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Cocker Spaniel

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Home:Nottingham, United Kingdom

Age: 17 Years Sex: Male Weight: 26-50 lbs

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Dogster stats for Bailey


Stars:

Leave a bone for Bailey

Nicknames:
sac des puces, Knob head. Big ears.

Quick Bio:

-pound dog

Likes:
Chewing, barking, eating, walking, dumpster raids and following me around

Favorite Toy:
knotted rope, sticks, socks, tea towels, and oven gloves

Favorite Food:
Pedigree chum all in one and anything he can steal from the fridge or waste bin.

Favorite Walk:
anywhere muddy

Best Tricks:
Kisses, Shake paws

Arrival Story:
On Monday the 25th of August 2003 I took a trip with my partner to the RSPCA animal shelter at Radcliffe on Trent Nottingham to view a Westie for my partners daughter and fiancé. While there I had a look around the kennels. This is the weird bit...we did not go to the animal shelter for a dog for my partner or myself but this one dog seemed to have something about him. When I first saw him he was sitting leaning on the kennel bars, I stroked him and he pushed harder into the bars, when I stopped he started to bark, not the kind of bark that I had expected but more of a woeful worn out bark like he had a sore throat. After a while we moved along to have a look at the other dogs but I was conscious of being stared at! I looked back at him and there he was just staring at me. There were plenty of other people there but I was the focus of his attention, I went back and gave him more strokes and rubs and he just lapped it up and I was smitten. I started to think of reasons we should give him a home also reasons why we should not but I am a softie. This is a nine year old dog who is set in his ways....will he adapt to a new home would he get on with the other dogs? I went back to join the others but my mind was on the dog. I kept looking back and there he was just looking at me even when some other people started to stroke him. We all started to walk back to the main reception area but on the way we took a detour through the back of the kennels were the dogs bed down and then I saw the name of this dog "Bailey" and that was it, I knew that he and I were meant to be. I still had to chat this over with Dawn my partner as we already have 2 Yorkies and Lab and possibly a Westie so it would not be easy to convince Dawn that we could cope even though the westie would be looked after by Dawns daughter and fiancé. We left the Animal shelter but not until I had a last look at Bailey who just loved the attention that I gave him. On the way home I kept thinking about Bailey and how we seemed to have clicked together. Later at home we had a visit from the RSPCA so that they could have a look at the house and garden to see if we were suitable for the Westie, we passed. The next morning the RSPCA rang to arrange for the collection of the Westie, I had to ask about Bailey. I found out that he had been with one family for 9 years and that now the family had children it was hard for Bailey to adapt and he started to snap at them. It must be the hardest decision that any owner can make, to have to give your pet of nine years to the RSPCA, I was told that the owners cried, I can see why as Bailey is a lovely dog who was well looked after and obviously loved. He is fully house trained and well behaved. ( apart from the bin raids) I arranged to see Bailey that day, Dawn and I took the other dogs with us to see if they would get on with Bailey. All went well, Bailey took to us all and we brought him Home. It took 2 days to get him into the swing of his new home, he has adapted well. Bailey is a lovely dog very obedient and loyal, we have to put the kitchen waste bin out of his reach at night as he does like to rumage through it other than that he is no trouble at all. Being 10 does not mean that Bailey is slow, in fact he thinks he is still a pup and chews things that he should not, So far he has destroyed 3 leads, countless pairs of socks, tea towels and oven gloves. If food can be found Bailey will find it. His first Chrismas with us he opened all the presents under the tree 2 day before, he ate one box of quality street which were devowered still wrapped (evident 2 days later when he had a poop!) also one bag of chocolate coins foil as well also evident 2 days later. Bailey has a cast iron gut and can eat most things that any animal would find unpaletable. All in all Bailey is an entertainer and there is never a day that goes by when he does not make us laugh. you should see him with a mini swing bin lid stuck around his neck after a bin raid.

I've Been On Dogster Since:

January 5th 2005