Translated by Anke Terbruggen

This past week has been pretty good, we are all picking up our normal lives, after losing our Big Old Girl. Since I don’t really have any news to share, I thought I’d let one of the boys on the other side of the fence have a chat with you. It’s the one that arrived first, the skinny black one that is definitely not skinny anymore,..Hope I won’t regret it, as he’s quite chatty!

Don’t worry, I’ll be back next week! Go ahead neighbour,…

Ohhhh, really really, really???? can I say something, can I say something??? I wanna say something!! Can I say something?? I’m so excited!!

Ok, alright, I’ll take a breath first,.. Wow!! I have so much to say, been waiting for an opportunity to tell you all; thank you so much for the FOOOOD!! 

Before I came here, I was hungry all the time, and I felt really weak and old, but the first thing I discovered when I arrived, was that there is such a thing as sausage!! And meat, and fish, and pasta, and cream and soooo many other tasty things!! There was food many times a day and it felt so good to have a full tummy all the time!

And there were cuddles, and attention and people around me, and nice beds to sleep on, and bones to chew on. Ohh, I love it here, I just love it here!!!

And there was this really old, but still, super-cool old lady that showed me and the other guy the ropes, she was amaaaaazing! We were both so impressed by her and showed her a lot of respect! The other guy is pretty much ok too, a bit of a whiner, scared of his own shadow when he just arrived, but I let him follow me around and sit next to me and that seems to help. The only thing I won’t let him do is touch my food or my bones as they are (all) mine, mine, mine!!!

The old lady is gone now, saw her body so we know she’s really gone. The other guy is getting a bit more cheeky now and I think I should take charge, after all, I was here first! I’m getting really strong too now, and have even be called ‘chubby’ (chubby, what do they mean CHUBBY?? I’m just making sure I have some reserves, in case I ever get hungry again!) And anyway, who cares about being chubby, I just looooove my food and will keep eating as much as I like!! So there!!

What else, what else, let me see, what else? Oh yeah, I’ve been on walks, ‘sniffari’s’ they call ’em nowadays, but I think it’s just a really nice walk, with lots of stuff to smell! There’s also plenty of smells in our field, all kinds of smelly food and plants and donkey poo and bits of wood and lots of other things! After meal time, the food provider that lives here too hides little bits of really yummy things everywhere, so we have to look for it, I loooooove that! I’m really good at it too, I find most of the treats before the other guy does! 

Oh, hang on, I think Pom wants to say something,.. I guess it’s his diary, so I’ll try to stop now (but did I mention I just love it here?? And how much I love the food?)

Hey, Pom here, thought I’ld better shut him up, because let me tell you; once this guy starts talking, he never stops,.. 

Written by Anke Terbruggen

On the 23rd of June 2022, a homeless person took his very, very old dog to a refuge because he couldn’t care for her anymore. It must have been such a hard decision, and he saved her life. The dog, Kim, was in such a state that the refuge contacted Les Amis des Animaux to see if they had a foster family for her, as she would obviously not survive in the refuge. Les Amis then contacted us and we said Yes, she is welcome. A dear friend, Melissa, drove all the way to Toulouse to pick her up and brought her to us. We’ll never forget her arrival; so incredibly weak, emaciated and ancient she seemed. She was completely disorientated, couldn’t walk or stand without falling over and had the most horrible injury to her skull and eye. We sat with her, and tried to get her to lie down, which she finally did, exhausted. To be honest, we seriously considered calling out our vet to have her put to sleep straight away. But then again, once we got her onto a big soft bed, in safety, it couldn’t hurt to wait a day or so, we thought.

We gave her strong painkillers, the best food we could find, every couple of hours, her water bowl right next to her, and rest, lots of rest. She was so tired,.

The days passed and Kim surprised us with an incredible will to live. She couldn’t get up, but ate the food, drank the water and slowly, very slowly gained some force. She started getting up and walking a little bit, very wobbly, and always in circles. We wondered if she had brain damage from her skull injury, but she didn’t seem to suffer much, so we continued caring for her the best we could. She wouldn’t let us touch her, which we understood and respected, as she must have been in so much pain after being hit by a car several times, according to her former owner. The holes in her skull and the damaged, sunk-in eye were probably not her only sore spots. After a few days, our vet came out, sedated and examined her. Her heart still seemed strong and a blood test revealed a few problems, slight pancreatitis, but nothing too serious, apart from being very, very old. She estimated Kim to be around 16, which we thought also. 

Kim continued to improve and even started walking in straight lines and responding to us, coming to see us (but still no touching, please!). Then, another setback; a grand mal seizure. leaving her disorientated again. This time, the recovery was quick, she found her bearings again and continued to surprise everyone by getting stronger and happier every day. A big moment was the first time team member Elsa got her to play with a tennis ball! I admit we cried, tears of joy.

3 months passed and Kim was our Queen; some of our wonderful volunteers cooked soft tasty food for her because eating was difficult with her damaged head/jaw and she was admired and respected by everybody that met her. She chose the space underneath the cabin as her safe space, but also very much enjoyed the space around her; the grass to roll in, the smell of the countryside and the company of the two old boys that joined her in the big field. Mitch and Primus were incredibly respectful towards her, she ruled just by mental strength,..

At the end of September, Kim started to get weaker again, got very thin and it had become nearly impossible to get any food into her. She didn’t want it anymore. She started turning in circles again, not all the time, but she was having trouble peeing and was constipated. We tried medication, but it wasn’t possible to give her anything without her eating. She still had lots of good moments, but we realised the end was near and we didn’t want the bad moments to take over.

On the 10th of October, we gave her as many calming tablets as we could get her to swallow in 1 piece of sausage and sat down in the field with her. 

The sun was shining, the boys were calm, and after an hour or so, Kim fell asleep. Once we were sure she wouldn’t notice anything anymore, we wrapped her in a blanket and drove her to the vet’s clinic. In the car, with her head on my lap, she took her last breath.

We took her body back home, put her in the field, in her favourite spot, for the boys to know and buried her later that day.

Kim, you were magnificent; the strongest, most incredible dog I’ve ever seen. I hope you felt some happiness, freedom and love during your short time with us.

We’ll never forget you.

Translated for Pompom by Anke Terbruggen

I know I was supposed to do my diary yesterday, but things were a bit strange here yesterday, and even more so the day before.

Our main caretakers were here, all together, and they were sitting in the big field, quietly. They all seemed sad. 

The boys behind the fence were a bit stressed and there was something wrong with Big Old Girl. She was different, tired and very sleepy, it seemed.

After a while, she fell asleep, and they carried her away. When they came back, they put her body back in the field, but it wasn’t the same, it wasn’t her anymore.

Now, there is something you should know about us dogs; we do not experience death as you do. We understand life, like all animals, and we accept death. We live now and adapt to the way things are. At first, when one of us dies, we get a bit insecure; you guys act differently and that worries us a bit. So we stay close to you and try to ease things and make you act normally again, so we can feel safe. We don’t like change, but you can make it easier by acting like everything is ok.

So it was really nice that the co-chief, the one that often brings us cool stuff to smell, toys that make us think and smelly things to chew on, took us for a walk!! She really gets us, I think!

The boys are a bit unruly now, I think Big Old Girl kept them under control, but now she’s gone, they seem to think they own the field! Think again guys, even though there’s a fence, I’m still in charge!!! If only I could get in there, I’d sort them out!

So, life back to normal for us, I keep checking what’s happening behind the wall, where the baby-sounds come from. I can see them sometimes, so exciting!! Tiny doesn’t seem to be very interested, I guess she’s seen it all before, I think she had her own babies more than once. Cooler weather means more outside play and sniff time and i’m feeling fitter, so really enjoying myself!

News from ‘The Other Side’ written by Dolly’s ghostwriter.

Please don’t be alarmed. Pompom is still with us. I just thought it was high time you heard from ‘the other side’ of the Dawn&Dusk fields.

Let me introduce myself. I’m Dolly, the first ever Dawn&Dusk resident, the Original, No.1, Top Dog, currently residing in the shady glades. You may not have met me but have likely heard me barking at everyone as I’m trying to live the quiet life, relatively undisturbed in my purpose-built enclosure.

Like some of you, I’ve got a couple of teenagers, Timmy & Nellie, who just won’t leave. Thought I’d got rid of them once but they came back and now we share everything, en famille. Note, this does not include my bones.There’s a limit!

It’s pretty much been go,go,go since I got here; settling in after living ‘al fresco’ with my chums, having my 5 puppies, moving to this new enclosure, settling in again….it’s been busy.

Take yesterday for example, boy were we in demand. A new mini kennel suddenly arrived and needed checking out. Big Job. We were barely getting out heads round that when another visitor showed up and gave us loads of tasks to do. Turns out it was a ‘school day’ for Timmy & Nellie, lots of fun things to sniff, not to mention an endless supply of treats. I wasn’t about to be left out and don’t tell anyone but getting a treat was easy-peasy.

My pups did well, under my supervision and multi-tasking with a scrummy bone, I’ll be sure to keep an eye on the treat situation when they do their homework this coming week. If there is a test at the end though, they are on their own.

Then the week before last, we had a new escape route fitted into the enclosure fence, they called it a gate. So now, my pups and I can go for family outings into the big, big field. Whilst I can still show them a thing or two when it comes to running, my Timmy is getting quicker and sometimes I just have to pretend I’m investigating a very important smell I’ve suddenly discovered. Can’t let him beat me just yet.

I’m hearing ‘mental enrichment’, whatever the heck that is, and believe there are plans a foot to keep us busy during the day. Don’t they know I already have many responsibilities? But you know, on reflection, if it keeps those pups out of my fur and distracted, bring it on.

I know I have a bad rep, I’ve got ears. And yes, I did bite a lovely visitor once, well 3 times actually, but I was in a bad place emotionally at the time and she forgave me. I’m far more together now, living in the moment, practicing mindfulness whenever I get the chance, working on my people skills…

So whilst there’s lots of action on ‘the other side’, we have some curb appeal- have you seen the ears on my pups? I may not be small and cute like those pesky Terriers, nor am I a snuggle bunny like Primus, nor have I a heart-tugging back-story like Kim & Mitch, suppose I’m not always up for your company either and I’m not very approachable if I’m truthful BUT..I’m working on my ‘lovability’ as deep down, I am adorable and plan to big-up my profile with my new found access to social media. Who knows where this will lead but in the meantime, I’ll keep my focus firmly on all my responsibilities here on ‘the other side’ (did I mention those already?)

We already had two dogs when our rescue puppy Juniper came into our lives. Having had up to four dogs together in past we thought it would be a walk in the park to integrate Juniper into our little pack of two terriers, but we had some teething trouble, literally……

Feeling Outnumbered by Karen B London and Patricia B McConnell arrived in the post as a gift from a good friend. Not only was it a superbly informative but it was also a cathartic experience to learn that what we were going through was relatively normal: It’s never wise to assume that dogs should instantly like each other when they have been forced to share the same household.

Feeling Outnumbered delivered exactly what it said on the cover ‘how to manage and enjoy a multi-dog household.’ With just 42 pages, split into four chapters it’s an unintimidating read, the authors get straight to the point and it’s bursting with practical advice.

In ‘laying the foundation’ the authors guide the reader on how to work with each dog individually. I particularly liked the section ‘life is not always fair and that’s OK’ as it helped me to stop feeling guilty that I was spending more time with the puppy than with my two senior terriers.

Real life scenarios provide clear and logical guidance on how to manage key elements of day-to-day life such as being comfortable alone, greeting visitors and teaching one dog to be patient while another is getting attention. There’s also a very useful chapter on taking on a new dog and how to make initial introductions.

Prevention is always better than cure and Feeling Outnumbered provides some great pointers to help those with multi dog households stay out of trouble. It’s also a very realistic book with a closing section on signs that may indicate a serious problem and how, in some circumstances, rehoming may be the most responsible and the safest option.

Feeling Outnumbered has helped me manage a rather stressful period in this household and best of all it has given me better understanding of how to help my three hounds live in harmony. Thank you, Karen B London and Patricia B McConnell, and thank you to my good friend Cessi too.

Translated for Pompom by Anke Terbruggen

Pompom has been kind enough to give me a few days extra to write up his diary! I think he felt a bit sorry for me, being up so many times at night for the puppies. such a gentleman, our Pommie. but tonight, he really wanted to let you all know how he’s doing!  Xx Anke (aka the chief)

“Well. Not sure what is happening in that room next to our garden, but I’m hearing the strangest sounds! Little squeaky voices, it seems. I tried to get to them, through the window, but the Chief stopped me. But that’s OK, I will wait for my chance, she won’t always be paying attention, I’m sure! 

For a while, the voices seemed to go a bit quiet, so I was worried. but now they sound strong again. Can’t wait to see who they are.

Meanwhile, we got a much bigger garden! All kinds of nice, new things to smell too. So exciting! New toys too, stuffed with all kinds of goodies, life just keeps getting better! Of course, Tiny tries to get to the toys before me, little bugger, +and once she has hold of them, she won’t let go, ever! I secretly admire her though, she’s bitchin’..!! 

I’ve been feeling a lot better now that it’s not so hot anymore. At night, we sleep inside now, though we can still go out if we want to. Tiny has a thingy around her for the night when it’s cold, but I’m not cold at all, I love it!

The new boys next door are a bit noisy sometimes, I think they’re jealous when my cuddlers are here. Well, too bad for them, of course, they only come for me.

There was a new cuddler too this week, she took me for a nice walk. She acted as if she knew me, and said she was a Sponsor, What is a Sponsor?? Anyway, really liked her, she treated me like I was special. I am too, of course!

Off to bed now, I think I’ll pick the sofa, or maybe my crate, or maybe a basket, or a cushion? Hmmm,..”

Translated for Pompom by Anke Terbruggen

Tiny’s been bugging me; she wants to say something too! I think she’s just jealous because I let Big Old Girl talk! Girls,.. I’ve said it before; can’t live with them, can’t live without them. But hey, I’m cool, I know I’m number one around here, I know you all still love me; I’ve had so many cuddles this week, I feel totally reassured!

So Tiny, go for it, Babe!!

So,. Hi!!! I’m Titi!! I’ve been here for a while now, and I like this place! I can’t see very well, but I know where everything is and I always find a comfy bed somewhere. 

The food is great, plenty of stuff to chew on too. And the people,.. wow, so many people!! I love people! They seem to come especially for us, me and Old Grumpy! There is one, in particular, I really like *, she treats me like I’m special and I love that! Where I came from, there were too many dogs, so I was never special,.

In here, it’s just Grumpy and me, and that’s ok. He is a moody old grouch, but I can handle him. I might be small and no spring chicken, but I can hold my ground if I have to! Outside, there are other dogs. There is one I really don’t like, a Big one,. I tried to take her out, but The One Who’s Always Here stopped me! Why did she stop me!?? I could have had her!! Oh well, at least she doesn’t come into our place, so I guess I can live with it.

Oh, and I have to tell you; there are tigers living here!! I can see them walk past sometimes and one of them even dared come into our barn!!! I didn’t waste a second, went in for the kill and had her for a moment, but she got away,.. Grrrrrrrr! If I were younger, she wouldn’t have stood a chance! 

I like sniffing and digging and love it when we get the big field to ourselves. There are balls and bones everywhere, almost too many to choose from! It’s been very hot though, so we spent most of the day sleeping inside. All in all, I would say it’s a good life here!

* That’s you Linda

Going to bed now, it’s late and dark outside, which bed shall I sleep on tonight? Hmm, the sofa, I guess,..  Goodnight!!

Translated for Pompom by Anke Terbruggen

It’s me again, Pom!

Another week passed by, and it’s getting a bit cooler! We all feel so much better.

There’s something I want to tell you, or explain to you, so you don’t misunderstand me (and Tiny).

You see, sometimes, when there’s something that is really important to me, like my cuddlers’ attention, or my chews, or my sofa, I really don’t want to share that with Tiny. It’s not that I don’t like her, I really do!! She’s good company when it’s just the two of us.

It’s just, I don’t know, I have this temper… I’d almost call it this rage, inside of me, and when something sets me off, I have a hard time controlling it It can be something small, like Tiny getting in between me and a cuddler, or bumping into me, which she does sometimes (can anyone actually SEE around here??)

I do try, really, I show her my teeth (and they’re Big believe me!!) and I growl, but she doesn’t seem to notice. And even then, I try not to fight, I just shout really, really loud at her! The problemI,… she shouts back! She seems to have the same temper!

So there we are, both of us, doing our thing, but then sometimes, a cuddler tries to stop us, or hold one of us back, and then I lose it, can’t control it anymore; I have to fight! And so does she! We don’t really hurt each other, because we are family after all and we have to live together, so we just get it out of our system and then go about our own business.

Please, don’t think I’m mean or a bad dog, I really can’t help it. I’ve had this temper ever since I can remember and I do try to keep it under control. I do love everyone, my cuddlers, the chief, Tiny,..just help me out a bit by not doing anything to set me off, please?

Note by the chief; Pommie is right of course; he can’t help it! Terriers have been created, by us, to fight and kill foxes, rats and other animals that fight back! The fiercest, most aggressive and best fighters were chosen to breed from, to create breeds that would not back down from a fight, with total disregard for their own safety. Though our terriers nowadays are a bit milder, they still have the genes that cause the ‘temper’ as Pom calls it and the more we try to stop them, the worse it gets. That is why we now have only one rule when Pom and Titi have a little ‘shouting contest’: Walk Away! They don’t want to hurt each other, they just have to get it out of their system. And of course; more important; help them by being aware of the triggers and avoiding them. Our volunteers all know about them by now 🙂

Question 1. How much money can we raise for Dawn and Dusk by holding a quiz night?

The answer was 1109€. An amazing amount from an amazing number of wonderfully generous people who came to Caylus last Friday. It was a fantastic evening, everyone enjoyed it, and huge thanks to Karl and Gill Lindsey who ran the quiz. Sorting out the pizzas were a bit of a challenge, but lessons learned! There was such a lovely friendly atmosphere, with people catching up with friends they’d not seen for a while, but the best thing was being able to tell people about Dawn and Dusk, and their generous donations to support our dogs.

Thank you so much to everyone who came and supported us. We will do it again!