Happily Homed
SLIPPY
"In February 2010 our beloved English Bull Terrier, Roma, died at the ripe old age of 15. It wasn’t long before we realised that our house wasn’t a home without a doggie to love and look after.
Within a month or so Dean and I began looking on “rescue dog” websites (we did not want a puppy as we felt there were far too many unwanted dogs in the world who needed to be loved.)
Initially, due to our background with Bull Terriers we felt we would be an ideal family to adopt an unwanted Staffy or other Bull Breed. However, most rescue centres disagreed and would not help us due to the fact that we had our son, Freddie.
We began to research adopting a Greyhound (a breed we knew very little about) and through the internet found Castledon’s website. We also lived in Wickford and emailed them straight away.
From the outset we found Jodie and Sandra very thorough, knowledgeable and professional. We explained that after years of looking after and old sick dog, we wanted a friend for Freddie who we could take out with us on days out and have fun with.
Jodie put such a lot of thought into this, taking in to account Freddie’s age and personality, as well as our own personal circumstances, for instance, I would need a dog who could be walked easily while I was also pushing a pushchair!
Jodie recommended either Minto or Slippy. Minto had just been given to her by a family and she knew he was good with children and likely to be easily re-homed. Slippy, however, had never had a home and had often been overlooked at the kennels because of her bouncy, excitable nature! She had been with Jodie for nearly a year, but Jodie felt that she would calm down once she was in a home environment.
We met at the local country park and walked Minto first. He was a very agreeable dog and we knew he would easily be re-homed. But, when we met Slippy she bounced out of the car and licked us all over. We fell in love with her! We could see past her over-excitedness and knew it was because she had so much love to give. We wanted to take her home right then, however, Jodie wanted to make absolutely sure it would work before we adopted her so we arranged another walk with Freddie in his pushchair so we could see how she would behave with other dogs and cats etc. She behaved perfectly!
I was so impressed with Jodie’s thoroughness. This is why Castledon are so different to other re-homing centres. They work so hard to re-home dogs, but take the time to make sure it is the RIGHT home and I cannot praise them enough for this.
It is now August 2010 and we have had Slippy for 4 months. She has enhanced our lives in more ways than we could have ever imagined.
She is still as bouncy, licky and energetic as ever - Jodie sometimes wonders if she is actually a Greyhound!! She is the exception rather than the rule!
She loves playing with her squeaky toys and running round and round the garden (her mini-track!). She has been for a paddle in the sea and jumped three-foot high the first time she saw a wave! But most of all she loves meeting her “Greyhound friends” at the park every morning and once she has (finally) worn herself out she enjoys her 12 hour sleep each night in her bed!
We have so much fun with her. Freddie loves her so much and spends most of his time copying her! Dean and I cannot believe how our lives have changed since having her. People we meet are so happy to see a retired Greyhound and so interested in her life. The four or us go on Greyhound walks and days out together and we have met so many other Greyhounds, all of which have such a gentle and friendly disposition (and their owners aren’t bad either!)
Being only a stone’s throw away from Castledon we often see Jodie and the other volunteers too! Slippy remembers and adores all of them. As do all the other Greyhounds and people who have one of their hounds!
We would now recommend adopting a Greyhound to young and old alike and would urge anyone who reads this to re-home a Castledon hound or support them in any way possible so they can continue their excellent work.
Thank you Slippy and Castledon for making our house a home again!"
Claire, Dean & Freddie Suett
Wickford, Essex
Within a month or so Dean and I began looking on “rescue dog” websites (we did not want a puppy as we felt there were far too many unwanted dogs in the world who needed to be loved.)
Initially, due to our background with Bull Terriers we felt we would be an ideal family to adopt an unwanted Staffy or other Bull Breed. However, most rescue centres disagreed and would not help us due to the fact that we had our son, Freddie.
We began to research adopting a Greyhound (a breed we knew very little about) and through the internet found Castledon’s website. We also lived in Wickford and emailed them straight away.
From the outset we found Jodie and Sandra very thorough, knowledgeable and professional. We explained that after years of looking after and old sick dog, we wanted a friend for Freddie who we could take out with us on days out and have fun with.
Jodie put such a lot of thought into this, taking in to account Freddie’s age and personality, as well as our own personal circumstances, for instance, I would need a dog who could be walked easily while I was also pushing a pushchair!
Jodie recommended either Minto or Slippy. Minto had just been given to her by a family and she knew he was good with children and likely to be easily re-homed. Slippy, however, had never had a home and had often been overlooked at the kennels because of her bouncy, excitable nature! She had been with Jodie for nearly a year, but Jodie felt that she would calm down once she was in a home environment.
We met at the local country park and walked Minto first. He was a very agreeable dog and we knew he would easily be re-homed. But, when we met Slippy she bounced out of the car and licked us all over. We fell in love with her! We could see past her over-excitedness and knew it was because she had so much love to give. We wanted to take her home right then, however, Jodie wanted to make absolutely sure it would work before we adopted her so we arranged another walk with Freddie in his pushchair so we could see how she would behave with other dogs and cats etc. She behaved perfectly!
I was so impressed with Jodie’s thoroughness. This is why Castledon are so different to other re-homing centres. They work so hard to re-home dogs, but take the time to make sure it is the RIGHT home and I cannot praise them enough for this.
It is now August 2010 and we have had Slippy for 4 months. She has enhanced our lives in more ways than we could have ever imagined.
She is still as bouncy, licky and energetic as ever - Jodie sometimes wonders if she is actually a Greyhound!! She is the exception rather than the rule!
She loves playing with her squeaky toys and running round and round the garden (her mini-track!). She has been for a paddle in the sea and jumped three-foot high the first time she saw a wave! But most of all she loves meeting her “Greyhound friends” at the park every morning and once she has (finally) worn herself out she enjoys her 12 hour sleep each night in her bed!
We have so much fun with her. Freddie loves her so much and spends most of his time copying her! Dean and I cannot believe how our lives have changed since having her. People we meet are so happy to see a retired Greyhound and so interested in her life. The four or us go on Greyhound walks and days out together and we have met so many other Greyhounds, all of which have such a gentle and friendly disposition (and their owners aren’t bad either!)
Being only a stone’s throw away from Castledon we often see Jodie and the other volunteers too! Slippy remembers and adores all of them. As do all the other Greyhounds and people who have one of their hounds!
We would now recommend adopting a Greyhound to young and old alike and would urge anyone who reads this to re-home a Castledon hound or support them in any way possible so they can continue their excellent work.
Thank you Slippy and Castledon for making our house a home again!"
Claire, Dean & Freddie Suett
Wickford, Essex
TINK
"At the beginning of 2010 we decided that after many years of talking about it, this year would be the year that we got a dog. But it proved to be easier said than done and we were really surprised about how many obstacles some of the local rescues put in our way even though we knew we could give a loving home to a dog.
We got a bit despondent, gave up for a bit then did a bit more research and discovered that a retired greyhound might be perfect for us.
We found Castledon on the internet and really liked the sound of them; we particularly liked their way of doing a home visit first. So before long Jodie and Sandra came to meet us and gave us the thumbs up. We were so excited.
On a scorching hot day in May we travelled round the M25 to Castledon and met three lovely boys, Cracker, Minto and Tink. We took them all out for a walk at the local park but found it almost impossible to make a decision between the three. Looking back though we think that Tink made the decision for us because as soon as he got out of Jodie’s van he cocked his leg up our car so perhaps it was more of a case of him choosing us!
Jodie described Tink as a laid back boy who had been overlooked. She felt that once he was in a loving home his real personality would shine through and boy how right she was.
When we first met him we both said that if he was a person then Tink would be the one that would shrug his shoulders and say, “whatever”. But he is so different now. He has changed into a charming and happy young boy. He absolutely adores his walks and is beside himself with joy when he plays with his toys. His favourites are those that squeak and when we come downstairs in the morning he gets out of bed, dives on his toy and gives us 20 squeaks!
He has settled into home life so quickly. He became housetrained practically from the first day; has never tried to climb upstairs or jump on the sofa (probably because he’s got such a delightful selection of leopard-print beds of his own to choose from that our rather dull grey sofa doesn’t appeal).
He has made so many friends – human and canine – since he moved to Bovingdon. To help him socialise with other dogs we take him to a brilliant training class each week where has made friends with Toby who is a 6 month old golden retriever and Chester who is an 8 month old Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They love to play together. Whilst Tink will never win any prizes he stopped barking at the other dogs after the first session and is even learning some (very) basic commands such as stay and come with varying degrees of success. In any event the rest of the group find him very entertaining and we are like proud parents each time we make a tiny amount of progress.
Our families, friends and neighbours really love Tink. For our part he has changed us from a happy couple to a very happy family.
If you are thinking about adopting a greyhound then we cannot recommend them highly enough. They are affectionate, gentle and rewarding.
We think that Jodie and everyone at Castledon do a fantastic job and we want to say a huge thank you to you all for introducing us to our boy Tink."
Tony and Rose
Bovingdon, Hertfordshire
We got a bit despondent, gave up for a bit then did a bit more research and discovered that a retired greyhound might be perfect for us.
We found Castledon on the internet and really liked the sound of them; we particularly liked their way of doing a home visit first. So before long Jodie and Sandra came to meet us and gave us the thumbs up. We were so excited.
On a scorching hot day in May we travelled round the M25 to Castledon and met three lovely boys, Cracker, Minto and Tink. We took them all out for a walk at the local park but found it almost impossible to make a decision between the three. Looking back though we think that Tink made the decision for us because as soon as he got out of Jodie’s van he cocked his leg up our car so perhaps it was more of a case of him choosing us!
Jodie described Tink as a laid back boy who had been overlooked. She felt that once he was in a loving home his real personality would shine through and boy how right she was.
When we first met him we both said that if he was a person then Tink would be the one that would shrug his shoulders and say, “whatever”. But he is so different now. He has changed into a charming and happy young boy. He absolutely adores his walks and is beside himself with joy when he plays with his toys. His favourites are those that squeak and when we come downstairs in the morning he gets out of bed, dives on his toy and gives us 20 squeaks!
He has settled into home life so quickly. He became housetrained practically from the first day; has never tried to climb upstairs or jump on the sofa (probably because he’s got such a delightful selection of leopard-print beds of his own to choose from that our rather dull grey sofa doesn’t appeal).
He has made so many friends – human and canine – since he moved to Bovingdon. To help him socialise with other dogs we take him to a brilliant training class each week where has made friends with Toby who is a 6 month old golden retriever and Chester who is an 8 month old Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They love to play together. Whilst Tink will never win any prizes he stopped barking at the other dogs after the first session and is even learning some (very) basic commands such as stay and come with varying degrees of success. In any event the rest of the group find him very entertaining and we are like proud parents each time we make a tiny amount of progress.
Our families, friends and neighbours really love Tink. For our part he has changed us from a happy couple to a very happy family.
If you are thinking about adopting a greyhound then we cannot recommend them highly enough. They are affectionate, gentle and rewarding.
We think that Jodie and everyone at Castledon do a fantastic job and we want to say a huge thank you to you all for introducing us to our boy Tink."
Tony and Rose
Bovingdon, Hertfordshire
KATIE & FLASH
"When the time came to get some more dogs we knew we wanted hounds, having had one before. Our search took us to the Castledon website. We liked their approach of getting to know their dogs and placing them in households best suited to them, as we'd be happy with any hounds but we wanted the hounds to be happy with us!
Homecheck duly completed, we went to Castledon to meet some hounds. We met five in all, and then came the hard part - choosing just two of them. Flash and Katie chose us as much as we chose them. Flash greeted us with bouncy enthusiasm while Katie metled our hearts with her resemblance to our first hound Sybil (we've since found that they are closely related). So it was that the next time we went to Castledon we came home with Katie fast asleep on the back seat and Flash very much awake in the back, taking in every detail of his next big adventure.
They settled in to our house straight away. On their first day they learned that in this house dogs are allowed on the sofas, that the little people in the TV aren't really in the room with us and that squeaky toys are hours of fun. We barely heard a peep out of them on the first night, and they've continued to make themselves at home ever since. Flash is the happiest, bounciest dog that we've ever known; everything in the world is an exciting adventure waiting to be enjoyed. Katie has really come out of her shell and is the biggest puppy in town, full of mischevious energy... at least until nap time!
We recently caught up with Jodie and several of the Castledon gang at the RGT Greyhound Extravaganza. As soon as they saw their old friends Katie and Flash both dashed over to them and got lots of fuss and cuddles.
We've had them nearly four months now and have become a really close, happy pack together. There's nothing quite like having a big group hug with two waggy leaning hounds! We couldn't have wished for two more splendid dogs. Thank you everyone at Castledon, from all four of us!"
Luke & Dawn Cave
Huntingdon, Cambridge
Homecheck duly completed, we went to Castledon to meet some hounds. We met five in all, and then came the hard part - choosing just two of them. Flash and Katie chose us as much as we chose them. Flash greeted us with bouncy enthusiasm while Katie metled our hearts with her resemblance to our first hound Sybil (we've since found that they are closely related). So it was that the next time we went to Castledon we came home with Katie fast asleep on the back seat and Flash very much awake in the back, taking in every detail of his next big adventure.
They settled in to our house straight away. On their first day they learned that in this house dogs are allowed on the sofas, that the little people in the TV aren't really in the room with us and that squeaky toys are hours of fun. We barely heard a peep out of them on the first night, and they've continued to make themselves at home ever since. Flash is the happiest, bounciest dog that we've ever known; everything in the world is an exciting adventure waiting to be enjoyed. Katie has really come out of her shell and is the biggest puppy in town, full of mischevious energy... at least until nap time!
We recently caught up with Jodie and several of the Castledon gang at the RGT Greyhound Extravaganza. As soon as they saw their old friends Katie and Flash both dashed over to them and got lots of fuss and cuddles.
We've had them nearly four months now and have become a really close, happy pack together. There's nothing quite like having a big group hug with two waggy leaning hounds! We couldn't have wished for two more splendid dogs. Thank you everyone at Castledon, from all four of us!"
Luke & Dawn Cave
Huntingdon, Cambridge
HOLLY
"When we first saw Holly on Castledon’s special appeal web page, we had just come to terms with the sad and untimely loss of our dear Poppy, (also from Castledon ).
We had a dog bed sitting empty and Sonny our other little dog was missing a companion, so we decided that perhaps we could help another hound and after a chat with Jodie our first introduction to Holly was arranged.
That weekend, Jodie and Sandra arrived at our door with Holly. We were aware she had paw deformities and a little stump for a tail, but despite her imperfections, to us she was just perfect and we quickly decided she was here for good.
It’s now 6 months on and Holly is completely settled in.
She’s a very friendly and loving dog. She is also lively and a bundle of fun. Holly loves to go out on long walks each day, exploring in the woods and local country park where she also loves to splash around in the stream and lake. She wears little boots when we go out. They keep her paws comfortable and protected, so she has no problems keeping up with Sonny and all their doggy friends. We love her and so does everyone she has come to know.
We have no regrets adopting Holly and it was the same with Poppy before. For anyone considering adopting a hound, do speak to Jodie or Sandra at Castledon."
The Lyons family,
Raleigh, Essex
We had a dog bed sitting empty and Sonny our other little dog was missing a companion, so we decided that perhaps we could help another hound and after a chat with Jodie our first introduction to Holly was arranged.
That weekend, Jodie and Sandra arrived at our door with Holly. We were aware she had paw deformities and a little stump for a tail, but despite her imperfections, to us she was just perfect and we quickly decided she was here for good.
It’s now 6 months on and Holly is completely settled in.
She’s a very friendly and loving dog. She is also lively and a bundle of fun. Holly loves to go out on long walks each day, exploring in the woods and local country park where she also loves to splash around in the stream and lake. She wears little boots when we go out. They keep her paws comfortable and protected, so she has no problems keeping up with Sonny and all their doggy friends. We love her and so does everyone she has come to know.
We have no regrets adopting Holly and it was the same with Poppy before. For anyone considering adopting a hound, do speak to Jodie or Sandra at Castledon."
The Lyons family,
Raleigh, Essex
DIXIE
"Dixie came to live with me in January 2010. It was something of a whirlwind “romance” – on my part anyway!
Before Christmas 2009 I was thinking of getting a dog, and had heard that a greyhound might be a suitable dog for me. Not wishing to rush into things, I went along to a Greyhound Walk to meet some hounds and find out more. As luck would have it, Jodie was there with Dixie, who needed a home. Dixie is a striking looking big white boy, and Jodie sang his praises but I hadn’t planned to make a decision just yet so I just got contact details at that stage.
I live quite a long way from Wickford, but enquiries with more local kennels met with either a lukewarm response, or my plans to visit were hampered by bad weather. Jodie, however, responded to my emails and came to do the home check on one of the worst days of the winter! She was really helpful in answering my questions and advising me about making the place suitable (I needed to install some fencing). We talked about suitable dogs – a couple of others were mentioned as well as Dixie, but he did sound perfect.
Anyway – following on from that meeting my plan to get a hound in March went by the board and I was keen to have one at home as soon after Christmas as I could manage. We arranged for me to meet some other dogs (and Dixie) on the New Year’s day Greyhound Walk, and I went to the kennels the day after to walk Dixie on his own, and take him shopping for a coat, collar, lead and other essentials. After a few delays with the fence building, he moved in within two weeks.
Dixie made himself at home as soon as he arrived, finding a comfortable spot on the sofa. He settled in very quickly and was soon enjoying his country walks. Within a few days he’d become a “Velcro dog” – following me from room to room, but even so, when I did have to go out and leave him he soon settled down until I returned. He also immediately made friends with his dog walker who takes him out on the days I have to work away from home. He’s a really happy, bouncy dog and loves meeting new people and expects them to like him too. I couldn’t wish for a better dog – he has many of the typical greyhound characteristics: placid temperament (except when he wants his walk!), loves people, and enjoys finding a comfortable spot to catch up on his sleep. He does, however, really love his walks – he gets very excited whenever we get ready to go out (and he often nags me to go out if he thinks he’s slept long enough!) and he will happily walk for an hour or more – sometimes digging his paws in if I try to head back home sooner than he would like!
He’s soon adapted to country life and loves checking out rabbit holes and watching out for wildlife in the fields. One of his other hobbies is “helping” me unpack the bags when I’ve been shopping – I think he enjoys his treats a lot more when he discovers them, rather than having them handed over!
I know I’m biased, but I do think he’s the perfect dog, for me anyway. It’s hard to believe that he had been homed before by another rehoming kennel but it didn’t work out (through no fault of his) and he was in danger of being put to sleep. It’s good to know how careful Jodie is to match the right dog with the right person to avoid such situations arising.
We paid a visit to Castledon a few weeks ago and Dixie was delighted to see his old friends there again – not surprising since they made a big fuss of him. He’ll be going back there for his holidays in the summer – I only hope I can get Jodie to give him up again!"
Sue Kaer
Suffolk
Before Christmas 2009 I was thinking of getting a dog, and had heard that a greyhound might be a suitable dog for me. Not wishing to rush into things, I went along to a Greyhound Walk to meet some hounds and find out more. As luck would have it, Jodie was there with Dixie, who needed a home. Dixie is a striking looking big white boy, and Jodie sang his praises but I hadn’t planned to make a decision just yet so I just got contact details at that stage.
I live quite a long way from Wickford, but enquiries with more local kennels met with either a lukewarm response, or my plans to visit were hampered by bad weather. Jodie, however, responded to my emails and came to do the home check on one of the worst days of the winter! She was really helpful in answering my questions and advising me about making the place suitable (I needed to install some fencing). We talked about suitable dogs – a couple of others were mentioned as well as Dixie, but he did sound perfect.
Anyway – following on from that meeting my plan to get a hound in March went by the board and I was keen to have one at home as soon after Christmas as I could manage. We arranged for me to meet some other dogs (and Dixie) on the New Year’s day Greyhound Walk, and I went to the kennels the day after to walk Dixie on his own, and take him shopping for a coat, collar, lead and other essentials. After a few delays with the fence building, he moved in within two weeks.
Dixie made himself at home as soon as he arrived, finding a comfortable spot on the sofa. He settled in very quickly and was soon enjoying his country walks. Within a few days he’d become a “Velcro dog” – following me from room to room, but even so, when I did have to go out and leave him he soon settled down until I returned. He also immediately made friends with his dog walker who takes him out on the days I have to work away from home. He’s a really happy, bouncy dog and loves meeting new people and expects them to like him too. I couldn’t wish for a better dog – he has many of the typical greyhound characteristics: placid temperament (except when he wants his walk!), loves people, and enjoys finding a comfortable spot to catch up on his sleep. He does, however, really love his walks – he gets very excited whenever we get ready to go out (and he often nags me to go out if he thinks he’s slept long enough!) and he will happily walk for an hour or more – sometimes digging his paws in if I try to head back home sooner than he would like!
He’s soon adapted to country life and loves checking out rabbit holes and watching out for wildlife in the fields. One of his other hobbies is “helping” me unpack the bags when I’ve been shopping – I think he enjoys his treats a lot more when he discovers them, rather than having them handed over!
I know I’m biased, but I do think he’s the perfect dog, for me anyway. It’s hard to believe that he had been homed before by another rehoming kennel but it didn’t work out (through no fault of his) and he was in danger of being put to sleep. It’s good to know how careful Jodie is to match the right dog with the right person to avoid such situations arising.
We paid a visit to Castledon a few weeks ago and Dixie was delighted to see his old friends there again – not surprising since they made a big fuss of him. He’ll be going back there for his holidays in the summer – I only hope I can get Jodie to give him up again!"
Sue Kaer
Suffolk
BEN & SOPHIE
"Before Jodie came to do our Home-check we had said we would like a little girl. When Jodie came she told us about the different dogs she had in her kennels, one was a dog called Turbo nearly 8 years old that she had for some months.
He had lived in kennels all his life and we thought it would be nice to give him some home comforts in his later years. He was due surgery on a lump under his chest so we would have to await the outcome of the operation. Luckily the lump was found to be benign.
We had decided we would like to have a girl as well. When we came back from our holiday Jodie rang to say she had got a suitable girl, that she had put them together and that they were getting on well together. A few days later we went to see them. We thought they were great and just what we wanted, so the following week they came to live with us.
Turbo became Ben, and Jodie had named the girl Sophie which we thought suited her. Sophie was rather nervous and we had to take her on a lead in the garden regularly as the open space was just too much for her, but Ben loved it and would lay out on the garden lawn sunning himself. They settled down at night and were totally clean in the house.
Over the next few weeks Sophie gradually changed, found she could climb the stairs, and has become a very confident and loving little dog. Ben cant climb stairs and we have had to put small mats where there are shiny floors as he can slip over. Sophie is definitely the boss and Ben is quite happy to accept that. It has surprised us how dogs that have lived in kennels all their lives have adapted to a home life so very quickly. They are both such affectionate dogs and love cuddles and as much love as you can give them. It has been lovely over time watching their personalities develop. They are excellent travellers and love going in the car for days out.
Ben doesnt like fireworks so we have to turn up the television until they have stopped. They are great companions to us & we adore them. We would thoroughly recommend a Greyhound to anyone thinking of adopting a dog.
The thing that we like so much is that Jodie & Sandra know their dogs so well. They really care about each dog as an individual and can match a suitable dog to you, rather than you picking a dog you dont know anything about. They are always there for advice & help if needed."
Derek & Maureen Blake
Braintree, Essex.
He had lived in kennels all his life and we thought it would be nice to give him some home comforts in his later years. He was due surgery on a lump under his chest so we would have to await the outcome of the operation. Luckily the lump was found to be benign.
We had decided we would like to have a girl as well. When we came back from our holiday Jodie rang to say she had got a suitable girl, that she had put them together and that they were getting on well together. A few days later we went to see them. We thought they were great and just what we wanted, so the following week they came to live with us.
Turbo became Ben, and Jodie had named the girl Sophie which we thought suited her. Sophie was rather nervous and we had to take her on a lead in the garden regularly as the open space was just too much for her, but Ben loved it and would lay out on the garden lawn sunning himself. They settled down at night and were totally clean in the house.
Over the next few weeks Sophie gradually changed, found she could climb the stairs, and has become a very confident and loving little dog. Ben cant climb stairs and we have had to put small mats where there are shiny floors as he can slip over. Sophie is definitely the boss and Ben is quite happy to accept that. It has surprised us how dogs that have lived in kennels all their lives have adapted to a home life so very quickly. They are both such affectionate dogs and love cuddles and as much love as you can give them. It has been lovely over time watching their personalities develop. They are excellent travellers and love going in the car for days out.
Ben doesnt like fireworks so we have to turn up the television until they have stopped. They are great companions to us & we adore them. We would thoroughly recommend a Greyhound to anyone thinking of adopting a dog.
The thing that we like so much is that Jodie & Sandra know their dogs so well. They really care about each dog as an individual and can match a suitable dog to you, rather than you picking a dog you dont know anything about. They are always there for advice & help if needed."
Derek & Maureen Blake
Braintree, Essex.
TIGGER
"We saw Tigger on the Castledon website and fell for her. Her previous owner of seven years had to return her to Castledon as a result of his severe ill health.
Essex was a long way from us here in Cornwall, but Jodie replied very quickly to our email and said, wonderfully, that they would be prepared to bring Tigger here to meet us and do the home check.
We passed all the very careful checks made by Jodie & Sandra and the joyous day came when Tigger arrived.
It took Jodie and Sandra five hours to drive down here to Cornwall and we so appreciated their coming all that way. Tigger is a gorgeous big girl, she has just turned 11 years old.
My existing dogs Ted, an elderly Border Collie and Kenny, a young lurcher, gave her a loving welcome. I have rescued dogs all my life and find they always seem to get on well.
We all went for a walk together before introducing Tigger to our home. She inspected every corner and then settled on the futon upstairs Bless Her. Jodie and Sandra went away for a coffee to let us see how Tigger was and when they returned Tigger was happily settled with her Boys.
When they said we could keep Tigger and bought in all her things we were so touched to see that her previous owner had sent her big mug with Tigger printed on it for her daily cup of tea!
It's a joy having Tigger with us, she loves everything the four of us do together.
She is greeted by everyone on our walks and really enjoys all our friends visiting. Like all my dogs, Tigger even enjoys visiting our vets and makes friends there too. She is a big gentle giant, everybody loves her.
After we had owned her for six months Tigger was assessed as a Pets As Therapy dog and a Blue Cross Education dog. She loves going into schools with Ted, Kenny and I, as the children ooh and aah in excitement Tigger acknowledges her audience from the assembly stage.
She also enjoys going into nursing homes and visiting the sick and elderly where she gives so much pleasure to them.
The futon is still her favourite sleeping place upstairs but she loves the sofa downstairs as well. We are so glad Jodie and Sandra let us have her, she has bought such joy into our lives. Thank you Jodie and Sandra for driving so far for us and for trusting us with Gorgeous Tigger. We love her to bits."
Sally, Ted, Kenny and Tigger
Cornwall
Essex was a long way from us here in Cornwall, but Jodie replied very quickly to our email and said, wonderfully, that they would be prepared to bring Tigger here to meet us and do the home check.
We passed all the very careful checks made by Jodie & Sandra and the joyous day came when Tigger arrived.
It took Jodie and Sandra five hours to drive down here to Cornwall and we so appreciated their coming all that way. Tigger is a gorgeous big girl, she has just turned 11 years old.
My existing dogs Ted, an elderly Border Collie and Kenny, a young lurcher, gave her a loving welcome. I have rescued dogs all my life and find they always seem to get on well.
We all went for a walk together before introducing Tigger to our home. She inspected every corner and then settled on the futon upstairs Bless Her. Jodie and Sandra went away for a coffee to let us see how Tigger was and when they returned Tigger was happily settled with her Boys.
When they said we could keep Tigger and bought in all her things we were so touched to see that her previous owner had sent her big mug with Tigger printed on it for her daily cup of tea!
It's a joy having Tigger with us, she loves everything the four of us do together.
She is greeted by everyone on our walks and really enjoys all our friends visiting. Like all my dogs, Tigger even enjoys visiting our vets and makes friends there too. She is a big gentle giant, everybody loves her.
After we had owned her for six months Tigger was assessed as a Pets As Therapy dog and a Blue Cross Education dog. She loves going into schools with Ted, Kenny and I, as the children ooh and aah in excitement Tigger acknowledges her audience from the assembly stage.
She also enjoys going into nursing homes and visiting the sick and elderly where she gives so much pleasure to them.
The futon is still her favourite sleeping place upstairs but she loves the sofa downstairs as well. We are so glad Jodie and Sandra let us have her, she has bought such joy into our lives. Thank you Jodie and Sandra for driving so far for us and for trusting us with Gorgeous Tigger. We love her to bits."
Sally, Ted, Kenny and Tigger
Cornwall
REGGIE
"It is coming up to Reggie’s second Christmas with us and we have shared some great times together and are looking forward to many more.
Well it all started after seeing the Castledon Kennel re-homing poster in our local newsagent. Having been brought up around greyhounds I was well aware what fabulous family pets they become and decided to contact them to see if we would be suitable. After a home visit and Jodie matching suitable dogs, we visited the kennels and clamped our eyes on ‘Bouncy’ Reggie. It was love at first sight and since then we have not looked back.
Reggie settled in so quickly and became part of our family; he is loved by us and everyone he meets.
So Reggie, what have you got up to in your first year….?
I have gained two step sisters Isla (Labrador) and Ruby (Lab/collie). They have taught me lots of new tricks and taken me on lots of new adventures. We are the ‘Three Musketeers’ and great pals.
I have travelled around the country to the Lake District, Peak District and as far as the Scottish Highlands. Even taking a dip whilst chasing ducks and making the local paper in the suspected Loch Ness Monster hoax.
Made lots of new dog walking friends and sometimes meet up with them to have some fun. But sadly my Mum often chats for far too long, leaving me to sit and listen to the local gossip again and again!
Though I have to say my favourite would be the Greyhound Walks where I get the chance to meet up with Jodie, Sandra, Dale and Andrea from Castledon. I have never forgotten the care and love they gave me.
I entered the Greyhound Walks show for a laugh and helped raise some money for my fellow pals and would you believe it? I got 3rd place in my class. Mum was so proud she treated to me to some organic treats.
To be honest I love my walks, but I also look forward to my Mum and James leaving me, so I can catch up on my much needed ZZZZZZZZ’s. After all it is a dog’s life and I certainly fell on my feet here!"
"If you are considering re-homing a greyhound, I would highly recommend Castledon Kennels. Unlike other kennels, Jodie and Sandra spend a lot of time getting to know their dogs to ensure they are placed in a forever home and are always available should you need any help or support along the way."
Well it all started after seeing the Castledon Kennel re-homing poster in our local newsagent. Having been brought up around greyhounds I was well aware what fabulous family pets they become and decided to contact them to see if we would be suitable. After a home visit and Jodie matching suitable dogs, we visited the kennels and clamped our eyes on ‘Bouncy’ Reggie. It was love at first sight and since then we have not looked back.
Reggie settled in so quickly and became part of our family; he is loved by us and everyone he meets.
So Reggie, what have you got up to in your first year….?
I have gained two step sisters Isla (Labrador) and Ruby (Lab/collie). They have taught me lots of new tricks and taken me on lots of new adventures. We are the ‘Three Musketeers’ and great pals.
I have travelled around the country to the Lake District, Peak District and as far as the Scottish Highlands. Even taking a dip whilst chasing ducks and making the local paper in the suspected Loch Ness Monster hoax.
Made lots of new dog walking friends and sometimes meet up with them to have some fun. But sadly my Mum often chats for far too long, leaving me to sit and listen to the local gossip again and again!
Though I have to say my favourite would be the Greyhound Walks where I get the chance to meet up with Jodie, Sandra, Dale and Andrea from Castledon. I have never forgotten the care and love they gave me.
I entered the Greyhound Walks show for a laugh and helped raise some money for my fellow pals and would you believe it? I got 3rd place in my class. Mum was so proud she treated to me to some organic treats.
To be honest I love my walks, but I also look forward to my Mum and James leaving me, so I can catch up on my much needed ZZZZZZZZ’s. After all it is a dog’s life and I certainly fell on my feet here!"
"If you are considering re-homing a greyhound, I would highly recommend Castledon Kennels. Unlike other kennels, Jodie and Sandra spend a lot of time getting to know their dogs to ensure they are placed in a forever home and are always available should you need any help or support along the way."
DOLLY
"My name is now Dolly and the past three months have been very exciting indeed. From living with all the other greyhounds that Jodie and Sandra care for I have now moved to live with Dave in Wickford which happens to be within barking distance of the kennels!!
As soon as I moved in with Dave I knew it was the place to be – he’s a 1mph couch potato!! I soon settled in and discovered Wick Country Park and a small wood nearby which we call Dollywood.
Dave works all day but sneaks home for lunch so whilst he is away I keep his double bed nice and warm; the only trouble is that Dave snores when he sleeps at night so I have to move to the living room. Dave has a very nice friend called Gill who lives in Chadwell Heath and we visit her every other weekend. She has a big garden and I help out by digging holes in the lawn so she can plant potatoes. Nobody bothered to take advantage of my efforts so I now sleep in the holes to keep cool when the sun gets too hot for me.
Dave and Gill took me on two holidays in the summer, one was on the Fens where I spooked a pheasant and fell into a pond and the other was at Great Yarmouth where I saw some seals and dug a MASSIVE hole in the sand – Dave fell down it!! Ha Ha!! Being on the sand reminded me of my racing days so I decided to take a run but forgot that Dave was on the other end of the lead – you should have seen his face!!!!! I love my soft toys which I move around the flat frequently – I have Shaun the Sheep, Little Ted, Nelly the Elephant, Fluffy Dice, Scruffy the Dog and Mr. Left and Mr. Right (Gill’s slippers).
My favorite is Shaun who loves being shaken and thrown around. The best part of the day is when Dave finishes work and we play on the bed, I jump all over him and he covers me up with the duvet and lifts up the corner and goes “BOO”!! He’s nuts! Some days Dave lets me go to work with him to visit his friends who have a learning disability. I love them all and they love me! In a few months time I am going to be trained as a PAT dog so I will have a real job, just like Dave (I hope he pays me!!)"
As soon as I moved in with Dave I knew it was the place to be – he’s a 1mph couch potato!! I soon settled in and discovered Wick Country Park and a small wood nearby which we call Dollywood.
Dave works all day but sneaks home for lunch so whilst he is away I keep his double bed nice and warm; the only trouble is that Dave snores when he sleeps at night so I have to move to the living room. Dave has a very nice friend called Gill who lives in Chadwell Heath and we visit her every other weekend. She has a big garden and I help out by digging holes in the lawn so she can plant potatoes. Nobody bothered to take advantage of my efforts so I now sleep in the holes to keep cool when the sun gets too hot for me.
Dave and Gill took me on two holidays in the summer, one was on the Fens where I spooked a pheasant and fell into a pond and the other was at Great Yarmouth where I saw some seals and dug a MASSIVE hole in the sand – Dave fell down it!! Ha Ha!! Being on the sand reminded me of my racing days so I decided to take a run but forgot that Dave was on the other end of the lead – you should have seen his face!!!!! I love my soft toys which I move around the flat frequently – I have Shaun the Sheep, Little Ted, Nelly the Elephant, Fluffy Dice, Scruffy the Dog and Mr. Left and Mr. Right (Gill’s slippers).
My favorite is Shaun who loves being shaken and thrown around. The best part of the day is when Dave finishes work and we play on the bed, I jump all over him and he covers me up with the duvet and lifts up the corner and goes “BOO”!! He’s nuts! Some days Dave lets me go to work with him to visit his friends who have a learning disability. I love them all and they love me! In a few months time I am going to be trained as a PAT dog so I will have a real job, just like Dave (I hope he pays me!!)"
"I am a very happy dog and want to thank Jodie and Sandra for finding me such a lovely home. Dave is getting on a bit now so I will probably have to slow down sometime but meanwhile I am really enjoying my retirement and I’ve asked Santa for a playmate (are you listening Dave?!)
Love
Dolly aka “Bring back the remote”!!"
"Dave speaking! Thank you Jodie and Sandra for your expertise in finding me Dolly – she has transformed my life and brings me so much happiness. She is a credit to all your hard work and devotion."
Love
Dolly aka “Bring back the remote”!!"
"Dave speaking! Thank you Jodie and Sandra for your expertise in finding me Dolly – she has transformed my life and brings me so much happiness. She is a credit to all your hard work and devotion."
LACEY & DUKE
"Well, we can't believe it's nearly a year since Lacey arrived and as far as we are concerned, she's been here forever! And has it really been only four months since Duke joined her?
They have both settled into home life really easily and seem to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. Lacey is very much “top dog” - it seems that within the entire animal kingdom, women rule the roost!
We lost our lurcher Jasper nearly two years ago and when we were ready for a new dog we looked into greyhounds and found they are even more laid back than lurchers! Perfect for us!
Having checked us over, Jodie suggested Lacey would suit us and how right she was! Lacey turned up first and we so fell in love with her that it wasn't long before we wanted to get her a companion. Jodie is so careful about placing the right dog in the right home that she invited Lacey to meet a couple of potential “friends”. Lacey and Duke seemed to get on well so we took some time out for them to get to know each other and now they have well and truly bonded as a pair.
It's great to see them playing together and chasing each other round the garden - they really make our house feel like a home once again.
As we have lots of windows, they can see all around the outside of house and enjoy staring out, just in case the squirrel turns up, which he often does, and Lacey thinks this is a good time to get excited and bark and squeal a bit. We don't discourage her from this, as at least we know she still has a bark - she is normally so silent! Duke can't be bothered - he is too laid back!
It wasn't very long after she arrived that Lacey learnt to relax. Within two weeks she was sleeping on her back! And she wheedled her way onto Daddy's lap! Duke's a bit too big to be a lap dog, so he shows his affection by “kissing” us - he will even do it to command!
They are both very well behaved. Greyhounds are notorious for being couch potatoes - literally taking up all the room on the sofa, but we agreed that we didn't want our dogs to lie on any furniture, so we discouraged them both from day one, and neither of them make any attempt to get on any furniture, although Lacey knows that she is allowed only if Daddy's lap is available, which it frequently is! "
They have both settled into home life really easily and seem to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. Lacey is very much “top dog” - it seems that within the entire animal kingdom, women rule the roost!
We lost our lurcher Jasper nearly two years ago and when we were ready for a new dog we looked into greyhounds and found they are even more laid back than lurchers! Perfect for us!
Having checked us over, Jodie suggested Lacey would suit us and how right she was! Lacey turned up first and we so fell in love with her that it wasn't long before we wanted to get her a companion. Jodie is so careful about placing the right dog in the right home that she invited Lacey to meet a couple of potential “friends”. Lacey and Duke seemed to get on well so we took some time out for them to get to know each other and now they have well and truly bonded as a pair.
It's great to see them playing together and chasing each other round the garden - they really make our house feel like a home once again.
As we have lots of windows, they can see all around the outside of house and enjoy staring out, just in case the squirrel turns up, which he often does, and Lacey thinks this is a good time to get excited and bark and squeal a bit. We don't discourage her from this, as at least we know she still has a bark - she is normally so silent! Duke can't be bothered - he is too laid back!
It wasn't very long after she arrived that Lacey learnt to relax. Within two weeks she was sleeping on her back! And she wheedled her way onto Daddy's lap! Duke's a bit too big to be a lap dog, so he shows his affection by “kissing” us - he will even do it to command!
They are both very well behaved. Greyhounds are notorious for being couch potatoes - literally taking up all the room on the sofa, but we agreed that we didn't want our dogs to lie on any furniture, so we discouraged them both from day one, and neither of them make any attempt to get on any furniture, although Lacey knows that she is allowed only if Daddy's lap is available, which it frequently is! "
"They are both much admired wherever they go and it is just fantastic that they have fitted into our lifestyle with such ease that you wouldn't believe they are still relatively new to us.
Greyhounds make wonderful pets - and Jodie gets to know the character of each and every one of them. Duke and Lacey are proof that Jodie really understands what is right for dogs and owners alike!"
Andy and Jan
Abbots Langley
"We re-homed Bully & Dolly in February 08. They were both a little nervous to start with but are now settling in brilliantly. They both love going out for walks - when we get their leads out Dolly starts running in circles and jumping around and Bully likes to squeal! But they also love sleeping and lazing around as much as they can. They are really playful and affectionate to us and each other and are a joy to have around everyday. We would highly recommend greyhounds as pets - they are easy to care for, fun, loving and beautiful hounds!'
Ian & Louisa
Southend on Sea
"Ps - Big thanks to Jodie & Sandra and everyone at the kennels for the amazing work they do - Bully & Dolly are very grateful! x"
Southend on Sea
"Ps - Big thanks to Jodie & Sandra and everyone at the kennels for the amazing work they do - Bully & Dolly are very grateful! x"
BELLA
"We decided just before Christmas 2007 that it would be fantastic to have another greyhound as company for Ranger, whom we adopted from Castledon nearly four years earlier.
Jodie and Sandra thought it would be a great
idea, so after visiting the kennels we settled on Bella.
She was only two and a half at the time, very nervous and shy but she soon settled into life
with us. We were worried that after having the run of the house for so long that Ranger would be a little hostile towards Bella but things could
not have been further from the truth.
Even allowing for the fact that he is a particularly affable dog even we were shocked at how easily he accepted the new addition to the family.
Bella has now been with us for a year and I really cannot imagine what life would be like without either of them. We had a terrible experience just before Christmas when Ranger was missing for
seven days, but fortunately he turned up safe and well, thanks to all the help we received during the search."
"We decided just before Christmas 2007 that it would be fantastic to have another greyhound as company for Ranger, whom we adopted from Castledon nearly four years earlier.
Jodie and Sandra thought it would be a great
idea, so after visiting the kennels we settled on Bella.
She was only two and a half at the time, very nervous and shy but she soon settled into life
with us. We were worried that after having the run of the house for so long that Ranger would be a little hostile towards Bella but things could
not have been further from the truth.
Even allowing for the fact that he is a particularly affable dog even we were shocked at how easily he accepted the new addition to the family.
Bella has now been with us for a year and I really cannot imagine what life would be like without either of them. We had a terrible experience just before Christmas when Ranger was missing for
seven days, but fortunately he turned up safe and well, thanks to all the help we received during the search."
"During this time Bella who had really come
out of her shell in the previous months, began to withdraw back into
herself but luckily now everything is back to normal. She is certainly very
independent, but also very sneaky....you just can't take your eyes off her
for a minute as she has a tendancy toward theiving (mainly Rangers bones,
although he doesn't seem to mind) but we love her none the less and would
definately recommend having a second hound if you are thinking about it."
Graeme & Denise McKendry
Hertfordshire
out of her shell in the previous months, began to withdraw back into
herself but luckily now everything is back to normal. She is certainly very
independent, but also very sneaky....you just can't take your eyes off her
for a minute as she has a tendancy toward theiving (mainly Rangers bones,
although he doesn't seem to mind) but we love her none the less and would
definately recommend having a second hound if you are thinking about it."
Graeme & Denise McKendry
Hertfordshire
ROSCOE
"Roscoe (previously known as Lucky) came to us at the age of four as a companion for Holly (also from Castledon) when we lost our lovely Noah at an early age due to a serious heart condition.
Roscoe is just five, a year younger than Holly, so they are both full of beans and have great fun playing together. It is usually angelic-looking Holly who starts things off - she used to be such a timid little thing! She will grab a toy and run off with it, with Roscoe in hot pursuit. He has such a nice nature that there is never any trouble. He loves playing with toys, the squeakier the better, and makes us laugh with his antics. A few days after he arrived, Roscoe launched himself into the fishpond with a big splash. Once he had been rinsed and dried, Holly decided she would give it a try too! Fortunately for the fish, they have not done it since!
Roscoe is very well behaved on the lead and is very good with other dogs we encounter on our walks, provided they don't get too friendly with Holly! He hardly barks at all, but sometimes he will gaze up into the sky and bark at an aeroplane. Indoors it only took him a few days to learn which rooms are doggy zones and which are not."
"Roscoe (previously known as Lucky) came to us at the age of four as a companion for Holly (also from Castledon) when we lost our lovely Noah at an early age due to a serious heart condition.
Roscoe is just five, a year younger than Holly, so they are both full of beans and have great fun playing together. It is usually angelic-looking Holly who starts things off - she used to be such a timid little thing! She will grab a toy and run off with it, with Roscoe in hot pursuit. He has such a nice nature that there is never any trouble. He loves playing with toys, the squeakier the better, and makes us laugh with his antics. A few days after he arrived, Roscoe launched himself into the fishpond with a big splash. Once he had been rinsed and dried, Holly decided she would give it a try too! Fortunately for the fish, they have not done it since!
Roscoe is very well behaved on the lead and is very good with other dogs we encounter on our walks, provided they don't get too friendly with Holly! He hardly barks at all, but sometimes he will gaze up into the sky and bark at an aeroplane. Indoors it only took him a few days to learn which rooms are doggy zones and which are not."
"Needless to say he loves his sofa. He loves riding in the car and jumps in at any opportunity, even if we are just cleaning it or are trying to unload the shopping! He is a lovely, affectionate boy and we are really pleased to have him. Thank you Jodie."
Jo and Bill Hill
Essex
Jo and Bill Hill
Essex
"We used to have a beautiful rescued Irish Wolfhound called Henry and when he died of old age it took us all a long time to get over him. Unfortunately, by the time we were ready to consider another dog, our son had become severely allergic to most animals including dogs! We read on the internet that a greyhound would be the best solution as they cause the least reaction in people with allergies so we contacted Jodie and Sandra and asked their advice.
They were extremely helpful and eventually we visited them at Castledon. We met so many lovely greyhounds but one stood out in particular and that was Button! We all adored him instantly and he seemed to feel the same.
We agreed on a trial afternoon at our house to see if our son reacted to Button. Our son did react slightly, but it soon wore off and we decided to try for an over night stay.
Button came for a sleepover, our son's allergy disappeared and Button never went back to Castledon!!!"
"Button is so much one of the family. We can't believe how easily he settled into our home and our lives.
He goes everywhere with us. He loves walking in the woods and always comes camping with us where he does what all greyhounds do best - sleep all day! And as you can see there's nothing he likes more than curling up on the sofa with the family to watch TV!
We would recommend greyhounds to anyone thinking of giving a rescue dog a home. We would never have believed you would find such loving, peaceful, gentle, "dopey", wonderful dogs as these.
If anyone has any doubts, please just visit them and we guarantee you'll be hooked.
We all love Button to bits and we know he loves us just as much."
Sean, Della, Tom, Ailish and Button
Billericay, Essex
He goes everywhere with us. He loves walking in the woods and always comes camping with us where he does what all greyhounds do best - sleep all day! And as you can see there's nothing he likes more than curling up on the sofa with the family to watch TV!
We would recommend greyhounds to anyone thinking of giving a rescue dog a home. We would never have believed you would find such loving, peaceful, gentle, "dopey", wonderful dogs as these.
If anyone has any doubts, please just visit them and we guarantee you'll be hooked.
We all love Button to bits and we know he loves us just as much."
Sean, Della, Tom, Ailish and Button
Billericay, Essex