This is Ranger's story
Ranger came to us one evening for a short pit stop, before travelling on to Greyhound Gap’s kennels. A volunteer at a kennel who was appalled at the conditions he was being kept in had literally dognapped him. Luckily for Ranger, Gangley was poorly and couldn’t travel that weekend so the trip up to Stoke was put back a week. Of course by the end of that week we didn’t feel it was fair for Ranger to go into kennels having tasted life in a home, so Eric went to collect Gangley and Ranger stayed anyway.
Ranger has terrible food issues in the early days but once he was wormed and realised he would be fed regularly he very quickly settled down. He had several problems usually triggered by fear but slowly Eric was able to gain his trust and settle him down. This was the beginning of a strong loving bond between Ranger and Eric, they simply adored each other.
By April 2009 we realised Ranger was now ready to go up on the rehoming board but of course there was no way we could part with the beautiful soft lad and on the 24th April 2009 Ranger became an official Taylor hound.
Ranger was such a big handsome lad but so gentle, during the Summer we found him on several occasions standing under the willow tree and couldn’t fathom out what he was doing, eventually we twigged it, Ranger has discovered if he stood under the willow branches they would sway around and he would get tickles, how smart was that!
Ranger also loved to howl his head off if we didn’t answer the telephone quick enough and so by the time we did answer it, we couldn’t talk because we would be laughing so much.
Ranger was such a clever boy and could do the most wonderful sit and could stay staying sitting for ages, something most greyhounds can’t do BUT his best trick was standing up on his back legs, placing his front paws on his Dad’s shoulders and giving Eric a great big kiss. I lost count at the times I asked Eric not to let him do that for fear he would try it on me and send me flying but it was actually the landlord of the village pub who came a cropper when Ranger did his party trick just as John bent down to stroke him. Result one black eye for John.
Ranger loved everybody and would go up to people and give them the gentlest little kiss, such a sweet gentle dog. When he first met little Ben he was so scared of him but gradually with the help of treats we managed to persuade him their was nothing to be frightened of and one day Ben said Nanny, Ranger isn’t scared of me anymore, such a special moment.
Ranger may have been a big lad but that didn’t stop him being bottom in the pack order! We did worry because of his size and once he started to feel good about life that he might challenge for top dog but no, even Gangley would boss him around and never a murmur of complaint from him.
I remember not long after he came having to put all my teddy bears away because he would keep getting them and far from tearing them up he would lick them to they were soaking wet and as soon as Eric would go to work or go out Ranger would collect his slippers and cuddle up to them, even shoes and boots weren’t safe and we would often wander around the garden looking to see where he had taken them, always his Dad’s never mine.
Ranger you were only with us for 364 days and have been taken at such a young age, we love you, we will miss you BUT we are grateful for having had you as part of our pack. Sleep tight our sweet gentle brindle boy….. I’m so sorry we couldn’t save you, we tried so hard.
We will love you always,
