So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog.” just smile, because they “just don’t understand.”

Authored by Richard A. Biby

I have read this many times and I still can not read it without crying. It just sums things up perfectly and it is comforting to know that others out there feel the same way about these wonderful creatures as I do.

This is one of my favourite photographs of just a dog, taken last spring. Such wisdom, sensitivity and pure gorgeousness!

I have been having a bit of a play, not sure which variation I like best – what about you?

Oldies are just such special creatures. Jasper has been with us almost a month now, which really isn’t long at all for a dog that presumably spent the first 12 years of his life in the same home, or at least with the same owner. Yet he has settled in so well with us that it feels as though he has been here so much longer. He really has become part of the family and it melts my heart and brings tears to my eyes when I see him in a relaxing on his bed, lying in front of the fire, snuggled in an armchair, or indeed trotting along beside us on a walk. I had a doze on the sofa last weekend and woke up to see he’d climbed onto the armchair opposite and was snuggled asleep

I’m sure he hasn’t forgotten those that loved him before us and I bet he has lots of wonderful memories, but I am so glad for him that he has fitted right in here and seems happy and content. He likes to be with us – which is good because we like to be with him too

In celebration of this post for the oldies I wanted to share some photographs I have taken of other dogs adopted from Oldies Club. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting all the dogs Oldies Club has rehomed, but it’s been fantastic to meet those I have.

This is the lovely Jess, rehomed last year:

and this one sums Jess up I would say – I wonder if her mum and dad would agree?

This is the very handsome Joe:

This is the lovely Sid – my heart always thuds a little faster when I see a black Labrador, I just love them! Poor Sid spent about 6 weeks in the pound before a rescue angel saved him – he then developed pneumonia, poor boy, but thankfully made it through, went into Oldies Club foster care … and stayed there, in the most wonderful forever home.

This is the very sweet Peggy, previously called Mattie.

In order to appreciate how Peggy staffie looks now, you really need to look at the before photographs but *warning* they are upsetting. Her foster home and new mum and dad have done wonders with her and in spite of what she has been through, she’s a lovely little girl.

Trixie is a little collie x JRT who was adopted by a lovely lady last year. I went to see Trixie in her new home to see how she had settled in and she is a very sweet girl.

Trixie and her mum came on the Oldies Club Winter Walkies which a friend organised in December and had a lovely time:

Alice is a teeny terrier and another Oldies Club dog I visited in her new home, after adoption. She shares her home with a beautiful lurcher and a number of cats and she is a very sweet girl too.

Now I couldn’t post about oldies and leave out Jasper could I? So although you’ve seen it before, here is one of my favourite photos of him to date. He certainly knows how to work the camera!

It’s been a real privilege to meet these lovely oldies and I hope to meet more in the future If anyone reading this is thinking of getting a dog, PLEASE consider adopting from rescue. Thousands of healthy dogs are put down each year in the UK because there are not enough good homes available for all the dogs waiting.

A few photos from today, he’s rather good at working the camera, don’t you think?

He’s rather handsome isn’t he?

Gotta love that white paw

Gorgeous is …

The dogs love to lie in front of the fire – with their thick coats they will get really close to the fire, often closer than my skin can tolerate. They look so warm and content. (Don’t worry, I am very protective of my dogs and they are safe.)

There’s not much more comforting than seeing an oldie resting in front of a warm fire at this time of year …

The handsome Jasper has been with us just over two weeks now and has settled in so well. He’s a real treasure, a very special boy indeed

Sweetie was straying before she was picked up and held in a stray kennels for a few weeks, so she was adopted without history. We think she was around 12-13 years when she came to us. She was an old lady looking for a place to rest her head for however long she had left – and to be honest, when she first came to us, I don’t think anyone thought that would be for very long.

In the end we had three wonderful years and months with her, which was probably about three years longer than first expected. She came from “up north” but a rescue volunteer very kindly drove her down to Wales – coincidentally the same town that Jasper came from. I went on the train to bring her home as we didn’t have a car back then. I did get a few stares on the train on the way back as she wasn’t in the greatest of condition after what she’d been through. I’ll be forever grateful to the smartly dressed businessman who asked me about her, rather than just looking, and gave me the chance to explain that I’d literally just met her and was taking her home to her new life.

My husband chose the name Sweetie for her and it suited her. She was a sweet old lady who I’m sure would have been quite a character in her youth. We have no idea of her history but I have always felt she belonged to someone nice at some point. She didn’t have any fears – other than the camera, unfortunately. That would send her into a bit of a panic so photos were taken when she was unaware/from a distance. I think she would have had a decent life for most of it, I suspect sadly that something happened to her (elderly?) owner and Sweetie then ended up on the streets This is just a feeling on my part, but I hope if it is the case that her previous owner knew she ended up being loved again and taken care of.

Since Sweetie disliked the camera, I don’t have many great photographs of her However this is one of my favourites. We had always hoped to take her on holiday and to the beach in particular and one year we booked a holiday in Wales, staying in a house on a dog-friendly farm. We took her to the beach, along with our other dogs.

I will treasure this photo of Sweetie and my husband, going for a paddle, for all time. Sweetie, we miss you. We think you’d approve of Jasper.

Took a few more photos of our new Oldies Club dog Jasper, who you can read more about further down this blog.

I’d quite like to get up now please Mum

Our handsome old(er) man

Love him!

My very handsome older Lab, nearly 11 but doesn’t believe he’s a day over 11 months and that’s how we’d like things to stay thank you

A snow-clad gate which I thought was rather pretty …

This photo has made me smile LOTS since I downloaded it. Just what you need to cheer you up on a cold winter’s eve …

Looking rather stunning in the snowy sunshine:

I think this tree always looks beautiful with the sun behind it, whatever the weather …

And lastly but very gorgeously, a rather thoughtful pose from the collie

Hope you’ve enjoyed looking?

We do love the snow in this house though, partly because we were married in Canada 11 years ago today, when the country had LOTS and LOTS of snow (even for Canada I gather it was extreme!). We were married in the evening in a small ceremony with a few friends and as we left the venue it was dark with lots of snow falling. So beautiful. We went to an Irish pub for dinner and a few drinks (our wedding reception!) and the waitress very kindly bought us a pint each, our first drinks as a married couple

Anyway, enough of us, some photos of dogs in the snow, starting with Jasper, our newly adopted oldie:

He has a lovely thick coat to help keep him warm. These photos were in our garden just before a walk as he has to stay on lead for the time being.

I really like this one

This photograph features my lovely husband, who rather adores Jasper and the feeling is mutual. Plus Jasper of course and our lovely collie, who apparently didn’t want to be photographed at this particular time LOL.