Runner Up in the Defa's Prize Award - This is Cabbages story by Sara Bennett

Steve & I first met Cabbage about a year ago one evening at training. He arrived with Leah Gardner on his belly, he was terrified.  She then told us his story that he'd been dumped on the Brecon Beacons with another collie called Carrot! He was then put into the local hunt kennel that also did rescue?  It appears he was starved and also beaten in the kennel. Luckily he was rescued from there and taken to Many Tears Rescue in Wales. That first evening we sat on the floor with him with ham and cheese just trying to get near him, he was a wreck.  He was terrified of Steve who is quite tall, and 'a man'.  We were very tempted to take cabbage but didn't as we both had youngsters about to debut into agility the following season.

We then heard he had been rehomed, great news, we were so pleased for him.

At the end of July of this year Leah turned up with him again, he was up for rehoming for no fault of his own.  At the Agility Club after a beer or two (!) Steve suggested that we spend the day with him the next day. So first thing in the morning Steve went and collected him and we introduced him to the other 5 collies. 

They seemed fine but we knew a long road was ahead. We then picked him up on the Wednesday as we had some time off.  At home he still freaked at Steve and at first it was me he came too.  He was still frightened off life but we took him everywhere with us.  Shows were great for him as agility people understand and after a while he began too trust, he certainly knew who his friends were. 

Dogs in Need was a turning point as him came each evening and sat with our camping group and realised that people could be kind. Bernadette Bay nick named him Cabbage Patch and that has stuck, he is about to be registered as Steve's Organic Cabbage for his KC Name.

Unfortunately he had a tendency to run off on a walk so he got granted a lead asbo and he ended up on a tracking line for 6 weeks. The only time he came off was along the canal as he swims for England.  You can tell he survived on his own for a while, as he brought me half a dead fish out of the canal a few weeks ago and is partial to a dead rabbit or two. We took him on holiday to Northumberland and that was the turning point two weeks of mum, dad the pack and walking to die for. He was in heaven, when we got back he was very chilled and even dared get on the settee for a cuddle. Steve and I held our breath and didn't dare tell him to get off!!!!!!.  Now each night he gets up for a cuddle. 

He also sleeps in the bedroom and when the alarm goes off in the morning he bats me on the head and tells me its walkies time.

Cabbage has now started his agility training and he thinks it is great as he is spolit by everyone and each week his confidence is growing. I think he is using his brain for the first time and is mentally exhausted, he comes home from his lesson and sleeps.

Its great to see him coming on each day, on walks he is now going up to men for a stroke, he met Will Carling this week and demanded a cuddle (yes I was jealous).

So to everyone that has fed him tip bits and given him a stroke, thank you. 

To Leah and all at Many Tears, thank you (I think.)

To Cabbage, thank you for learning to trust again, you are very special.

Cabbage is our first rescue and I dont think he will be our last, so see you in grade 3 classes next season,

if we get a rosette that will be a bonus, as Cabbage will be having fun, Sara