A Dog's Artist

Scout's Roving Reporters had a great time at Discover Dogs, some friends they met when they were in London have emailed us and we've just been sent in a story from a couple of the competitors at Scruffts. So watch this space for their news and how to enter and take part in Scruffts next year.

I've been out this week to talk to George (a large, black, hairy, Dog Trust success story) who lives in Ulverston up near where we live in Cumbria, because recently I saw a picture I really loved that his companion, the artist Tina Balmer, had painted of him. She had actually gone all the way over to Ireland to find George. I thought that with all the stories of credit crunch bad news about loads of dogs loosing their homes I thought a good news story would be a good for all of us.

If you want to meet George and you can get to Ulverston between the 22nd and the 30th of November you can visit him and Tina because their house is part of the Ulverston Christmas Art Trail. Us four legged friends can be art lovers too you know. You can find out more about the Art Trail on the My Ulverston website www.myulverston.co.uk/arttrail/

George and Murphy and their companion, artist Tina Balmer.

Tina had grown up with dogs and knew that one day she would get one of her own. Her husband on the other hand came from a family which never had pets and couldn’t really understand why anyone would want one. When they finally moved into a proper sized house with a proper garden Tina convinced the family that it was the right time. Her husband recognised Labradors so agreed that they should look for one like that.

They all went up to the RSPCA and started the heartbreaking walk along the cages, full of barking dogs manically jumping up and down . Then Tina came to a cage with a young scruffy dog who just stood and looked at her , straight into her eyes- no barking, no jumping just that ‘look!’ Her husbands words were ‘what that scruffy mutt.’ But her daughters came running over and stood in front of the cage so no one else could see him while Tina went to make enquiries. There was no history on him at all and he had only come in the previous day. They took him for a walk and he kept stopping to jump up and look at them- they were hooked!

It was three long days before the home check was made and they could collect him. He was a gorgeous, scruffy, collie /wolfhound cross full of energy, enthusiasm and love, called Murphy.

Well they found out why he was in the RSPCA very quickly!! Murphy wouldn’t come back when they let him off his lead ever- although wouldn’t run away just keep far enough away that they couldn’t catch him. They later learnt to run the other way and he would follow. His biggest fear was being abandoned again. Hence the chewing when he was left, which asTina worked a couple of mornings a week he had to be. It started with small things like wicker bins then graduated to dolls, and laundry baskets and makeup and carpets and mattresses and finally the sofa- the only new piece of furniture they had ever bought. It was at that moment that Tina really wondered if she could carry on. They had had him nearly a year and although the destruction had started to improve it obviously wasn’t over. Tina looked at those eyes and knew that she could never take him back- WHATEVER he did! Miraculously Murphy never ever destroyed anything again after that- it was like her test. He still liked to chase cats , bikes , skateboards ,bark at postmen, delivery boys and men in work gear and joggers but there was never a dull moment with him.

Murphy was Tina's constant companion when she was working in her studio and gradually she started drawing and painting him more. Tina knew him so well, she knew all of his moods and looks. Once she started exhibiting and having her own open house, Murphy would stand at the top of the steps greeting visitors, he became a bit of a celebrity. His portrait was used in advertisements and on posters and cards. He really was an integral part of Tina's working day and her end products!

Age crept up on him very slowly. He could still out run much younger dogs until he was about ten years old. But then he got a little arthritic and a little squarer. Moving to the Lake District two years ago proved to be very difficult for him. He was so comfortable and familiar in his old house that he started to protest when he was left alone. He started to settle but the problem with his leg became worse. The x-rays suggested that it was cancer but by that stage he was up and about again running along Roanhead disappearing into the sandunes.

The family made the most of his last six months taking him everywhere with them and to his last holiday to Cornwall in January where he had a few good walks along the cliffs and beaches. The end came very quickly in March. One day he came to his bowl, sniffed it and turned away Tina always knew that day would mean there was something very wrong with him. Murphy went back and ate it later but the next day he was very slow on his walk. So Tina went over to the vets and made the appointment for the next morning. He was slow and bloated by then but still wagged his tail at the other dog in the waiting room. Tina left him to have tests but gave him a big hug and kiss before she left. Murphy walked away without looking back but then Tina heard a little ‘woof’ as she went out the door. In her heart she knew he wouldn’t come out but her head kept saying it might be ok.

She missed that mad, boisterous bundle of fun more than she could ever imagine. At the time she was spending a lot of time on the computer for her job and before long the emails from the Dogs Trust led her to the ‘dogs needing homes’ page. Tina knew she couldn’t replace Murphy but she could give another unfortunate dog a home. Tina still doesn't know how she ended up on the Irish charity website’ Dogs In Distress’ – maybe it was the Irish wolfhound part of Murphy that she loved- but a dog called ‘lovely George’ caught her eye, and that was me!

Tina didn’t really feel up to making the phone call at first but after about two weeks of checking on "George" she couldn’t understand why he wasn’t being offered a home as he looked so gorgeous(!) So she made the first tentative phone call and emailed the adoption form over. Then she heard NOTHING. Her husband, who thought she had gone a bit mad anyway after losing Murphy, told her that it was a wild goose chase and that nothing would come of it. So she went to Liverpool to look at another dog, who was sweet, but who she just didn’t connect with (luckily for me).

Then out of the blue she had a call from the family I was still living with. Apparently they had rescued me as a puppy through a charity which operates from the pound- trying to save some of the many, poor lovely dogs who end up being put to sleep just because the pound is full. They had since had a baby and put me out into the yard in a kennel as they felt I was too large and bouncy to be near children. She just wanted to come and get me then and there. But had to wait three more weeks to arrange a home check and get the final go ahead. Suddenly she had an email asking how soon she could collect me from Dublin Port. That night I was on the overnight ferry from Birkenhead. Tina met my old mum in the car park and in the back she could see my mad, black hairy face , amber eyes, eager to jump out and say hello.

We spent the day stopping off at beaches and parks getting to know each other. Waiting to board the ferry home I sat on the passenger seat and rested my head on her lap- she was in love again! I love the car which was just as well as I had to stay on my own for nearly seven hours on the ferry back to England. In the morning I greeted her as if I had known her all my life.

Tina has started to draw me and made a few paintings. I look quite different to Murphy and evidently have a very different character, although I love people and dogs and life, just like Tina describes her old pal. Tina thinks it takes time to get to really know your dog and see his different moods and looks and then the next step is to try and capture them! You can see some of her paintings on Scouts blog and you can come and see them for real on the Ulverston Christmas Art Trail, between 22nd and 30th November. Have a look at the website

www.myulverston.co.uk/arttrail/