(Nearly) Wordless Wednesday (30/11)

Being a bloke, Declan could barely contain his excitement over his new collar.........

Declan's  Celtic Knots collar is available from The House of Zed

Can you help Sally?

The Dogs Trust NEVER destroy a healthy dog

Mum & I have been talking to a nice lady called Sarah who works at The Dogs Trust, Leeds. Sarah is a Supporter Relations Officer and she asked me if I could help one of their doggy residents to find a home by highlighting her case on my blog. Of course, I'm delighted to.

About Sally

Sally is a gorgeous 7 year old black and white Lurcher currently being cared for at The Dogs Trust, Leeds. She came into us as her owners moved to a very built up area with nowhere to exercise Sally properly. They realised she was just not getting the life she deserved.

Sally is a lovely friendly girl  and loves to chill out and watch the world go by. She will be best suited living in a rural area or somewhere with secure facilities as she loves be exercised off lead.

She's a beautiful girl!

Sally is spayed, vaccinated and microchipped. She also has basic house training.  She can be rehomed with older children and larger dogs. She is not cat or other small furry friendly.

If you feel you are that special person to give Sally her forever home then please contact Dogs Trust Leeds on 0113 2814920

The Dogs Trust is a great dog welfare charity that Mum has supported for a number of years. This is a little bit about them:

Founded in 1891, Dogs Trust (formerly the National Canine Defence League) is the largest dog welfare charity in the UK. Our mission is to bring about the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction.

Here’s what Dogs Trust do in a nutshell…

Each year we care for around 16,000 dogs at our nationwide network of 17 Rehoming Centres. No healthy dog is ever destroyed. We run subsidised neutering campaigns in areas of the UK with the most acute stray dog problems. Our Education Officers give thousands of classroom presentations every year. Free teaching resources are made available to all schools in the UK. Our FREEDOM Project helps pet owners who are fleeing domestic violence by fostering their animals while they start a new life. The HOPE Project gives preventative veterinary care to dogs belonging to homeless people. We advise government on any matters concerning dog ownership. We have established a charity in Ireland that runs a rehoming centre in Dublin. We assist overseas animal welfare charities by training their staff in best practice. Can you or someone you know offer Sally her forever home? Please contact The Dogs Trust Leeds if you can help. Thanks for reading this everyone Deccy x

A Very Happy Thanksgiving.....

...to all my friends from across the Pond!

Declan was in a 'fowl' mood when he realised there would be no Thanksgiving dinner....hehe!

(Nearly) Wordless Wednesday (23/11)

QUICK MARCH!

'Hup 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
I'm a greyhound, I am greyt!
'Hup 2 3 4.............

Declan knew his training needed working on, but he thought Boot Camp was taking things a bit far.....

A Review of Symply Dry Dog Food from Pets Corner

I was having a snooze last week and dreaming about the things I like to eat.

I was awakened by a loud knock at the door, and there was the postman, with a big box addressed to me!

I couldn't believe that he'd found me when it was just addressed to Declan The Greyhound, Yorkshire! I wonder if I'm a bit like Father Christmas?

Declan, stop right there! Only last week we had to have a little chat about your delusions of grandeur didn't we? - Mum

Yeah well... Anyway, when I got my parcel opened, this is what I found inside:

It was a bag of Salmon & Potato Symply dry dog food from Pets Corner.

I was amazed, Salmon is one of my favouritist things!  Mum said she knew the food was coming because I'd had an email from a lady at Pets Corner asking if I'd test the food for them, but she didn't tell me as she thought it would be a nice surprise. But wait! That must mean Mum has been reading my emails. How rude! Still, it was very exciting to get a parcel of my own.

Mum said she thought it would be good for me to test the salmon & potato variety as it is wheat gluten free, hypoallergenic and good for dogs with grain intolerances which are sometimes indicated by the famous "bum problems". As some of you will know I have just cost Mums a small fortune at the v-e-t  in relation to my bottom issues. We don't think I have a wheat intolerance but Mum is on a "better safe than sorry" kick at the moment! If you prefer you can also have  Lamb & Rice or Turkey & Rice flavours.  Mum says a 6kg bag will feed me for just over 2 weeks.

Pets corner say that if you don't see an improvement in your dog's breath, wind or diet related scratching after a month of feeding Symply, you can have your money back. Well fair enough!

As well as this variety, Symply comes in Adult, Senior, Puppy, Small and Large breed. I could have Large breed variety but I prefer smaller kibble, as I'm a little bit on the greedy side and big pieces make me choke sometimes.

Here are some facts about the Symply range of dog food:

• Symply dog foods are made in the UK
• All Symply dog foods are free from artificial colourings, flavourings and preservatives
• They use the highest quality ingredients which are gentler on the stomach and more easily digested
• Higher levels of Omega-6. Linoleic acid is an ‘Essential Fatty Acid’ that has many important roles in the body including the maintenance of healthy skin and coat, ensuring normal growth in kittens and puppies. Omega-6 helps maintain a healthy skin and a shiny coat
• High meat content provides all the protein for healthy and strong muscles. Their dog foods are free of ‘wheat gluten’, a well known cause of allergies in dogs.
• The Salmon is sourced from the Highlands of Scotland and Symply’s lambs are meadow raised in the UK. 
• None of the turkeys in the foods are caged or battery farmed 
• Quality ingredients mean more goodness per crunch – feed less and save money Symply do not participate in any animal testing and do not use any artificial colours, flavours or growth hormones.
• Mum mixed the Symply with my regular food for a few days before giving it to me on its own. 

I really liked this dog food. It has a good smell and is nicely crunchy! Mum said if she sniffed it she could smell the salmon too. I did offer her some to try, but she refused. Sometimes Mum is a bit silly!

Symply is available at Pets Corner shops or via mail order.

Declan was not financially compensated for this review

Finally.. Mum gets her finger out!

Now don't get me wrong. I love my Mums. But Mum (rather than Other Mum) is ever so slightly prone to procrastination. The list of things that she "really must get around to doing" is ridiculous! Hell will freeze over before she ever gets to half of it I'm sure. It's not like there's anything deadly serious on it. I've never heard her say "I really must get around to popping into the hospital for that open heart surgery I need", for example. But she has been "meaning to" make an appointment for her 6 monthly health check for about the last 6 months and she's also taken to hiding behind the magazines when she sees the Practice Nurse in the local shop.

 So... we have established that when it comes to doing stuff for herself, Mum is a bit rubbish. On the other hand she tends to be pretty good when it comes to to KC and me, and really we want for nothing.

"Quite so Declan. We are still smarting from the £230 v-e-t bill in connection with your recent bottom issues" - Mum. 

Anyway...... moving swiftly on..... As I said Mum is pretty good with us kids, but nevertheless, ever since she got me in July, she has been "meaning to" get into a regular teeth brushing regime with me. We got the brush, we got the paste.... but we didn't really get much further. Until last week that is, when Mum read the post entitled "Pearly Whites" by NEVER SAY NEVER GREYHOUNDS

Many of you will know this blog, but if you don't then take a look as it contains excellent advice on all aspects of greyhound care and training. In a nutshell the post was saying its a great idea to clean your dog's teeth everyday & once you're into a routine it's no hassle at all. Well, Mum was inspired!

She was all prepared to follow the very good advice about taking it slowly, just starting with a couple of teeth (and not holding me in a vice-like grip) but I really quite liked it.

Honestly, I'm standing there quite happily and that is not a strangle hold at all! In fact I was so laid back about it, Mum brushed all my teeth on the first go!

Hmmm... Pity we didn't have this picture for Halloween!

I've had my teeth brushed everyday for a week now, and it really isn't any bother. Mum says she thinks my teeth look better already and my breath is quite sweet. Not that it was ever super-stinky, you understand!

So what do you think?!!

So Mum, the moral of this post is, stop putting things off that would take much less time to do than you spend thinking about them. GET YOUR FINGER OUT! Hehe!    Deccy xx

Good Thoughts for Fergus

This is just a very quick post to ask everyone to to send their best wishes, good thoughts, positive vibes - whatever you can, to Fergus the cat who lives with Fabulous Flo  Fergus was involved in an awful accident on Monday, but it's really hoped she'll pull through. I'm sure the whole family could use a good dose of Power of the Paw.  Thanks everyone.

Deccy x

(Nearly) Wordless Wednesday (16/11)

Well what else can I do? I don't have a pocket to keep a handkerchief in...

Declan was deluding himself again.......

"This is my intellectual look. Bet I get all the girls now....."

For all the girls I've loved before!

God's Own Country........

....... or Yorkshire as some of us call it.....

Hello Everyone. It's Deccy's Mum here. I thought I'd take my chances whilst the man of the house has a snooze on his sofa!

I've been taking a look at some of the comments Deccy has received on his posts, and one in particular made me stop and think. Jasmine at The Wild Life said something like Deccy's walk in Yorkshire looked much more interesting than where she is in Texas. My immediate thought was that I'd much rather be in Texas than here, but I guess that's human nature; most places are more interesting than home. When it comes down to it, everywhere is different but maybe we should appreciate what we have a little more. That's why I thought I'd tell you a little bit about our home.....

Before I say anything else, I'd like to make something very clear (and I don't want to be sued for libel either...) I like Yorkshire, I like the people, I live here. My partner is Yorkshire born and bred; clearly I'm a fan!

Although I've visited this fair county on and off for many years, I've lived here permanently for just over four years. I can now get away with walking down the street without people pointing (that was probably because I wasn't wearing clogs and a flat cap) but I'm still an outsider. I imagine in 20 years time there will still be an old chap who says "you know t'lass that lives up t'road; hasn't been here long....." I don't suppose I'll ever be in a position where I don't have to show my passport when I cross into Yorkshire from one of the surrounding counties. If you try and cross from Lancashire, armed guards will shoot you. You think I'm joking don't you?

Yorkshire folk are fiercely proud of their county and its heritage. Take cricket for example. Cricket is a religion in Yorkshire, but much more important. Up until as late as 1992 you had to be born within the boundaries of the county in order to play for Yorkshire County Cricket Club. This led to some quite ridiculous scenarios involving men dragging their heavily pregnant wives half way around the world in order to ensure that, should she have a boy, he could play cricket for Yorkshire. For our American friends, you must understand that this is MUCH more important than getting into an Ivy League college or becoming a Rhodes Scholar, or President of the U.S.A!

All you need to know about the U.K.

There are advantages to living here. I can now say with a degree of honesty that I  have a second language. When someone tells me to "put wood in t'ole" I now know they want me to shut the door. I have learnt not to look confused when asked if I want "scraps" on my fish & chips. ( Weeks old bits of burnt batter that are fished out of the fryer.. why would you?!) I now know that a "teacake" is not a toasted current bun, as served in Ye Olde Tea Shoppe, but a large white bread roll the size of a dinner plate, sold in fish & chip shops and used to make Chip Butties. When I go to a sandwich shop, I no longer ask for wholemeal, granary, bloomer or baguette. What I order will come in teacake or a flatcake (even bigger!) and will require two grown men to lift it.

When talking about food, it wouldn't be right not to mention the famous Yorkshire Pudding.
In the rest of the U.K. Yorkshire Pudding is traditionally eaten with roast beef. Not in Yorkshire. It's eaten with EVERYTHING! I'm convinced that one day I will see someone dipping a pudding into a boiled egg for breakfast. For example, Christmas Lunch is as follows:

• Starter: Soup ("We don't like owt fancy") 
• Pudding Course: A dish of Yorkshire Pudding with gravy. 
• Main Course: Roast Turkey, Potatoes, 27 different root vegetables and Yorkshire Pudding. 
• Sweet: Yorkshire Pudding served with sugar and jam.

Yorkshire people are economical. Not "short arms un deep pockets" (mean / tight) just economical in all that they do. To a large extent they have had to be. It's traditionally a land of Haves and Have Nots going back to the Industrial Revolution when the great wool merchants lived in their mansions and everyone else lived in a "back to back" sharing an outside privvy (toilet) with 6 other families and working a 16 hour day in the mill. It probably accounts for the economy with words too; not much point in speaking when no one could hear you over the din of the weaving machines. It still holds true today though. Telephone any company in the world and you will find yourself slightly irritated by the sing-song voice of a receptionist saying " Good morning, Smedley & Smedley Ltd. My name is Janice, how can I help you today?" Ring a company in Yorkshire and, assuming anyone can be bothered to answer that damn new-fangled contraption called a telephone, they will say "Nah then?" Essentially, this means exactly the same as what Janice said, just in a more succinct way!

So.. should you ever find yourself walking down a Yorkshire street, remember the following. If you meet someone there is no need to smile or make eye contact. Simply mumble "Nah then" and expect a reply of "'appen" (meaning maybe I am / maybe I'm not) There is no need for any further discourse. Simply touch the brim of your flat tweed cap and with the barest nod of the head be on your way, whippet at your heels and quite possibly a ferret down your trousers...... but maybe that's a story for another day!

Below is a fabulous video by the comic duo Hale & Pace entitled Yorkshire Airlines. It sums it all up brilliantly. Look out for the whippet and ferret!!

By the way, thank you all for voting in Deccy's present poll. Baseball cap and Pigs Ears were joint first and so with the casting vote I'm awarding him Pig's Ears. No son of mine is walking around looking like a right numpty in a baseball cap, I don't care what his Other Mum says!!

Wordless Wednesday

"Sniff Sniff.....Ah, Labrador 2011.... a very fine vintage......"

Still Guilt Trippin' !!

Mum took me on a lovely walk yesterday. I don't want to appear cynical beyond my years, but I think it may have been part of her "For God's sake Declan, in how many more ways do you want me to apologise for leaving you for a mere 5 days?" campaign. The list is endless Mum. Really.

Anyway she took me along a section of the Leeds & Liverpool canal that runs through Hirst Woods in Saltaire, West Yorkshire

Mum says the woods are really popular with dog walkers and at Christmas time they hang cards for each other on a holly bush. 

Oooh hang on I think I can see a squibble...!

We walked through the woods and over the old bridge before heading back along the canal.

I can see that pesky squibble again...!

Well she may owe me, but I don't want to walk THAT far.....

Hirst Lock as it is today......

..... and a picture of the lock painted in the 19th century.
Bradford Museums & Art Galleries

If you look very carefully, I'm sure you can see a handsome greyhound sitting at the top of the lock...... ;-)

(Nearly) Wordless Wednesday

I think you'll find Other Mum and I are using this sofa. The floor is available if you want that.......