Labrador Welfare

13/12/2024

It’s been a teeny bit manic for us this week but there’s a bit of a panic at LWHQ today as, in the run up to The Big Day that everyone’s counting down to now, it’s been so full on and flat out that we haven’t had a minute to do any Secret Santa shopping for the lovely labs who won’t be driving home for Christmas but deserve to have some festive fun to look forward to and we’re hoping you’ll help us and Santa Paws out with some toys and a few treats.

We’re well stocked up on balls of all kinds so the ball boys in our care have been having a blast practicing their fancy footwork with round bouncy things but when it’s time to chill out with a little after dinner entertainment, long-lasting, non-rawhide chews and strong chew toys are their favourite go-to when they want to kick back and practice their best dribbling skills while the rest of us are putting our best paws forward and chewing over the new homes that’ll hopefully be on the horizon very soon.

The lovely lad pictured here absolutely loves his time out – loony zoomies is his favourite game - and we’re hoping to call time on his stay in our care in the not too distant future then he’ll be able to zoom like a loon until the cows come home! We’re not ready to pack his doggy bag yet (it was absolutely empty when he arrived!) as we’ve still got a lot to pack into the next couple of weeks but if you’d like to send a little something to put in our Secret Santa Paws Sack to give him and his pals at kennels something to chew over whilst they’re cosy indoors chilling out, you’ll find scrummy long-lasting chews and strong chew toys top our Amazon ‘Most Wanted’ Christmas Wish List if you’d like to take a look on the link below and help us tire this one (and a few others!) out! 🥰🐾🎄

https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/IIL9NKFL3UVH?ref=cm_sw_em_r_wl_ip_vNWARuZp1jGmM

12/12/2024

It’s but one little lady who wouldn’t ever want to turn back time is this gorgeous girl who’s been having the time of her life since landing at Destination Home where she’s just celebrated turning 6!

One of life’s little sunbeams Willow was only a year old when she came to us around Christmas back in 2019 after the gift of a new arrival meant her owners were struggling to find the time and space to devote to her. Willow asked for so little but still had needs that had to be met so, a home where she’d have the attention and exercise a young pup like her deserved was on our wish list for this little lady and, as we welcomed 2020 in, our wish for her came true!

Very happily settled in a home any dog would love to call their own, Willow has plenty of space to play out in the garden or stretch out on the best seat in the house to watch the dogglebox or catch a few zzzz’s. Her favourite thing ever though is exploring the big wide world and we’re not surprised as the world she left behind had been so very small. Now she’s got the perfect guides to go exploring with in the form of a doting dog-father and a pointer housemate who’s a prince among dogs, the world is her oyster as they have all the time in the world to show Willow what she missed out on in a previous life that’s a lifetime away from the one she lives now.

Willow celebrated her 6th birthday on Monday and while we don’t know whether she got to have her cake and eat it or blow any candles out, we’re not sure, if she had, what she would have wished for as, from where we’re sitting, all our hopes and dreams for her came true – she’s a girl who got the fairy tale ending and walked off into a happy ever after with her own handsome pointer Prince! Does life for a little lady lab get any better than that?????

Happy belated birthday Willow – wherever you decided to put your paws up or down, we know you’ll have had the world at your feet on your special day! 🥰🐾

11/12/2024

Want to put your stamp on the work we do to help the dogs we love????

You can help us give dogs like the lovely lad pictured here a first-class send-off to their new homes by saving stamps from your mail and sending them on to support our ongoing, year-round Stamp Appeal.

Please send any used stamps you save direct to our collector at the address shown in the flier on this post and remember, every stamp you send will raise funds that will help us care for dogs like the beautiful boy pictured here and others just like him who need our help most.

Thank you everyone - we really appreciate your support. 🥰🐾

10/12/2024

***TUESDAY SENIOR MOMENT***

Most of our older dogs have years of experience and could probably teach us all a thing or two about life but this gorgeous girl has spent the last couple of years learning what a good dog’s life is all about with a family who, like us, believe you CAN teach an older dog new tricks!

Zoe was about to turn 12 when she came into our care 2 years ago having already had two homes. Owned first by an old hand with old-fashioned values, it seemed Zoe had lived most of her life having missed out on the fun of puppyhood and, instead of enjoying playtime had played the game of life dictated by outdated, old school rules. Taken in by a family member after her first owner passed away, Zoe began to learn a little of what life could really be like for a girl who’d been used to living it by the book but, a once in a lifetime opportunity for her second owner who asked us to help led to a life-changing experience for Zoe when we welcomed her into our care at the back end of 2022.

After years spent living at the School of Hard Knocks, opportunity quickly knocked for Zoe with an experienced Lifetime Foster family well versed in taking the rough with the smooth and, 2 years to the day since we waved her off to start the next chapter in her life story, Zoe’s learnt to live life without quite so many limits as, from what her family tell us, they’re busily re-writing the rule book so she gets to live a more carefree life without such hard and fast rules! Here’s what they told us:

“It was really clear from the get go that Zoe knew every rule in the Good Girl Book and had been trained to the hilt with all the basics. She’s absolutely perfect with the likes of recall, stay and sit – almost TOO perfect if there is such a thing - and it seemed to us, to coin a phrase, she might well have been ruled with a rod of iron from a very early age and putting a foot wrong wasn’t an option for her in a previous life – it was probably totally ruled out.

Zoe loves to go out for a walk, but despite her training, is often happiest with the security of knowing one of us is on the other end of a long lead. Not having been taught the rules of engagement and how to play as a youngster has left her somewhat anxious outdoors so we’ve learned how to manage her walks which she likes to do at her own pace without others invading her personal space so she can enjoy her walk in peace.

At home Zoe’s discovered the joys of a toy box – we don’t think she was given things to play with in a former life. She didn’t know what to do with a Kong when she first arrived, never mind a ball, but 2 years on she’s the Queen of the Kong and she’s learned a snuffle ball’s nothing to be sniffed at when there’s a treat to be sniffed out too.

Zoe turns 14 in a few weeks’ time but she’s anything but an unruly Teen Queen. She’s such a sweet-natured, loving girl who is totally adored – there’s really nothing not to love about her. We’ve really loved every minute so far of helping her find the inner pup that we don’t think was ever previously allowed to come out – it took no time at all for her to learn how to draw us in with her best puppy dog eyes! 2 years in and the rule of thumb’s gone out of the window and so has the book of old school rules. She’s wise enough to know she’s got us totally wrapped round her pretty paws – the law of the paw rules in our house and we wouldn’t have it or Zoe any other way ❤️.”

There’s a saying that ‘you don’t stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing’ and we really couldn’t be happier that Zoe’s winning at the game of life in a wonderful home with a family that are playing by different rules. Living like a princess and enjoying the puppyhood she never had, it’s fair to say this little lady’s come up trumps as the Queen of Hearts and happily ruling the roost!

Happy Gotcha Day gorgeous girl – we know you’ll be living it up without living by all the rules on your special day. 🥰🐾

09/12/2024

Every picture tells a story and when we get to see pictures like these we don’t need to tell you this little lad’s has the happiest of endings thanks to the new beginning he’s enjoying with a lovely family who’ll be helping him celebrate his 1st Gotcha Day today!

Originally bought as an 8-week old puppy to complete a family, Bash very quickly found himself needing a new home when his first owners realised that, with a new little person to look after, a puppy on top would more than double their work. Rehomed after just one week and taken in by a lab-lover who really couldn’t have loved this little man more, it was only through sheer misfortune that life took a very sad twist for his second owner who really wanted the best life ever for their little lad and asked if we could help.

Just 11 weeks old when he came under our wing at the back end of last year, Bash was very close to the window of socialisation that every little one needs to succeed in life so we didn’t just open our doors to him – we quickly opened a window of opportunity for him to learn all the life lessons he needs to know with a family we knew would welcome him right in!

Since being rehomed just weeks before the Man in the Red Suit appeared last year, Bash has settled very happily with a lovely family who make sure he’s had something to look forward to every single day. Reflecting on life with Bash a year since he landed with them, we’re not surprised to hear in the latest update from his family that his helicopter tail hasn’t stopped wagging and that he’s not ready to stop clowning around … just yet! They told us:

“Doesn't seem 5 minutes since we drove up to North Yorkshire to meet up with a little 11 week old puppy, and life hasn't been the same since! Bash had a whole new world at his feet, with 2 other labs: Bailey and Spud, and Dobbie the Labrador whispering cat!

We've done puppy training, and 2 other levels above that, he's been on holiday in the caravan, discovered water and cow pats! His recall is fantastic and he is gradually calming down having been neutered. He's a substantial lab, weighing in at 47.2 kg. He keeps us smiling being in possession of that Labrador quality we all know and love, being a complete clown!!”

There’s two sides to every story though and after helping to rewrite the future for him, we did have to smile at what else landed in our doggy mail bag as …. Bash has been busy putting his own spin on Labrador life and dropped us a line to tell us how the next chapter in his life story has been panning out since life for him really took off. Here’s Bash’s take on what happened next:

“Helloooo it’s Bash here!

I can't believe it's been a year! I don't actually know what that means but I just think that I've been here all of the time.

At first I was scared of the boot of the car as every time I'd been in one, I'd gone to a new home. But with time and patience I got there and I’m the first to jump in now as it means exciting times and adventures. I love the caravan, although zoomies have to be outside when we are away in it, or mum gets a bit grumpy!

My favourite thing to do is swimming, I love it and can smell water a mile away. I'm quite a big boy and have overtaken Bailey and Spud, but still like to sleep snuggle up with Spud. I'm being a very good boy with Spud as he is losing his eyesight, and doesn't like it when I want to play and catch him unawares. I have to groom Dobbie at least once a day, but she always washes herself again afterwards, maybe I just don't do it thoroughly enough?? I am a bit clumsy at times and had to have a dew claw removed after partially cutting it off on something while out walking, I didn’t like how the sleepy medicine made me feel, I kept walking into things afterwards!

Anyway, I'd better get going as it's time for my long walk and swim to retrieve my Kong Wubbas.

Thank you, Labrador Welfare, for finding me such a good match!”

Life has certainly been a journey for Bash who'd had a bit of a bumpy ride to start but, as the saying goes, it’s not where you go in life but who you travel with and we know he couldn’t be happier with his travelling companions – they’re all in it for the long haul and giving him the ride of his life so we’re really looking forward to reading the next chapter in his life story and seeing how it all unfolds!

Happy Gotcha beautiful boy – we know you’ll be enjoying a good-old fashioned mash up with Spud & Bailey (not forgetting Dobbie too of course!) and a Gotcha Day bash to remember with your family on your special day! 🥰🐾

07/12/2024

The weather outside might be frightful but, with Christmas fast approaching and even more hungry mouths than usual to feed, one of our (and Santa’s) little helpers has dished up a little something to warm us all up with a lot of Christmas cheer!

Volunteer Kayla has set up a Virtual Christmas Tree of Life and we’d love to see it decorated with your lovely dogs which’ll help us to help some of ours who are patiently waiting to find out what surprises might be in store for them under their own trees if they’re lucky enough to be spending Christmas in their new homes.

It’s really easy to help us decorate our Tree of Life and give our dogs a helping hand towards the new lives they deserve. Simply click on the link below to visit the fundraiser page, and then you can choose to:

🎄Dedicate a named bauble for your current canine companion(s) by donating and adding a post with your dog’s name followed by 🔵

🎄Honour the memory of a four-legged friend you’ve loved and lost with a named bauble by donating and adding a post with your dog’s name followed by 💜

🎄Really get in the Christmas spirit with a photo bauble by donating and adding a post with your dog’s name and a photo followed by ❤️

Dogs come in all shapes, sizes, colours AND breeds and every one of yours – past and present - are welcome. We’ve spotted some beautiful baubles already on the tree but there’s always room for more!

Everyone knows that Christmas is a time for giving and by giving us a hand to decorate our Tree of Life, you’ll be helping to give our dogs the gift of the new lives they need. So, if you don’t fancy decking your own halls with boughs of holly – how about adding a little extra sparkle and shine to a Labrador Welfare dog’s life by decking our tree with some of your own beautiful ball boys and girls? 🥰🐾🎄

https://www.facebook.com/donate/1143143587178378/

07/12/2024

We bet you can’t remember where you were around this time five years ago but we couldn’t forget someone who had so much to look forward to as he stepped out to his new home on this day back in 2019 where he’s celebrating his 5th Gotcha Day today!

Ronnie was only 17 months old when the demands of a busy family life coupled with a health issue made worse by Ronnie’s gorgeous chocolate coat left his previous owner struggling to give this lovely lad the time, attention and training every dog like him needs. Despite being a much-loved boy and very much part of the family, Ronnie missed out quite a lot on playdates with canine companions and was left to entertain himself with the little people and their toys at home. We understood that Ronnie’s lack of social interaction outdoors meant his social graces weren’t quite up to the mark and without the benefit of good guidance, could quite easily have seen him go into meltdown and mischief-maker mode.

A boy who clearly had a lot to learn when he landed with us at Labrador Welfare, Ronnie could have been a tough nut to crack, but thanks to a fabulous family who are totally nuts about chocolate, they’ve got themselves a beautiful boy who’s just a big softie inside. From what’s dropped in our doggy mail bag, it sounds like Ronnie’s been a very good boy and been busy doing his homework as, from what we read, it seems he’s got his teeth into training to go from the slightly nutty chocolate he once was to giving his humans a masterclass in how to get a good dog’s life well and truly cracked! Here’s what Ronnie told us:

“Wow I can't believe I've lived here for 5 years, it's the best!

I think I may have got mum and dad just about trained now. They mostly walk nicely on the lead although they fail to understand when I sometimes do a bark when going past another dog that it's to protect them. I'll keep up with the training and maybe they will get it one day!

Also, mum does get lost sometimes and doesn't always respond to the whistle.... why she can't just follow me in to the brambles is beyond me! I like to take mum and dad to the caravan and they are surprisingly well behaved there.

Thank you for finding me the perfect home to use all my human training skills xx

PS Mum says my interpretation of things may differ slightly to hers, but I'm not letting her join in ... it is my gotcha day after all xx”

Used to playing with Barbies with his little pre-school buddies in a former life that didn’t do his street cred much good, Ronnie’s learned such a lot about the game of life thanks to a lovely family who’ve helped him learn all he needs to know about how to play by the rules over these last 5 years. If life were a board game and Ronnie’s chance of winning depended on a roll of a dice, we’d have to say we threw a lucky number for this lovely lad whose number came up when he landed a winner with a family that adore a boy who’s a proper top dog and top of the class in the after-school club at home!

Happy Gotcha Ronnie – we hope you’ll be putting your paws up and enjoying a cheeky little chocolate time out on the sofa and perhaps letting your humans have a day off their homework on your special day! 🥰🐾

06/12/2024

We often talk about life after Labrador Welfare in our posts but, in reality, there isn’t really an afterlife as we think of all of our dogs as ‘family’ and stay in touch with as many as we can as often as we can. Sometimes though, life at Labrador Welfare gets a little busy and we can’t always pick up the dog and bone as often as we’d like to hear how much our dogs are loving their lives. That’s why we absolutely love it when we get the chance to press the paws button and catch up on the contents of our doggy mail bag – especially when we find out what a difference the right new home makes for dogs like this beautiful boy who’s discovered the sunnier side of life.

Alfie was something of a mystery when he came into our care thanks to the kindness of likeminded people who alerted us to his homeless plight. Found alone and roaming the open road, it’s hard to think anyone would let this lovely lad out of their sight but when all attempts to trace an owner through a microchip that hadn’t been kept up to date failed, we set our sights on helping a boy who had nothing but the coat on his back so we could set him on the road to a lovely new home.

Fast forward two years since his back was to the wall and it looks like 6-year old Alfie’s got his paws well and truly planted in the place he was meant to be - you’ve only got to look at him here to know he wouldn’t ever want to turn back time but, reading their most recent update, we’d hazard a guess his family would want time to stand still so they can savour every moment with a boy who was loved from the second they first met. Here’s what we read:

“Alfie is still as handsome as ever and is absolutely adored by us all. He’s such a loving boy, and is at his happiest when he’s curled up next to one of his favourite humans. Not one to be left on his own for long, he follows us around the house, including to the loo (unless he’s having a lie in and is fully stretched out on our bed).

He can still get a little too giddy around other dogs, but he has a couple of friends that he enjoys meeting on his walks and thankfully, they aren’t fazed by his excitable nature. He’s also become quite a well-behaved pub dog, especially on our recent trip to Northumberland - but I think the prospect of enjoying a delicious, doggy Sunday lunch helped to focus his mind.

We still can’t wrap our heads around how he ended up becoming a half-starved stray, but we hit the jackpot on 01 December 2022 when he became a much-loved member of our family. We’re overjoyed to have this walking ball of fur in our lives and thankful to everyone at Labrador Welfare for matching up these beautiful dogs and their new families so well.”

Imagining what his life might have been like had he been left hanging about on street corners and not found his way into our care really doesn’t bear thinking about – but who’d have thought a couple of years down the line he’d be hanging on kitchen and office walls all over the place as one of our pin ups on next year’s calendar with a fabulous shot sent in by his family who are totally hung up on their drop-dead gorgeous boy???

We gave it our best shot for Alfie who celebrated his 2nd Gotcha Day just a few days ago but it was Cupid’s arrow that hit the spot for a lad who really needed a loving home of his own. Alfie’s definitely landed on all four paws in more ways than one – from where we’re sitting, it looks like he’s in it for a really long stretch thanks to his lovely family who are in it all for the love of a dog who clearly loves to stretch his legs on walks as far as the eye can see and then get his shut eye in and stretch out on their bed!

Happy belated Gotcha Day Alfie – we’re sure you’ll have enjoyed unmaking the bed at home and lying in it on your special day! 🥰🐾

05/12/2024

Home is where the heart is and rehoming is at the heart of everything we do and as today is , we’re kicking things off with a massive shout out to every single one of our volunteers who ALL help to make a house a labrador’s home.

We’ve always known the truth of the saying ‘there’s a home for every dog and a dog for every home’ but right now, finding just the right home for dogs who need them is presenting a real challenge to rescue and rehoming organisations across the country with the number of homes available at an unbelievable all time low across the board while the number of dogs finding themselves homeless is increasing at almost lightning speed.

The gorgeous girl pictured here is one of the really lucky ones whose stars all aligned after our Rehoming Team lined her up with a wonderful home where she’s been very happily settled since we waved her off a little over a year ago. Life’s way more than a walk in the park for Anya now after straying off the beaten path in a previous life and, next to the family who share their love and their home with her, it’s the front-line Home Visitors, Fundraisers, Transporters and a few more folk behind the scenes that are responsible for the beautiful happy furry face you see here.

ALL of our volunteers work so hard to help us make a difference and change the lives of dogs like this beautiful girl and, during what are really challenging times for rehoming organisations across the board right now, we feel extremely lucky to have them – they really make all the difference to us. We don’t have any medals to dish out but if we did, we’d award gold to every one of our volunteers – they’re the team that makes the doggy dream work for girls like Anya and we really couldn’t be prouder to learn they’ve received individual and team nominations in the national PetPlan & ADCH Charity Awards!

We’d like to say a very BIG thank you to everyone that’s nominated the whole team at Labrador Welfare for the Animal Charity of the Year award and everyone who nominated team individuals in the Volunteer of the Year category too. With their loyalty, dedication and commitment to our dogs, we’re absolutely convinced ALL our volunteers were Labradors in a previous life. Every one’s a winner in our eyes so from all of us at LWHQ to every single volunteer that gives their time freely to help, we (and Anya) just want to say we’re sending a MASSIVE and heartfelt THANK YOU for everything you do - you ALL get our vote! 🥰🐾

https://awards.petplan.co.uk

04/12/2024

Looks like Penny and Mabel have heard that Santa Paws is coming to town .... we're sure they'll be top of his Good Girl List! 🥰🐾🎄

My gorgeous girls Mabel & Penny ❤️🎄

04/12/2024

Our thoughts just now are with Alan’s family who have shared with us the news that they have helped him on his final journey over the Rainbow Bridge to peace.

A young boy of 3 and formerly of no fixed abode, Alan came into our care as an unclaimed stray in 2015 and when no-one came forward to take him home, he claimed the hearts of a wonderful family who have shared their home, their life and their love with him for more than 9 very happy years. Recalling their lives together with Alan, his family told us something of their journey through life with a dog whose start may well have been rocky but who found love and complete happiness in life with them. They told us:

“With us both being home all the time, Alan was rarely apart from us. Once a year when we went on holiday he’d either go a lovely couple in Nottinghamshire who took him into their home, or to family in Northants. We rarely left him alone for more than an hour.

We tried to take him everywhere with us and we came to know every dog-friendly café and attraction in Derbyshire! He enjoyed walks in the Peak District and was a regular visitor to the Chatsworth estate. He has been as far down south as Dorset to visit my mum in her care home, where he was made much of by all the staff. Everywhere he went locally he was known and loved and usually given treats!

His hobbies including opening mail and parcels – everything went to the lab for testing! - receiving and welcoming visitors, helping unpack the weekly grocery delivery, and carrying things around the house. His favourite seasonal snack was a few slices of Cox apple, and the highlights of his day were walks, play and his evening dental chew.

We don’t think he had been a country boy before we got him, as he was unfazed by heavy traffic but he was very perturbed by haystacks and had no idea how to go through stiles, but he soon adapted. He was a little too over-excitable to start with so we worked with a dog trainer initially and then he graduated to gun dog training, which he wasn’t great at but he made everybody laugh.”

Having shared their home and their hearts with their beautiful boy for so many years, you only have to read their thoughts to know just how much Alan’s family will miss a gorgeous little lad who grew up to be such a happy and huge part of their life. All of us at Labrador Welfare feel and understand the depth of their loss and hope they will take comfort in remembering the countless times they spent making precious happy memories together that will last forever – they can never be taken away. Alan crossed the bridge in peace and set off on his final journey knowing nothing but the deep love of a family to whom we are so grateful for the care and devotion they lavished so freely on a boy who arrived years ago with nothing but had a lifetime of love in abundance to give.

Run free Alan 🥰🐾🌈

03/12/2024

Regular followers will know that we like to give all our dogs the VIP treatment from the moment they arrive in our care to the moment they head off to their new homes. Some dogs need a little more TLC than others and sometimes we need a little help to be able give that which is why, on , we’re giving one or two folk a little shout out who’ve given us a big helping hand so we can help dogs like this gorgeous girl get ready to go home to the comforts and love they deserve.

This little lady deserved better than the life it seems she’d endured before she found our way to us from a home who, from what we came to understand, simply didn’t want her and sent her packing with absolutely nothing but the coat on her back. Understandably scared, very timid and incredibly shy when she first arrived, it’s taken some while to help her feel safe and accept the comforting touch of a kind and gentle hand. A girl like her needs time and understanding and she’s had that in abundance in our care but, thanks to the kindness of people who understand the comfort that all dogs need, our lovely girl is also enjoying a taste of the cosy comforts she can look forward to when she heads off to Destination Home very soon.

We don’t leave anything to chance when it comes to our dogs and ensuring they have all they need but it’s thanks to supporter Rachael taking the chance to nominate us in a recent Simply2 Pet Products charity draw that the wheel of fortune spun in our favour and ….. we were selected as one of the lucky winners of a box of snuggly Profleece for our lovely labradors!

With the season of giving almost upon us at a time when the world sometimes seems to be taking more than it gives, we do want to give a MASSIVE shout out to Rachael for thinking of putting our labradors in the draw and everyone at LWHQ would like to say a very big THANK YOU to Simply2 Pet Products for picking little old us as one of the lucky winners and for their wonderful donation of Profleece too!

This little lady is sitting pretty and totally spoilt for choice but she’s given everything a big paws up and rest assured she’ll be enjoying some extra cosy snuggles with her bedtime cuddles until she heads off home thanks to such a kind and unexpected early Christmas surprise!

If you’ve read this far and want to find out more about how you can help this , please do take a look at the information on our website on the link below where you’ll find lots of ways to surprise dogs in our care who won’t be home in time for Christmas like this lucky little one will. She doesn't know it yet but she's about to find out what it's like to live life in a home where all her Christmases are going to come at once! 🥰🐾🎄

https://www.labradorwelfare.org/LabradorWelfare/LW%20Site%20Pages/General/getinvolved.html