Labrador Welfare

24/06/2025

What an awesome end to the day courtesy of Team M&M who've walked another 25,447 steps today and bagged another £100 in the process to take their running total raised so far to a whopping £1260! 🥰🐾

23/06/2025

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 birthday today!

Bought as an 8-week old puppy to complete a family who were missing their much-loved older lab, Jackson’s future with them seemed assured but life decided to throw an unexpected curved ball their way and a sad turn of events saw his owner’s circumstances change. Meeting themselves coming backwards trying to juggle what fate had decreed would be their lot, the family asked for our help as they knew that at only 11 weeks old their little boy deserved more time than they could give to help him learn all he needed to know about life.

A pup so young and so close to the window of socialisation that every little one needs to succeed in life, we didn’t just open our doors to him – we opened a window of opportunity for him to learn all the life lessons he’ll ever need to know with a family we knew would welcome him right in! A tiny tot when he arrived with us late one afternoon in the autumn last year, Jackson was nothing short of very wet behind the ears but he was home and dry and putting his little paws up before lunchtime the next day!

A little over 9 months since he landed at Destination Home, those little legs have got a lot longer and Jackson’s giving his little big brother Jasper a run for his money – it goes without saying that the tuggy ropes have come in for a very long stretch as well! It didn’t surprise us to see in his family’s latest update how far Jackson’s come in the short time he’s been home – still wet behind the ears when it comes to mastering the art the art of the doggy paddle but on dry land he’s certainly come in leaps and bounds! Here’s what landed in our doggy mail bag:

“Well what can we say Jackson (Jackie long legs) leapt into our lives with boundless energy and mischief. He soon settled in and became the firmest of friends with his big brother Jasper.

Jackson loves zoomies with his pals especially when he can pinch the stick and get away with it 💙 He is getting better at swimming and we’re sure it won’t take him long to get his 50-metre badge.

His favourite treat is a cocktail sausage or 2 which gets a brilliant recall every time and after a hard day playing chase with his pals he likes nothing better than a nap to recharge his batteries ready to go again

He is such a super star 🌟”

Jackson’s star is definitely on the rise with a fab family who have given him a 5* new life and we thank our lucky stars for all he has now in a home that had room for a little one when he needed it and really were heaven sent at just the right time. From tiny pups do beautiful boys grow and the little boy Jackson once was is growing up fast – with a little big brother to guide him through life we can’t see him getting into any sticky situations any time soon as he’ll be far too busy playing catch me if you can and zooming in on someone else’s stick!

Happy birthday Jackson – we’re sure you’ll be sticking to your game plan today and hope you enjoy your special day doing what you love and being stuck to Jasper like super glue! 🥰🐾

23/06/2025

Two super troopers became 3 today as Michelle and Millie had company when they stepped out on their self-set challenge and raised a few more £££'s along the 26,000 steps they've clocked up today!

Time waits for no (wo)man though and it's ticking steadily on and while we know some days have been a bit of an uphill struggle - it's downhill from here on in for Team M&M and on towards the finish line in 7 days' time! 🥰🐾

23/06/2025

Who doesn’t love a cheeky chocolate? He looks like butter wouldn’t melt (it probably wouldn’t stand a chance!) but we’d forgive this little chappy a cheeky fix just this once as …. he’s celebrating his 7th birthday 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 young lad the attention, time and training every youngster like him needs. Despite being a much-loved boy and very much part of the family, Ronnie missed out quite a lot on doggy playdates 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 LWHQ back in 2019, Ronnie could have been a tough nut to crack, but thanks to a fabulous family who were bowled over by his zest for life from the moment they first met, Ronnie got his teeth into training to go from the slightly crazy canine crackpot he once was to having got the good life well and truly cracked! We checked in with Ronnie to find out what he’d got planned for his big day today to find out he’d just checked his doggy bags back in at home after a little trip away on his holibobs where life was clearly an absolute beach. From where we’re sitting we couldn’t honestly say if there’s much beach left though as it looks from the picture postcards he sent like Ronnie didn’t just have the wind in his fur and might just have smuggled some of the beach back in the backpack he’s been busy unpacking at home! Here’s what Ronnie told us:

“Ronnie here!

Just to say I have thoroughly enjoyed my holiday (or pre-birthday celebrations) with lots of walks on the beach and plenty of ice cream! Mum says she can’t believe I’m 7 as I’m not showing any signs of slowing down (now where would be the fun in that?).

I hope I get spoiled on my birthday with cake and presents – dad says every day is like my birthday so who knows …. paws crossed!”

Life before Labrador Welfare really could have been like a box of chocolates for Ronnie – he didn’t know what he was going to get when his path crossed with ours but, never mind the butter, we knew he’d melt a few hearts and we couldn’t be happier to see him happy as a sand boy - looking totally hot to trot and absolutely chilled out!

Happy Birthday Ronnie – life’s a gift and we hope you enjoy unwrapping whatever’s in the doggy bag we know will have your name on it as there’s bound to be plenty in there for you to chew over on your special day! 🥰🐾

22/06/2025

We’ll never say no to starting the week on a high when good news is a little thin on the ground and we’re kicking this week off with a massive THANK YOU to Kayla who’s raised £330 in support of our Sponsor Dogs after making absolutely certain her feet didn’t touch the ground!

Armed with hard hat and harness, Kayla took to the air last Friday in what was a pretty hair-raising experience for her as she flew over a quarry full of water on the world’s fastest zip line at speeds of up to 100mph! It might sound easy when you say it quickly but it certainly wasn’t any mean feat as, Kayla’s not a fan of the wet stuff at all but she faced up to one of her biggest fears to complete her self-set challenge without taking a nosedive or getting her feet wet!

All of us at LWHQ would like to say a MASSIVE thank you to Kayla who knows as well as anyone the challenges we face in supporting dogs that come to us needing not just a new home but, ongoing support for their pre-existing health conditions that we provide through our Sponsor Dog Scheme. So, it’s hat’s off to Kayla and, to everyone that encouraged and sponsored her along the way, our sincerest thanks go to you from all of us at LWHQ and all our supported Sponsor Dogs too! 🥰🐾

https://www.justgiving.com/page/kayla-richardson-3?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL&utm_campaign=015

22/06/2025

Yesterday was the longest day of the year and a busy one for us but it seems we’re not the only ones who were working on the hottest day of the year so far as, when we had a sneaky peek in our doggy mail bag before the sun went down, it was lovely to see beautiful 7-year old Burt had taken time out of his busy schedule to check in with us and it seems he was up with the larks and hard at it working like a dog too! Here’s what he told us:

“An early rise for the sunrise up Mam Tor for another possible calendar shot! Finished off with an unauthorised dip to destroy the frog spawn and find myself a new aftershave - Eau de Pong.”

Chilling out with a doggy dip is not something to be sniffed at when you’re a drip dead gorgeous boy like Burt. Already a fully paid up member of the Soggy Dog Club – he’s clearly set his sights on a career in modelling and we loved the latest additions to his pin-up pawtfolio but, whether Burt has any ideas to branch out into marketing his exclusive brand of Eau De Wet Dog Whiff at all, only time and extensive lab testing that’s likely to include more than a few whiffy sniff tests will tell! 😉🐾

20/06/2025

Temperatures are on the rise and so is the amount Michelle's raised for Labrador Welfare so far in walking 25,000 steps each day this month. No getting hot under the collar for her walking partner Millie though who looks as if she was taking the scenic route and treated herself to a bit of a spa day into the bargain too! 🥰🐾

19/06/2025

Who doesn’t love a little hot chocolate???? They melt your heart but ….. it’s going to be another warm one today and Friday could end up being Fry Day so, whether they’re dark, milk or white, we hope your choccies won’t be melting in the heat and will be nicely chilled out like this shady-looking character who's one of the coolest dudes we know. 🥰🐾

18/06/2025

It’s and, although he wouldn’t want to turn time back too far, we’re throwing it back a couple or three weeks to when this lovely lad’s lucky number came up and he celebrated his 7th birthday in true laid-back Labrador style!

A much-loved boy who’d enjoyed a good life before he arrived with us last year, Rocco’s life changed forever when a return to the office and long working hours saw his owners struggling to spend the time with him that every people person dog like Rocco needs. Knowing that he was something of a socialite who also liked to keep himself gainfully employed at home, we knew all Rocco needed was a family who’d keep him on his paws rather than leaving him to spend his time just twiddling them, going a little stir-crazy home alone and bouncing off the same four walls.

Time flies when you’re having fun and, from what we already know, Rocco has certainly had a lot of fun getting his work/life balance pretty much sorted since he landed at Destination Forever Home a few months ago. Very happily settled with a fabulous family who couldn’t have been a better fit for him, Rocco has been using his time very wisely and busy working from home but, social butterfly that he is, he also gets to moonlight as a meeter and greeter when the homework clock stops although, according to his family’s latest update, he was busy doing overtime licking things into shape before his birthday body clock stopped! Here’s what landed in our doggy mail bag:

“Rocco went out to a cafe where unfortunately they'd sold out of sausages so he had to make do with an ice cream instead! He got a new toy and had some doggy cupcakes. Exhausted by the end of the day!

It's been nearly 10 months and Rocco’s definitely used to having someone at home now. Initially he used to stay downstairs in the dining room but eventually clocked that his dad was at home so he now spends his day with him in the office.

He's great around the cats and really appreciates the little treats that appear every now and then if we're not quick enough to remove them! It's fair to say he loves his food and everything is fair game – his dad made the mistake of putting a buttered crumpet down briefly and seconds later it had gone!

Rocco hasn't a bad bone in his body and loves everyone he meets and they love him. He really is - and we tell him all the time - "our best boy."

Time waits for no (wo)man or their dog and Rocco’s clearly making best use of his after the days in his former life had become lonely and long but he’s got so much more to fill his time with now and the best bit without doubt is the lovely timeshare he’s enjoying with his family who gave him an absolute gift of a home!

Happy belated birthday Rocco – 7 might well be your lucky number but to your family we know you’re number 1! 🥰🐾

18/06/2025

Just time to sneak a little update in on Michelle and Millie’s challenge before the sun goes down. Hopefully they’re putting their feet/paws up and enjoy chilling out tonight. 🥰🐾

18/06/2025

It’s the middle of the week already and while you might already be on countdown to the weekend, it’s not just temperatures that are on the up as in a couple of days, lab-lover Kayla will be taking to the skies to raise funds to help some of our little hot dogs!

We’re wishing Kayla the very best of luck as she takes her fundraising efforts for Labrador Welfare to new heights as our first supporter to take to the air and it’d be fabulous if you’d take a look at her Just Giving page which you’ll find on the link below and wish her a safe journey as her challenge takes off on FRIDAY 20 JUNE 2025.

She’s already raised a fantastic £255 and, if you’re able to donate that’d be awesome - every donation, no matter how small will make a real difference to dogs who need our support to live the happy and healthy life they all deserve when they land at their final destination – home.

Good luck Kayla – Friday is FlyDay and we know you’ll totally smash it!

Help Kayla Richardson raise money to support Labrador Welfare