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Hands Up! Who's got a Valgray?It's not an exclusive club but a successful one. All you need is a dog from Valgray Rescue. Of course, first you have to persuade Val Phillips that you'll give one of her rescue collies a good working home. And the rest is up to you. If you are one of the lucky one to have a Valgrays dog, tell us your story.From Chris... He is six months on and I intend to work him in obedience. He's a little cracker! I Have also been doing a little bit of flyball (the box) and a little bit of agility (the tunnels) with him. He is a joy to own, and I cannot thank Val enough. (11/07/02)
I hadn't wanted one quite so soon! However, who could resist? I wanted a boy though and fortunately there were two. Jed was described at the biggest pup, Jeri didn't say quite how big though! And I chose him over the phone and picked him up two weeks later, aged 8 weeks. Wow, was he a big pup! Most folk thought he was 16 weeks at least! But he's gorgeous and he's only grown to 23 inches!! Nearly as big as Kim, the GSD. Being the size he was I left him to 12 months before letting him start jumping and guess what three weeks later having made a good start he jumped awkwardly for his ball and sprained his back leg. Over two months lead exercise then followed. So he's had a couple of months more training and his first show is Waldridge Fell in two weeks time. He's a lovely chap to have about the house, except he loves to steal the butter. Whole packs of it are wolfed down behind your back (yes he's a 'sneak thief') - good job he's adorable! I certainly wouldn't be without him now. (29/01/01) My Dog Bob
Born:
1 March 1993 (approx.) Named after Bob Naylor of Golden Valley Agility Club who was instrumental in his rescue after he was discarded (with others) by a farmer. Val had him at Hinckley Show 1993,and I got him for Linda to replace her aging Springer in Agility. He had been unsuccessfully rehomed once, had behavioural problems and was chucked out of Obedience classes at Daventry DTC for constantly biting the other dogs. Mike Mullin’s OUTDOOR classes suited him much better. I bonded with him from the start and eventually (at fifteen months) took him on as my first Agility dog. Linda then got Tim (Ebony Starlight of Valgray) from Val. We were extremely lucky to live only three miles from Yvonne and Steve Croxford who beat Bob and me into shape. My reject repaid my blind faith tenfold. Having only previously experienced Agility from behind the ropes for two years watching Linda get the occasional modest rosette with our small Springer, Bob opened up a whole new wonderful world for me. Six weeks after his last Elementary run and before his first Intermediate run he won Open Jumping at Nuneaton (8/7/95) to become a Senior. He was fifth in the Novice Grand National Final (1995) behind Don Cooper and Jo Rhodes, and third in the Agility Club' Veteran Handler' category. He qualified for Barbour KO Pairs Final twice, Clockwatcher Final once and Jump & Drive twice – being third in the Final Final having won his heat (photo above). We got to the first Europa Triathlon Final and qualified for Crufts Flyball 2000. In 1998 Bob was the first winner of Valgray Special Jumping at the Cornwall Show, which event attracted 50 entrants this year. (Bob was third) Bob has gained ELEVEN firsts at Open/Intermediate/Senior level, but only one in Agility. It was a bizarre Senior Agility, with 55 dogs – 52 were E’d, one got time faults and because I could run him past dummy jumps to heel we were the fastest of TWO clear rounds. I am resigned to the fact that lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place, and my eagerness to be too competitive too soon in Jumping classes has precluded him from becoming Advanced. He has a wonderful temperament but hates fireworks, thunder, flashes, bangs and spitting fires. There can be no praise too great for the work that Val does and for the happiness that she brings into the lives of so many dogs – and humans! (15/01/01) All Our BoysI couldn't have enough praise for Val. We have been so lucky with our dogs Merc and Rory. They are both superb dogs. And if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have them. I never considered having a Collie and always thought they were boring dogs that only ever wanted to play ball. After having our boys, I now realise that Collies are extremely intelligent, loving, beautiful, loyal, nutters that only want to play ball! I cannot give Val enough praise, without her we wouldn't have Rory and Merc. I have the utmost respect for her and am proud to have two Valgray dogs. When we are at shows and hear a Valgray name being called out in the placings we always make extra effort to cheer. It's like being part of a gang, the Valgray gang. I wonder how many dogs would not have been given a second chance without Val, her dedication and commitment to these dogs is unbelievable and I hope she knows how special we feel she is.
He is now two years old and is such a character - full of charm and cheek. He came to Val from a cattery who had looked after him since his original owner had no longer been able to keep him. John trained him very slowly for the first year and his first competition was Supadogs this year. He loved it and came third and 19th during the week. He has competed at six shows this year and has been placed in five.
He was a bit destructive when we first had him and he had a chew on the skirting boards, settee, flooring, tumble drier, shoes etc. Now that has mostly settled down although he still likes to nick the odd shoe whenever he gets a chance. Oh, he also ate the back of the car... bless him. His personality is so strong and loving. Merc really is an absolute darling, and we all love him to bits. He absolutely adores agility and is always ready to train.
Two days after I sent the letter Val rang and said I've got another one for you', He had come to Val as a stray. We had seen Rory 3 months earlier at Val's when we went with a friend to see a dog, Rory was there and we all fell in love with him but I was adamant that I didn't want three dogs, (we already had Flex, 14 year old cross) So we didn't even think about taking Rory then. After I had spoken to Val we discussed it and decided that he could be my agility dog! 'That's a good idea, I thought. 'That agility looks easy peasy'. I was soooooo wrong.' Rory was an absolute sweetie as soon as we got him, he did not do anything wrong and was so loving. He was really timid until he settled in and became an absolute nutter. He still is a bit nervy but is improving all the time. So, after a while it was time to start agility, we put a jump up in the garden and he was having none of that jumping lark!!!! His agility career would have started and ended in about half and hour if it was left to me but John insisted that he would enjoy it and made me persevere.
Rory laps the whole show thing up but I, on the other hand have not taken to agility naturally, and spend the whole time in and out of the loo. Ross has run him in a helter skelter and he was brilliant for him and John has run him and was placed 12th in a novice agility class!!!! Rory is such a sweet little boy and loves to have big cuddles with anyone who will let him. He is so inoffensive and craves attention. When Ross has his friends in all I hear is 'call Rory mum' as he is always jumping all over them! Poor Trudie Gets Lucky
At an estimated 13 years old, Trudie was thrown out of a car onto the A12 at Chelmsford last summer and left to die. Amazingly, despite deteriorating health, Trudie survived rough for a few days until a week-long chain of events lead her to Val's door just in time to prevent her from being put down. A national appeal resulted in 13 offers of good homes. After several months intensive care and recuperation, Trudie was now settled in a loving home for her last few years. The story has several happy endings, as other dogs benefited too; several people who volunteered a home for Trudie, went on to take in other older dogs already in Val's care. Val was the only person who cared about taking Trudie into rescue. All the other rescue organisations that were contacted by the dog warden/pound said Trudie was either too old, or they didn't have room ! They don't know what they are missing. She is very obedient, and I only have to teach her a command once and she remembers and obeys. I think somewhere along the line she has had training. But the methods used have not been very nice as I haven't got her passed the flinching stage yet. She is learning very quickly though that when I raise my hand, it is not to belt her with it but because I have a treat in it, and I want her to look up at it to take it. My Other Dog is a Valgray
Name: Serenading Sally of
Valgray Sally is very bright, likes to talk and gurgle, hence the name Serenading Sally of Valgray. She is small, pretty and loves agility. She has been a better agility dog rather than a jumping dog, probably due to my lack of speed and her careful jumping. She rarely has a pole down.
Dog: Gem Fancy You Asking...Well, here's my bit... All my dogs have been rescue dogs, and three have come from Valgrays. Dogs: Lassie & Lilly When Lassie died prematurely from an illness, I was not going to get another collie. Val was sad that Lassie had died and thought I might like to fill the void left by her death with another smallish, prick eared bitch that she had just acquired. But I was not ready, just not in the right frame of mind. However, when she was showing me this little dog her motor was quite full of collies wanting homes. One particular dog caught the eye of my friend, but it appeared someone had shown a great interest in him. I thought hard, then phoned Val after some days and asked if she had homed him or if she still had this dog. Well, you don’t say that to Val because if she has, it is not for long, before you know it, you have it. And I did. I understand that many dogs have disturbing backgrounds before they arrive at Valgrays and lots carry baggage that has to be sorted. I was very lucky with my boy (yes, of course I kept him) as he had a reasonably good background having been treated well by his previous owner, just the fact that she was very ill and as time went on could no longer look after him. (She has subsequently died, and I hope she was happy that Jazz had found a good home). Well, two dogs is quite comfortable in anyone’s home. That’s what I thought until I saw Lilly, another Valgrays dog. But this one was different. Although black and white - actually white and black - she is not exactly a collie. In fact, nothing like a collie; more like a Jack Russell. I just fell in love with her and was hoping that she would be homed quickly, but no, I saw her every week for four weeks. In the end I don’t know how it happened but she came to live with us. I have never had a small dog before; they are something quite different. I think she believes she is a collie as she lives with them, eats with them and runs with them. How she can run. But she is useless at agility. Who cares? She is a member of my family now and I love her to bits. Most rescue dogs appear to want rehoming at around one year old. People buy puppies because they are appealing little bundles of fur, after a while, when they realise that it has to be walked every day, and chews the furniture when it is left for ten hours a day on its own etc. etc. it no longer has the appeal that it had when it was just a few weeks old. That’s when they arrive a Valgrays (or somewhere similar). Recently Val has been taking on many puppies from the puppy farms. There is so much indiscriminate breeding, just done for money. The collie has become a very popular dog, when walking in the park with my dogs I see more collies than any other breed. If only people understood them more before taking them on, half of them would not have collies; thus people like Val Philips would not have so much rescue work to do. When one takes on a rescue dog, you don’t always know what problems you are going to face. Especially if you want it for agility. I believe that you must always take the dog on as a pet with agility as a bonus. My Girls
Dog: Disco Inferno (Dizzy)
She is only five months old, so I haven’t started any agility with her as yet but, as she is a very fast dog with lovely long legs, she should do well. She is starting obedience training classes in January. Profile of Val Philips, First Lady of Collie Rescue |
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Dog:
Done for Fun of Valgray (Jed)
Dog:
Blithe Bob of Valgray
Name:
Red Merc of Valgray (Merc)
Indoors
he is a pain in the *!!*! as he constantly wants to play, and we are always falling over tennis
balls and squeaky toys. In the garden he is always charging round chasing birds and next doors
rabbits! He is just never tired. He loves Ross, our son, and has the best temperament ever with
people and other dogs.
Name:
Red Rory of Valgray (Rory)
Rory is now 'MAD FOR IT'
and can't wait to get going round a course or training. We have competed in four shows this
year and at our first show we got a clear round!!!! I was nearly sick all day with nerves but I
managed not to chuck whilst doing my round!!!!
'Name:
Trudie
In
fact, I have two Valgray dogs, but only one an agility dog.
Both Sally and Gem have taught me great deal about Collies
and training them. In fact, my younger dog has taught me that I have a long way to go.
I
first saw Sally at Val's show (Purley & Coulsden) in May 1994 and took her home with me that
day. Her main achievements to date are:-
Sally
is not the best known Valgray dog, but I think she is the best. She has bundles of character
and is very affectionate and cute. She is also quite crafty and won't stand for anyone treating
her without the respect she thinks she deserves. As well as agility, Sally has won many
rosettes for club or exemption show obedience. She has had a go at working sheep, and
definitely knew what she was doing, and only recently was involved in
filming a television advert.
My name is Gina and
I’m nearly 16 years old, and I have two dogs. These are my first dogs, and they are both rescue
dogs.
Dog:
Cascade (Cassie)