New Arrivals at Dalraddy Cottage

Hi

After the sad news of my last post, Sam our other rescued goat was lonely, so we have taken delivery of two young (under 12 months old) billy goats to keep him company. They are Tockenburgs and very cute. Our bike mad son has named them "Day" and "Tona" after his Triumph motorbike. Day is the fawn one, and Tona the black one.

I haven't managed to get a good picture of them yet but when I do I'll post it on here for you to see. The vet has given them their first vaccines and a clean bill of health, and they have settled in really well. They are currently in the winter shelter in the yard, but once Spring arrives, they'll all move back up to the paddock at the rear of Dalraddy Cottage.

Sonia

www.dalraddycottage.com

Tina Passes Away at Dalraddy Cottage

Sad news - our last rescued pygmy goat "Tina" passed away recently. She had been with us just 12 months and had finally got over her fear of people. Her life until we had her was very hard - she was used to have kids and very neglected by her owners - we estimated that she was about 8 years old and her hooves had never been clipped until she came to us - then it took two of us to hold her as she was so scared.

The vet was surprised that she had lasted another 12 months so we must have been doing something right - at least she died in a nice environment.

Amber arrives at Dalraddy Cottage

If you've seen the website at http://www.dalraddycottage.com/ you'll already be familiar with our German Shepherd Dogs, Millie, Portia and Jovi. Well on 20th December we had a new arrival "Amber" born on 25th October 2009. She has settled in well at Pottal Pool and Dalraddy, teasing the life out of the older dogs and trying to push them a little further each time! Millie the oldest and matriarch of the "pack" keeps out of the way most of the time unless she needs to step in to give correction to Amber or the others. Portia the second oldest has sulked on a daily basis since Amber arrived - she treats her with disdain as though she is above playing with a puppy. Jovi the youngest til now has surprised everyone and although previously a very shy nervous dog, she has taken Amber under her wing and never seems to tire of playing and play-fighting with her.

As I write this I can hear Amber throwing her dish around the kitchen! Seems to be her new game. She will have had all her injections by the end of March and will then be able to meet cottage guests with the others.

Our dogs are part of the family here but we understand that some of our guests in our self-catering cottage here may be nervous of big dogs, and if that is the case we simply keep them away from you!

Here is a picture taken shortly after she arrived (altogether now aaaaaahhhhhh!)