Dogs and potty training

Yesterday, we had an educational trip to the Dogs Trust.

It was quite a long drive to get there so we left nice and early, which of course meant that we arrived half an hour early. The children were tired from our big day out to Creswell Crags the day before which meant that they weren't as patient as normal.

This enormous dog was in the entrance foyer. It doesn't actually belong to the Dogs Trust, they are just looking after it for a woman who usually keeps it in her garden. She was worried about the harsh winter that we have had, and asked the Dogs Trust to look after it for her.

Champ and Boo reading about some of the dogs that were brought in after being neglected or abused. One of the dogs had been shot in the head twice by a crossbow :o(Kiki saying hello to the little dog that was by the reception desk.

Once everyone arrived (many had gotten lost and were late) the children were told how to behave around the dogs.Going in to see the dogs. There were glass windows to stop anyone putting their fingers inside and getting bitten. There were tiny hole in the glass near the bottom for the dogs to be able to smell people.

This dog had been rescued from a woman who was a hoarder. She had 97 dogs in her house before they were rescued.

Quite a few of the dogs didn't like children and would bark and jump at the glass. When they did that we had to walk away and not look at them.

Others were happier to see us.

There is information about each dog stuck to the glass of each kennel. Some dogs were given away because they had gotten too big or the family's circumstance had changed or they had been removed because of abuse.

Unusually, they had two Dalmatians.

This was a BIG dog that barked a lot and kept on trying to jump at Kiki. Kiki showed no fear whatsoever, in fact I saw her telling one dog off "naughty doggie"

Only the tip of Kiki's finger could fit in the hole, all the dog could do was smell it.

I was surprised by Googs' confidence as he is usually wary of dogs - probably down to the thick glass :o)

Champ enjoyed learning more about each dog.

We then got taken in the back to see the puppies. The general public aren't allowed back there. The puppies are kept out of sight otherwise people would only adopt them and not the older dogs.

They were very cute! Boo has been nagging me for a dog ever since. No! we are NOT getting a dog!

just look at that little face!

Through some more doors we were shown to the recovery room. This is a quiet room away from other dogs, made to look like a lounge, where the dogs can recover from their operations in peace.

This dog came to the centre with a leg that had been broken and left untreated. The operation to re-break and fix the leg went well and he should make a full recovery.

Here is the shower room.

We were taken to another room of dogs. The dogs in this room were all strays which makes it hard to know their backgrounds and temperament so they have to stay here to be observed.

The exercise pens.

More runaround space for the dogs. There was an agility course at the bottom of the field.

I was very impressed of the size of the place, all their facilities and the amount of people helping out.

The ambulance used for collecting injured dogs and rushing dogs to the vetWe couldn't go into the vet surgery because there was a dog being treated, but we did get to look through the windows.

The tour lasted for an hour. Afterwards we were able to visit a friend who lived close by.

The fields were wonderful to drive through.

And today was Kiki's first day on the potty!!!! She loved the underpants but was not sure about the potty.

Everyone was fully supporting her.

After three and a half bottles of juice we thought that there would be some action but nothing for 2 hours! At least we know that she can hold it :o) Kiki got more and more agitated as time went by and eventually filled half the potty yay! :o) and then she pooed in the pants aaaaaah :o(

She was so exhausted by the experience that she fell asleep on Daddy.