Baz - Staffie Lab X, Dog (3-4 Years)

So great to see him finally happy and settled in a forever home that even has a Baz coloured floor! Baz, you lucky boy! Thank you for keeping us all updated

Yes, we did pick him because he goes so well with the floors and soft furnishings.......

Oh Baz you lucky boy your bed looks so cosy. Im so pleased your settling in you deserve a lovely caring home. Thanks for keeping his forum updated as we think alot of Baz and its so nice to finally see him in his forever home. x

Aah Baz looks like youre settling in well.Well done Karen & family.Lovely to see him happy. Love the updates.Baz has so many friends they all ask me how hes doing.

I took Baz for his kennel cough vac this morning. It wasn't 100% plain sailing, he had the muzzle off twice in the waiting room, but the vet was lovely and we chatted and gave him plenty of time to become calmer before I put it on again. When she came near with the vac, he started to struggle (my word, he's strong!) but she had some tidbits of dried liver: one piece grabbed his attention, a second at the same time as administering the vaccine meant that he didn't even react and then a third for luck as the muzzle came off and he was all smiles again.

We then walked the long way home over the fields and he got a bit hyper after running scared from a black labrador on a lead. After that I think he was just trying to over compensate for being a scaredy cat and he charged at me a few times and nipped at my hands and jumper, but I calmly told him no and turned away from him, then we walked back to a half-buried branch that he'd discovered yesterday and I encouraged him to chew and pull it free.

This had the desired effect and he was then calmer so we went home and it was straight out into the back garden to find the boomer ball. He does this after every walk and I think he likes to make sure it's still there (although I have to hide it in the toybox during the hours of darkness for the sake of the neighbours!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5KOd3rGzD-8



I found this today when I was uploading some videos of Tucker. This used to make my toes curl - where does the sound come from?

Hope you like the bits at the end with - the resident escapologist!!

Brilliant video, thanks Ria, the bit where Phoebe and bag streaks across the screen had us in stitches

It's too cold to go outside Mum

Hi Baz, Hope you have settled and become part of the family. I bet you are on the settee at night as we know you like to be a couch potato after tea. Have you made any buddies yet? Harvey and poppy send a big kiss and the valley pooches say hi xxx

Baz is establishing another fan base here in Cheltenham, my brother brought a friend round today just to see him (not me!) and he was suitably admiring



Baz is still obsessed with the boomer ball but the good news is that he has never once banged it into the fence - he has such good control of it. The bad news is that my lawn is now more mud than grass and so it is banished to the patio for the foreseeable...

Great picture, Baz looks very happy and content. Looks like he's got his paws well and truly under the duvet. It's great to see Baz looking so happy in his new home

What a great picture Karen.Baz sure looks content,what a lucky lad he is.Hope hes giving you plenty of fun.Happy life Baz or what.Baz has a little corner of my heart. Lots of love Baz from Jan.

Yes, it was off to training classes for Baz and I, not because I think he needs a lot of training (thanks to Janet and Ria who did a great job with him) but mostly because I wanted him to have the socialisation, and, (drumroll) .......he was absolutely great with the other dogs

No growling, no snapping and he even greeted the entrance of one dog, a greyhound, with a wagging tail which was lovely to see.

We practised 'sit', 'down', 'heel' and 'come', even doing heel while weaving in and out of chairs and he did really well, even though he was rather obsessed with the treats in my pocket and did also jump up quite a lot, but all in all, I am really proud of him and we are definitely going to keep it up, so watch this space for updates.

Well done Baz

I think whatever the age or behaviour of the dog, the benefits of taking them to training classes is immense. It helps the bonding process too, and like you say, it helps the socialisation. Also, the camaraderie is usually great too with the other pet owners, and it's nice to go walking socially with them too.

Sadly, living out in the sticks, there are very few training classes to attend over this way (and to be honest, the cost and unknown length of time a foster will be with me is also another consideration), so my training only goes as far as what I can do at home. I have to save my pennies for coats, toys, leads, beds, food and treats!

I wish there was a club like Jesses Mum attends over this way. I would love to do agility. Maybe I should just set up my own course in the garden At the moment it only consists of a boomer ball (well chewed now that we have Tucker!).

Baz gave me a dreadful fright today, which I thought I'd share: we were geocaching in the grounds of Pershore Abbey and he was quite clearly bored with my careful inspection of a tree. Suddenly, without any warning, he jumped over the adjacent boundary wall which was 2-3 feet high on our side, but a good 8-10 feet on the other side.

I screamed and looked over to see that he was standing in the road having either over-shot or skidded off the pavement. He looked quite shocked but appeared unhurt. Fortunately he was on the extender lead, so I guided him back on to the path and we both walked parallel to the wall until we got to the nearest gate and were re-united.

He looked quite sheepish and obviously thought that he was going to be scolded (probably because of the scream) but I was just delighted that he was ok.


Here's hoping he's learnt his lesson!!!

Wa-hahahahahahahahahaha!! Oh bless him, I can just imagine it! Good job the drop wasn't bigger - you would have had to wind him in on the extender - I have a visual in my mind of him hanging on the end of the extender and you pulling him up!

Always full of mischief! Never a dull moment!! And as for learning his lesson .....

Hahahahaha, bless him. Glad that nothing happened to him

What a great morning we had walking with Baz in Queens Wood, near Hereford. Many thanks Karen for bringing him over. It was brilliant to see him again, and wonderful for him and Phoebe to have so much fun playing chase in the woods (before Phoebe got the scent of rabbits, of course! )

We had a wonderful time this morning, it was great to see Phil, Ria and Phoebe (although we missed Tucker) and trying to escape Phoebe's embraces thoroughly tired Baz out - he curled up on his duvet most of the way home, just occasionally lifting his head up for a quick look round - quietest car journey we've ever had

Wow Baz you look so well & happy.Its lovely to see you settled in your forever home & be truly loved.Lots of love Jan.

Looking good Bazzer ! Great to see you looking so happy in your forever home

I've just been reading Baz's forum posts again, and it's reminded me how far we've come.

Baz is truly a member of the family, and is loved to bits.

The few niggles that we had initially have all disappeared: he's absolutely fine meeting other dogs, and I have no worries at all on that score, he travels well in the car and seldom whines and he doesn't jump up and nip my bag or sleeves on walks any more.

I gave up on the training classes: he was constantly trying to get hold of the treats in my hand or pockets, and I just found it too stressful, but he is perfectly well behaved anyway (I think). He only ever gets a treat for 'come' when off lead, and so he usually comes like a bullet from a gun! He sits when told, he waits on his bed until he is allowed to his food bowl and he knows that when he comes in from the garden, he has to sit with all 4 paws on the bed there until told he can leave it (this helps to keep the floors dry when it's wet outside).

He loves being fussed and played with and he still loves his boomer ball. He loves visiting my parents, although he finds Tess too energetic and warns her off with a growl.

When my Dad takes him out, he walks for about 20 minutes before deciding it's time to go home, they have worked up to 20 minutes, as at the very start, he would only go a few yards down the road (we think he was worried that he was being taken away).

He and I walk for miles though - because of my hobby of geocaching we go to new places every week and he loves it. His absolute favourite thing, which he indulged today, is to run at top speed through smelly, muddy water.

He is a wonderful companion, and I will be eternally grateful to his foster carers, Janet and Ria, for giving him a chance and for contributing to this forum, as without it, we would never have found our Bazzy-boo