Helen Davey-Smith & Henry (Rescue Me Henry)

My name is Henry though I am also known as Henners. My ‘posh’ name is Rescue me Henry – a name invented by Dad (Iain) to take into account both my rescue origins and the fact that sometimes I get my handlers out of trouble……

I am 8 years old now and I came to live with Mum (Helen) and Dad when I was 14 months after having had two previous homes (and two previous names!) The first changed their minds and the second really didn’t ‘get’ me at all. I was going mad with boredom for a year with them – they left me in the garden and I had few if any walks. I ran all crazy around their kitchen and they chained me in the back of their car. Finally they handed me to Margaret Green rescue and Mum saw me there very soon after. She says she wanted me as soon as she saw me but Dad really wanted a new puppy so she had to deal with him first! Decision made, I came to live with them after a home check. Then all my adventures began! I discovered what walks were – wow!! I visited beaches, woods, rivers, iron age forts, hills and lanes. I went up mountains all over the country and I found I could swim! I had to pinch myself this was sooo good! Mum made sure I did lots of obedience training and socialising with people, children and dogs and we went out together every day somewhere exciting. Even during Foot and Mouth she managed to make walks all round Dorchester and the river and the Poundbury building site. We used to sit and watch the water voles on a bench! I had only one problem – an obsession with anything thrown or kicked. I am VERY stubborn and when I have an important resource I want to keep it in my vice like Jack Russell jaws. This has caused no end of disagreements between Mum and I over the years and we have reached an understanding of sorts…..I can’t help it – old toys and sticks were all I had in my second home to vent all my energies on when I was left alone so long so I learned this behaviour long before I learned that you could play nicely and now I can’t seem to help myself. Mum has been ‘advised’ to do one or two things to me when I am in this stance but has refused. One involved a choke chain and the other a bucket of water. She gets cross (and frustrated!) at times but she has never been cruel to me.

Anyway life continued in this happy mode until I was in my 4^th year and then Mum discovered agility – by chance. By this time I had a bro’ – Archie - and she started it in order to help form a bond between Arch and herself (as between you and me Arch was a teenage terrierist). Dad got to dabble with me. I really enjoyed this running about lark and Mum was hooked within three weeks! We started locally but found we could get better training if we looked further afield and so we ended up at Scrambles – a one and a half hour journey each way! By this time Mum had taken over running both of us as Dad didn’t want to do all the extra activities that you need to do to improve in this sport and Mum was doing it all. Mum is our undisputed pack leader (sorry Dad!) and so I really love running for her – all that status!!! Shortly after this I became Advanced!! The travelling took its toll (on the finances) and quite by chance Mum got talking to someone and they recommended Leslie Olden – so we have been part of Nedlo since. In 2006 I qualified for Olympia (and came 7^th), won the Small dog Senior DIN final (Mum had a little cry!), came 3^rd in the Burgess Supadog final (we did that in 2005 too), won a CC (so qualifying for the Championship at Crufts), qualified for the second year running for the Eukanuba challenge at Crufts and this year also the mini/mixi pairs. I have been invited to participate in the Crufts Small dog team events and the Crufts Small agility too. So I am going to be a busy little chomp Mum says. (she calls me little chomp – don’t know why!)

I have been the subject of the Agility Voice photographer of the year 2006 award winning photo! And Mum has just put my latest trophy in the cabinet – 2^nd in the Small Senior dog DARL league tables!!

I still love going up mountains and long walks (and swimming in the sea after a tennis ball!) but I also get a real buzz out of agility. Mum tells me all the time how proud she is of me and I love to cuddle up on her lap and groan and sigh happily.

Regards, Henry