Guest author: Ray (on behalf of Colin Chappell) – A dog’s life

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Sue Vincent

Ani winksSince she has been hogging the keyboard so much lately, I thought it was about time I got in on the act and had a friend over. Honestly… tap, tap, tap… ‘not now, girlie’ and ‘how did you manage to get the ball there‘ is about all I’m hearing at present. Apart from the odd rustle of cheese wrappers…

So, I thought I’d introduce you to my pal, Ray. Well, okay, strictly speaking, we haven’t met… but have you seen his pictures??? And he has a story to tell about how he trained his new two-legs. Ray is another rescue dog… so we already have something in common… but instead of saving his royalties for an automatic tennis ball launcher, his book… well, the two-legs has his name on the cover, just like she has on my books… the royalties will all go to help other rescue dogs. So, why don’t you read on while I go look at the pictures again…

Much love, Ani xxx

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Hi! My name is Ray and, while I don’t get much time on the keyboard (I have big feet), my Dad has suggested that I write up a guest Post for Sue here!

So…. about me! I was rescued from a life as a stray and named after Ray Charles. The Humane Society that rescued me worked on me for four months, and then decided that I would then be suitable for a forever home. Eventually, I met Colin (my Dad) and, while he seemed very cautious about me, I sensed that he was somebody that I would like to live with. I eventually made my feelings quite clear with a decisive nose touch… but he had no idea what it meant! I think the staff there explained it to him because he was much friendlier after that and the rest is history. I found out later that he had been bitten by a German Shepherd many years earlier which, with me being a German Shepherd mix, could explain his initial reaction to me!

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It took me a long time to train him to live happily with me because he has a bit of a stubborn side (as do I), but it just takes perseverance and patience. He is still a bit of a “work in progress”, and probably always will be but, as he has often said to other people “I’ll expect perfection from you as soon as I can set the example. You’re quite safe for the immediate future!

What is really cool is that Colin loves me so much now (and I do him), that he has written a book about his first eighteen months of living with me! It was what he calls “an emotional roller coaster ride”. I really don’t know what that means, but humans seem to understand it!

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I have also been in our local newspapers promoting heart-worm prevention and for fund raising for our Humane Society. I have lived with Colin since March 2013, and it has been a really interesting time!

Perhaps I should tell you about Colin? Well, he was born in England and moved to Canada when he was about 30 (a long time ago!). He had experience of two rabbits and numerous cats as pets, but had never had a dog! Then he met Carol, who had a history of living with dogs, and things started to change!

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When he started contemplating the idea of perhaps adopting a dog from our Humane Society, he did not say anything to Carol just in case it didn’t work out. He was visiting the Humane Society on a regular basis to look at various dogs and talk to the staff there (as he really didn’t have a clue!) but then, one day, it all came out into the open! Carol had wanted to go there to make a donation to them and, as Colin was apparently now on first name terms with a number of the staff, he decided he should say something before anybody called him by his name!

Now I have to find a couple of pics for Sue to consider adding, and I almost forgot… links below are to his Blog which is mainly about me, and his (my) book at amazon with reviews!

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Find and Follow Ray and his two-legs Colin

WordPress blog: A Dog’s Life?

Twitter @OnlyColinC

Goodreads

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About the author’s two-legs, Colin Chappell

Having been bitten by a German Shepherd when 14, I was indifferent to dogs until 2012. I had met a number of friendly dogs by then, and decided that perhaps there was room in my life for one! While I was looking to adopt a large, even temperament, self assured, sociable and huggy kind of dog… Ray was looking to adopt me.

His plan was clearly more successful than mine because he moved in during March 2013.

He was not socialized; had no house training; was afraid of anything that moved; lunged and barked without warning and did not like to be touched. He did, however, meet my criteria in size! At 75 lbs, he was most certainly a large dog!

Ray was my first dog!

Who Said I Was Up For Adoption?

Colin Chappell

Is there any expression of FRIENDSHIP as endearing as a dog voluntarily touching its nose to yours? When Colin Chappell contemplated the idea of adopting a dog, he did so warily, for he had seldom spent time with dogs and one of his primary canine experiences came when he was bitten by a German Shepherd at age fourteen. He certainly was unprepared for the complexities of caring for the seventy-five pounds of rescued, furry attitude he encountered in Ray. But perhaps what he was even more unprepared for were the emotions he would feel once Ray invited him to be his friend. Who Said I Was Up For Adoption? tells the evolving story of this adoption (though it remains unclear just who did the adopting). Funny, heartwarming, and emotional, Colin and Ray’s story is really two stories, for part of learning to let an adopted dog into one’s life is learning to see from a perspective other than your own. True to that knowledge the book is narrated from parallel, alternating viewpoints-Colin’s and … Ray’s! All net profits from sales of Who Said I Was Up For Adoption? will be donated to the Oakville and Milton Humane Society, a remarkable organization that rescues and rehabilitates dogs (and many other creatures) and matches them with suitable, loving humans.

“It’s a must read for any dog person especially if you’ve rescued one. Even if you don’t have a dog (I don’t), it will tug at your heart strings.” Extract of Amazon review by Kate.

Amazon.com    Amazon UK       Friesen Press

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About Sue Vincent

Sue Vincent was a Yorkshire born writer, esoteric teacher and a Director of The Silent Eye. She was immersed in the Mysteries all her life. Sue maintained a popular blog and is co-author of The Mystical Hexagram with Dr G.M.Vasey. Sue lived in Buckinghamshire, having been stranded there due to an accident with a blindfold, a pin and a map. She had a lasting love-affair with the landscape of Albion, the hidden country of the heart. Sue  passed into spirit at the end of March 2021.
This entry was posted in Blogging, Books, cats, Dogs, Friendship, Humour and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

54 Responses to Guest author: Ray (on behalf of Colin Chappell) – A dog’s life

  2. colinandray says:
    February 13, 2017 at 17:29

    Thanks Sue for sharing your Blog to promote mt beloved Ray and his book (the book was much easier to work with than Ray!). 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  3. willowdot21 says:
    February 13, 2017 at 17:37

    Hi great to meet you Ray and your two humans! I am Ruby I live with willow and her husband ( my hero). I am a friend of Ani and a retired guide dog. I am impressed by your training of Colin it sounds like you are doing a good job! Nice to read about you. Here is a a post willow wrote about me when I ate a mince pie at Christmas (who would think anything so yummy could be deadly?!) Keep well. 😋xx Ruby. Ps willow enjoyed this post greatly too. xx

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  4. robbiesinspiration says:
    February 13, 2017 at 17:49

    This is such a nice post. Always great to read about happy families of four legs and two legs.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  5. Lynette d'Arty-Cross says:
    February 13, 2017 at 18:30

    I’ve had several great canine friends who were rescued by SPCA. My dearest friend Rudy also needed four months to recuperate before he came home with me. It’s great to read about you two finding each other. 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  7. vanbytheriver says:
    February 13, 2017 at 22:38

    Love this guest post, and I was already a Ray fan. Well done !!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  8. Ritu says:
    February 14, 2017 at 09:04

    Great guest post! Hi Colin and Ray!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. The Owl Lady says:
    February 14, 2017 at 12:20

    I love your blogs, Ani! Hugz! @v@ ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. Don Massenzio says:
    February 15, 2017 at 00:36

    Reblogged this on Don Massenzio's Blog and commented:
    Check out this guest post by Ray the dog on behalf of his human, Colin Chappell from Sue Vincent’s blog.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  12. adeleulnais says:
    February 15, 2017 at 15:04

    Hi Ray, I’m Ani’s friend Dante. I’m a german shepherd mix too. My Dad was a collie and Mum was a german shepherd. It’s great to hear about you and want to talk more about your forever home. Much paw love Dante.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
    • colinandray says:
      February 15, 2017 at 15:16

      Hi Dante – I have to smile at humans when they see me! Their first reaction is “What a gorgeous dog. German Shepherd right? But what else is in him?” When they are told Rottweiler, they sometimes smack their heads as in “Duh!” Humans can be very odd at times eh! Woof! Ray.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply
  13. macjam47 says:
    February 17, 2017 at 12:24

    Reblogged this on BOOK CHAT and commented:
    If you love dogs the way I love dogs, this just might be the book for you (I’m adding it to my TBR). Check out this guest post over on Sue Vincent’s blog.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  14. Cathy says:
    February 17, 2017 at 13:45

    Great story! Ray is gorgeous ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  15. Jacqui Murray says:
    February 17, 2017 at 16:14

    What a wonderful post.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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  17. Madelyn Griffith-Haynie, MCC, SCAC says:
    September 10, 2017 at 08:25

    Hey Ray – it’s Tink. Mom and I missed this earlier, but Mom saw one of those Related links somewhere and called me over to say hi. She hasn’t read your book yet, but she told me to tell you that it is on some list with initials – TBR I think.

    GREAT to see you getting around – thanks to Sue and Ani for letting you tell your story here.
    Woof! TINK

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  18. Ben, Munro buddy and budding dog-poet says:
    February 28, 2018 at 18:20

    Thank you for sharing this blog Ani. I’m going straight over to follow Ray and Colin now. I’m right with you about the balls. My life revolves around them too. I have done some extensive research on those automatic launches and unless you go for the v. v. v expensive ones it looks like they are a waste of money. I’ve trained my person as my automatic ball launcher and she’s not bad, with the help of one of those long hand held throwers. I’ve got a big park where we play and you should see me go. Good luck with your book, whatever you spend your pennies on. Love Ben xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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