Our first week as new parents ;-)

Sweetie~pies, I would like you to meet Matty and Nikki ~ our newly adopted pooches :-)

This photo was taken the Sunday before this last, when we were giving them both a sort of "test-run" as it were LOL

The Saturday of the previous weekend we had made some tentative enquiries about adoption with the Greyhound Rescue West of England (GRWE).  On the Sunday we received a phone call asking if we would like to make arrangements for a home-check ~ of course we said yes, sweetie~pies ;-)  On Monday morning we were home-checked and that evening we were told that we had passed their requirements.  On the Tuesday I met Matty; Adrian met him on Saturday; and we both met Nikki on Sunday ~ boy, did things move fast!

We had a long-standing arrangement to go to a gig Sunday evening otherwise we could have kept them on Sunday LOL  But they arrived bright and early last Monday morning and here we are, dog owners once more :-) 

After the sadness at having to give up Daisy for rehoming, we decided to adopt dogs again ~ the house just didn't feel right with no furry friends.

Nikki is the beautiful fawn lurcher and Matty is the extremely handsome black greyhound :-)

Both Nikki and Matty have come over here from Ireland, having been rescued by GRWE.

 

Sadly, my loves, they both have some physical "issues" ~ especially poor Nikki as you will see if you look closely at these photos. 

Matty is four years old and has never raced.  He was kept in a shed on an allotment, I believe. 

He has a birth defect in that his front left leg is bent; he has suffered a cruciate injury at some time in his life, which although healed does cause some stiffness; he has an undershot jaw; and he has lost the end of his tail. 

None of these injuries cause him any serious difficulties although he can't jump into the back of a car because of his leg problems.  He loves his walks and food in equal measure LOL

Matty is a very happy chap who just seems to love life and people.  Nothing much seems to bother him and to see him when we take the dogs out for their walks you would think that he had known the area all his life!

Sadly, Nikki's history is rather more tragic.  I am sure that you can see how thin she still is, as well as all the scars she has.

She was rescued by a GRWE volunteer in Ireland.  She had been abandoned pregnant and with horrific injuries.  The GRWE think that she was used in badger baiting; she has completely lost her lower lip and some teeth (and still has to have another four or five removed) and has had to have surgery on her jaw. 

Nikki has had a broken left hock at some point, which has self-healed but not in the right position.  The bone in this leg also has shotgun pellets embedded in it.  She has masses of scars on her head and face, as well as her legs and body.

Whilst she was in foster care in Ireland she gave birth to eight puppies.  We have been told that she was a very good Mum who only needed a little help with the pups.  I look at her thin little body and wonder how on earth she managed to grow eight puppies, let alone give birth to them and they all survive.  My first sight of her made me cry ~ how can people be so cruel :-(

She is, naturally, wary of new people but soon comes round.  She is a very affectionate little girl who soaks up love like a sponge.  With Matty being so laid back, he is the ideal companion for Nikki.  I am certain that as time goes by his influence will help her gain in confidence :-)