Bonny
Bonny, like all Ambassador Dogs, lives with Barbara. She works sheep and she thinks she helps in the office. She spent time watching Digby and Tess doing their meet and greet and learning how to be an Ambassador Dog. She has attended talks, training sessions and loves being on the Trust stand at the National and International Sheepdog trials. Bonny is now helping TJ learn how to be an Ambassador Dog
T.J.
TJ was only six days old when she came to the Trust and is hand reared. Due to a stressful birth she had a neurological problem which, with carefull managing, is improving. She is a happy dog with some strange quirks but that’s what makes her TJ – short for Tess Junior – she loves meeting people and is slowly learning from Bonny how to be an Ambassador Dog. TJ will never be able to work sheep, she has no interest in dog toys, preferring to copy what humans do and ‘help’ them, and it’s unsure at what age she will start to mature, but she a lovable little rascal making the most of the chance of life we gave her. She lives with Barbara and Bonny and you can follow her progress on our Facebook page.
A eulogy for Digby & Tess
Introduction text…
Digby
Digby was deaf. Born on Christmas day 2010 and came into the care of the Trust when he was under three weeks old. He was hand reared and lived with Barbara who taught him how to communicate with body language, he worked hard in his role as a Trust’s Ambassador Dog and loved his role of ‘meeting and greeting’. Sadly Digby passed away on April 2025 at the age fourteen.
From Barbara: he was a true Ambassador, a loyal companion, my amazing best friend and soulmate
Digby had his own facebook page… which is still live and still helping people to understand that being deaf isn’t a problem, once a bond if formed it lasts forever.
Tess
Tess worked sheep on the farm and when not working loved doing her speciality ‘wave’ to get attention. She had been an Ambassador Dog for the Trust from six years of age in 2014, appearing at seminars, National and International Sheepdog trials and ‘meeting and ‘greeting at every function she attended. She refused to retire but was happy to let young Bonny take a large share of the work while she played ‘push the ball to someone’ with her paws. Tess passed away in October 2024 at the age of sixteen.
From Barbara: Tess was an amazing dog and a credit to her breed. She loved attention, could be stubborn and loved to ‘argue’ but her love and her loyalty were steadfast.
Both Digby and Tess remain on this page as a credit to their breed and as a reminder of the wonderfull work they did.
