Mary Walshe's Posts - Exclusively Setters2024-03-28T21:03:25ZMary Walshehttp://irishsetters.ning.com/profile/MaryWalshehttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1950777319?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://irishsetters.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=2zfdmtmygniqw&xn_auth=noThe Robin Story continnued: Tribute to Fidotag:irishsetters.ning.com,2010-05-13:865021:BlogPost:3222502010-05-13T15:14:52.000ZMary Walshehttp://irishsetters.ning.com/profile/MaryWalshe
<p><strong><font size="5">***********A TRIBUTE TO FIDO***********</font></strong></p>
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<p>I am reminded of a picture and poem that hung over my bed as a child. It had been my night time prayer for all the years of my childhood. It's a little verse that everychild should grow up with and know. I have often heard it said that we are on the shore of life looking out into the horizon of our future,the choices are ours and we are at the helm.…</p>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1974205168?profile=original"></img></p>
<p><strong><font size="5">***********A TRIBUTE TO FIDO***********</font></strong></p>
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<p>I am reminded of a picture and poem that hung over my bed as a child. It had been my night time prayer for all the years of my childhood. It's a little verse that everychild should grow up with and know. I have often heard it said that we are on the shore of life looking out into the horizon of our future,the choices are ours and we are at the helm.</p>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><img alt="" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1974205168?profile=original"/></p>
<p><font size="4">He asks me no questions</font></p>
<p><font size="4">He tells me no lies</font></p>
<p><font size="4">And when I address him</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Looks straight in my eyes.</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Content with a little</font></p>
<p><font size="4">He never despairs</font></p>
<p><font size="4">But in all of my troubles</font></p>
<p><font size="4">He willingly shares.</font></p>
<p><font size="4">He asks for so little</font></p>
<p><font size="4">He gives me so much.</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Dear Lord,</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Always may sympathy</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Dwell in my touch!</font></p>
<p><font size="1">Author unknown</font></p>
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<p>There is a part of ourselves that we never discover until we own a dog and a part of ouselves that never matures until we have loved and lost, but yet, even though our buddy may nolonger stand on the shore with us, we smile and remember, and are enriched by all the things that we have learned and shared with our canine friend along the way, and we look out at the horizon, knowing that we are at the helm, and that, though invisible to the human eye, our canine buddy stands right there with us, by our side, facing each tomorrow as it comes, encouraging us to love again, for the well of love within us never runs dry!</p>
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<p>The very first encounter I had with a Red setter was at the ripe old age of 5 and the setter's name was Fido. He had lost his way during a shoot on the mountain and his owner couldnt find him. He somehow made his way to our garden and for two whole weeks we were the proud owners of a beautiful red setter boy. We tried out many names and eventually found out that he answered to Fido. I was in seventh heaven, and Fido was my first dog and my very best friend. However, Fido's owner soon found out where his precious setter had rambled to, and sadly came to take him home. I was devastated. Fido had made getting up in the morning alot of fun, getting dressed too was a lot of fun with Fido running round the room with my shoes and socks in his mouth and me playing chase with him until both of us, laughing and tired would fall back onto the bed together. Those were wonderful days that I shall remember forever, and though I never saw Fido again, and I know he has long ago left this earth, I shall always remember and cherish the treasure chest of joy he left behind. For in the short time that I shared with him he left me a lifetime of loving memories.</p>
<p>After Fido left, I gave my parents no peace at all until I got a dog of my own, and so began my love affair with dogs which has lasted the whole of my life, and in particular my love of rescue dogs. You never know the gift of love and joy that lies in store for you when you take in and feed and care for, that poor stray dog in the garden!</p>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left">And so, when Robin and I go to bed at night with all Robins brother and sister doggie family, and we pray the Lord our souls to keep, we thank Him too for all the dogs through all the years that have graced our lives with their love. And as Robin curls up in her chair, asleep, I smile, and think of Fido, and know his spirit is somewhere here beside me too, still touching my life with his love and laughter and madhatter setter pranks!</p>The story of Robintag:irishsetters.ning.com,2010-05-12:865021:BlogPost:3218012010-05-12T02:30:00.000ZMary Walshehttp://irishsetters.ning.com/profile/MaryWalshe
<p><font size="6"><strong><font size="5">********************THE STORY OF ROBIN*******************</font></strong></font></p>
<p><font size="6"><strong><font size="4">A few weeks ago I saw an advert on the web, a six month old Red Setter puppy was for sale, the advert included a picture, and that picture spoke a thousand words!</font></strong></font></p>
<p><font size="6"><strong><font size="4">Robin was the puppy's name and her ribs were sticking out through her, each one of them could be…</font></strong></font></p>
<p><font size="6"><strong><font size="5">********************THE STORY OF ROBIN*******************</font></strong></font></p>
<p><font size="6"><strong><font size="4">A few weeks ago I saw an advert on the web, a six month old Red Setter puppy was for sale, the advert included a picture, and that picture spoke a thousand words!</font></strong></font></p>
<p><font size="6"><strong><font size="4">Robin was the puppy's name and her ribs were sticking out through her, each one of them could be counted, she was like a skeleton with red skin clinging to the bones. I contacted the seller and purchased Robin. As soon as she was safe in my home, a friend of mine rang the seller and chastised him! He denied owning Robin and said that he only sold her for a friend of his. If his story is to be believed, then Robin had more than one bad home, no one will ever know the truth of what happened in Robins past, except Robin herself. We can only guess at the sad story she would tell us, if we could but understand her doggie chat and the sad whines in her nightmares!</font></strong></font></p>
<p><font size="6"><strong><font size="4">Enough about past history, Robin has now turned a corner, and I for one pledge to ensure that the wrongs of the past will never again be repeated in Robins life, for as long as she lives and as long as I live!</font></strong></font></p>
<p><font size="6"><strong><font size="4">When Robin came she was very agressive towards my other dogs. She would growl and snap at them, and because she was so agressive they didnt befriend her either, so I put Robin in a pen where she could see and hear and sniff my dogs without being able to bite or injure them. Day one went by with meals on the hour for Robin, she could only eat a tiny bit at a time, her little tummy couldnt handle anymore. Day 2; she was getting meals every two hours and putting up weight. By the end of day 4 she was on 4 meals a day and eating heartilly! Robin was also afraid of open spaces to begin with, and she had no muscle mass at all, it is very likely that she was kept in a confined space with little or no exercise and even less food and water! Electrolites helped rehydrate her, and she was treated for internal and external parasites, given calcium and vitamins each day and when she improved she was vacinated and microchipped, received her first collar and harness, and became the light of my life!</font></strong></font></p>
<p><font size="6"><strong><font size="4">It was Katie my Gt. Dane (my wise old lady of 11 plus,) who figured out Robins needs far better and sooner than I did. In her wisdom she must have seen and understood Robins fear. Behind my back Katie opened the bolt on Robins Pen, pushed the door in and boldly walked up to Robin, ignoring her snarls and snaps. I watched in amazement as Katie just stood there and allowed Robin the space to gain her confidence. Next, one of my other dogs; Tiger, came on the scene, and she picked up a toy and threw it at Robin Hey presto! The playing started and never stopped, and it has continnued ever since, with Robin being very attached to a squeakymat toy with a long fluffy tail. This toy is often found between her paws or under her head when she lies down! I couldnt envisage being without Robin now, she pours her whole heart and soul into loving me and making me happy. Robin has certainly given me a lot more since I met her than I could ever hope to give back to her in a whole lifetime! Did I rescue Robin? Or is it Robin with her zest for life who has rescued me from relative boredom and shown me a fast moving world full of Red Setter joy?</font></strong></font></p>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font size="6"><strong>Robin's bubbly energy energizes me!</strong></font></p>
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<p><font size="6"><strong>Robin loves her harness and canicross!</strong></font></p>
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