of course I would run too Nikki.  

Anyhow, eventually I become more confident and was able to socialise,  ie, sniff back side with the rest of the pups. (I suppose that was what they meant by puppy socialisation)

I have got a bit of a scowl on my face I know, but cute nonetheless..

Going on my first windsurfing trip in a camper van that was great.  I got too stay in the cosy van , while Nikki and Richard went windsurfing in the pouring rain  ( I really don't understand humans sometimes and their obsession with water). When the rain stopped Nikki and Richard took me for a long walk on the beach, then I shared some fish and chips  and  slept on their bed. Waking them up every hour or so, as I kept hearing noises  , it was probably just the wind but just incase I had to protect the van by letting out a woof at regular intervals throughout the night. Nikki and Richard looked a bit 'Ruff' in the morning I don't know why..?

 

Me and Nikki sitting in front of the camper van.

 

When I was just 4 months old I tripped over a step and apparently was quite vocal about my pain, so Nikki picked me up and rushed me to the vet, passing two speed cameras on the way . When we arrived to the vet, I was feeling much better and the vet gave me the all clear. Nikki was relieved that nothing was wrong with me, but not so happy when she got two brown envelopes asking her for money, because apparently she was driving a liitle too fast to the vet and had to pay for two speeding fines ! .  Oh well never mind I was worth it :)

Moving on to one of my best smelly times that was when we were living in the countryside in Berkshire. I used to drive Nikki and Richard crazy by rolling  in some very interesting stuff left behind by sheep, cows etc. What bliss :).
 

Tenerife also offers good smelly opportunities. When there is a high tide very stinky dead fish often get left behind.. The only problem with my smelly times, it only last a short time, as often that not, Nikki insists I have a bath to wash off the wonderful smell I have just acquired !

Me after having a bath, I smelt really bad apparently. That 's just a matter of opinion though !
 

Moving to Tenerife was exciting, a whole post was dedicated to my move if you click here you can read all about it .

Being the Ambassador for Tenerife dogs has been great and a very important part of my life. I have met some wonderful people online and in real life who work really hard to help  the poor doggies in Tenerife who are not as fortunate as me. I have acquired celebrity status by being a spokesmutt , but I think I have stayed grounded ( very close to the ground :)

                               Photo of me at the computer

I was very ill six months ago, I eat something nasty when out for my walkies and that was a very frightening experience. I thought I was a goner !. I had dehydrated badly and my kidneys were poorly. With the help of my vet I pulled through. I have got to mention here my mate Pete, who runs Poochie Pet Hotel and Rescue.  Pete probably saved my life, as when Nikki phoned him up to explain I was ill, Pete told her to go back to the vet immediately and not to leave it any longer even though I just visited the vet that morning.

 

I had just come out of intensive care in this photo

All round I have had mostly good experiences in my life and very few really bad experiences. So I have been a very lucky doggie. I have been loved, spoilt, fed well, and no question if I need veterinary care the credit card comes out immediately . I have been on lots of holidays and have had fabulous walkies. In the countryside and on beaches chasing sticks and balls. Which have been  kindly thrown by expert ball and stick thrower Richard.  Nikki, I have got to say is not much good at throwing, she has a bit of a girlie way of throwing balls and sticks.

I will end with the very best moment in my life which was  when Nikki and Richard decided to adopt me, I was of course the cutest and most intelligent pup of the litter so it was not surprising that they adopted me, they have such good taste.

How cute was I !

My cat chasing days are not quite over yet though, hopefully I  have a year or two left or even more who knows.  I just have to take it a bit slower now.  As the saying goes...

 "There is life in the old dog yet'

Hasta luego mis amigos and woof woof
Snr Basil

 
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