Digby is completely settled in now and it is amazing that over the last few weeks he seems to have realised that this is his forever home and he is not going to moved on again. As a consequence, this really quite cheeky character is coming out, not a naughty one, just a really cheeky and quite chatty side to him that was not there before. He seems totally relaxed in being himself now and we are absolutely delighted with him.

Mark and I took him and Cleo down to Beer beach a few weeks ago for the afternoon. We were a little concerned as to how Digby would cope with the big pebbles on the beach, but we need not have worried, as he was his usual I dont know I have 3 legs self and just steamrollered across them to the sea, where he went swimming (on the extending lead, just in case). Cleo has never been swimming all the time we have had her, but because Digby went in so she followed him straight in and they were swimming together, which was lovely.

It was the first time we had ever had him in a really crowded place and peoples reactions to him were quite amazing. Most of the time it was ahh, accompanied by a sympathetic look, but sometimes there was a look of complete shock or horror, which Mark and I found annoying more than anything. We thought the children were the funniest, as they almost all did a double take and then rushed up to Mummy or Daddy to say Mummy/Daddy that doggie only has 3 legs, to which the parents would turn around and have a good look too. Everybody loves him though, helped by his massively handsome good looks and all we meet want to fuss him. Poor Cleo gets quite left out sometimes, so she just barges her way in as if to say dont forget about me.

CATCHING UP
 
    Things with Digby are going brilliantly.  He is the dearest of dogs and has really come into his own now, with quite a cheeky little character and he charms everyone he meets.
 
He had a huge moult back at the end of May/beginning of June and all his handsome locks disappeared, but thankfully it is all grew back and I think is magnificent once more.  Anyway, that was only his looks ...... his character was still as beautiful as ever.
 
Digby and Cleo are the best of friends.  They just play and play and play!  She really seems totally smitten by him and he by her and its like they have always been together.
 
Digby and Roger (the cat) are also best buddies now and Roger often lays in the lounge with them during the mornings before I come home at lunchtime.  He will sleep in an armchair and Digby is usually on the sofa!
 
My brother was down with Cousin Barley, who is now a huge hulk of a young male retriever and the 3 of them just played wonderfully together.  They had a tendency to move all the lounge furniture during their bundles, obviously to make more of a play area for themselves!  Garry has actually decided to have Barley neutered, as he is getting far too interested in bitches and Cleo is unfortunately no exception. 
 
Digby completely knows the routine here now and loves running around the field, chasing rabbits, pheasants or whatever!  It is great that they are totally secure and can enjoy a good run around safely.  He has got the stream down to an art and goes in the water at any and every opportunity.  His recall is terrible and he seems to have caught Cleo’s cloth ear syndrome, despite me working on this.  We walk them on extending leads, as Cleo would run off after the first small furry thing and Digby would follow.  Also, we’ve round recently that Digby has started having a bit of a go at white vans???  Don’t know if some memory is coming back.  Anyway, we just feel they are safer on the leads when out and about and they have all the freedom they need down in the field, so it’s the best solution we feel.
 
We took them down to Beer about a month or so ago and wondered how Digby would cope on the big pebbly beach, but typical Digby just strode straight over them down to the sea and looked at us as if to say ‘come on, what are you waiting for?’  He loved all the attention (of which he gets masses), although a few just give him a pitied look.
 
We had to take Digby to the vet recently, as he had been bitten by a tick, it had fallen off and left its jaws in him.  Then he went off his food after a few days (not like him) and was really miserable and he had contracted a blood infection from it.  We were given a 5 day course of antibiotics for him (a bit against the grain, but we felt it necessary) and he was right as rain after a few days.  We saw the Senior vet and he was absolutely fascinated with his scar and the operation he had had.  He said that they have only ever removed the entire scapula a couple of times and he said he must have really been badly damaged for the vet to have done that.  It would have been a major op and cost an awful lot of money.  He was really impressed with his balance (and Digby demonstrated this by putting his front feet up on a chair in the surgery) and was almost in awe of him.  It was really nice to get this feedback and a bit of history of what he must have gone through.  He said his balance was superb, especially the way he adopted a tripod stance whilst sitting and concluded that he probably didn’t fall over much (which he doesn’t).   He said in the long run he was better off having a front limb amputation, as they get less arthritis in the front than the back and he was young enough to cope without it.
 
The only thing we find is he does tend to roll around a bit in the car, mainly because a 4 legged dog can of course steady themselves in the front, which he can’t.  We have decided we’re going to get a van (hopefully a VW Transporter – didn’t you have one of these?) and get some proper kennels made for the back.  We think he and Cleo would travel much better this way, so this is something we hope to sort out in the future.

UPDATE ON DIGBY (SEPT 08)
 
The photos and video are from the people who owned the four Golden Retrievers that we met at Dalswinton.

  The photos are of Digby and Travis (the one he looked like) and then Digby after falling in the pond.

(MPG, 4.6MB)
 
  The video is after Digby falling in the pond and the mad dog running around like a loony with a blue collar is Cleo! 

DIGBY AND FRIENDS DECEMBER 08

Cleo and Digby	Cleo and Digby	Santa Paws
The Jacob Sheep – Mummy Mertyle and Baby Molly	Digby and Roger	Digby, Roger and Bramble

At this time of year, with the woodburner on in the evenings, all four are curled up around it!

�© 2008 Irish Retriever Rescue UK