OWT Registered Shepherds Delight Redwood TimbaSire: ISDS Scotts Sunnyside Bob
Dam: KC/ISDS Bannetstane Sulvan Dawn
Born: July 22nd 2002
Owned by David Tunnard
Timba Passed Away Peacefully on June 10th 2018
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Without question, Timba is the most intelligent dog we have ever had the pleasure to be in the company of. He is Alpha to all of the Craileeau Border Collies here at Sandholme and every dog young or old respect and honour him.
Before Timba was born our son David, then aged six and to whom we had promised a puppy of his own, would tap on the tummy of Timba's mother Bonny, and shout, 'you in there, Timba?'
David expressed a desire to own a black and white dog collie, but when the puppies were born the only boy puppy was chocolate and white. David was holidaying at my parent's home in Essex for the summer holidays and so he did not get to see Timba until his return, and by then Timba was six weeks old and I had set aside the chocolate boy with whom a man in Cornwall hoped to have to herd his sheep, a golden red bitch and a black and white bitch for David to choose one from. David tried his hardest to have the black and white bitch follow him, but she did not want to know him. The chocolate boy on the other hand followed David like a shadow. David tried to run away from him, but the puppy stayed at his heels. Finally, David climbed high onto a rockery in the centre of which stood a huge old Yew tree, yet the chocolate boy puppy scaled the rockery without a problem to follow David. So David climbed the old tree and the chocolate boy puppy endeavoured to climb it too. At this point I called to my son; 'There is no doubt about it, David, he has chosen you.' From that day on, the chocolate boy became Timba and the two, boy and dog, were inseperable.
When Timba was 5 months old he watched his mother herding cattle. He wanted to copy her and so raced out into the meadow to herd them too, but they just peered down at him as if he was nothing and they stood their ground and would not budge for him. Defeated, Timba wandered sadly back to the garden to watch his mother work them. Later that same day, Timba was chewing a squeaky ball on the lawn, when suddenly, he stopped, he looked at the cattle, then looked back at the ball, and then grabbing it in his mouth he darted across the meadow. Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, he went with the ball, and the cattle, so frightened, galloped away from him. Timba was elated! He dropped the ball and stood watching, mesmerised, tongue lolling, eyes sparkling, so happy. He had herded cattle, just like his mum!
When Timba was a couple of years old, he mated Meg, she was a small black and white Welsh Collie bitch, and they had puppies. Timba was so proud of those puppies! The day they were born, he collected together all of his toys and placed them into the basket with the litter, then he sat with his head over the side of the box all starry eyed, just looking at the puppies. As they grew he played with them gently and they adored him.
In 2005 Timba started running off. We had not even missed him when the phone would ring and someone would say 'have you lost a dog?' He would manage three miles in minutes. Often it were the vet in Kirton that rang with the message 'Mrs Tunnard, Timba is here again.' Someone always took him to the local vet. Often he was found crossing the busy A16. Anyone could have stolen him. He went happily and trustingly into people's vehicles. Thankfully no one ever stole him.
The vet told me that only thanks to Timba being Microchipped did we get him returned to us so quickly, and the vet said 'you are good at writing letters, why don't you write to the local paper and tell them how good Microchipping is and why?' I did so, telling them all about Timba and after the paper came out the ITV news bulletin got a hold of it and sent a camera crew down to take a video of Timba, and of David, my husband and I, and the vet who explained all about microchipping, thus Timba got to promote microchipping for the Yorkshire/Lincolnshire area. The film showed Timba running across the fields to the tune of Born Free.
As well as cattle and horses, we had 70 chickens and Timba would help us put the chickens to bed each night. He watched us hunting for the hens all around the farmyard and he would help by sniffing out the hens that were hiding, and he would gently tug their tail feathers, sliding them out of their hidey hole so we could pick them up and carry them into the chicken shed for the night. Timba watched us search for eggs too and one afternoon he brought in his mouth an egg and very gently settled it own beside my husband Rick who at the time was working beneath a tractor, repairing it. He told Timba he was a good dog and carried on working. Timba went away and returned with another egg, then another and another, until Rick upon seeing a half dozen eggs at his side asked Timba where he had found them. Bright eyed Timba wagged his tail and set off ahead of Rick, stopping and checking that Rick was following him every few feet. As he walked after Timba, Rick noticed a trail of eggs on the ground, leading right back to the source. Timba had found a nest of over two dozen eggs up in the haystack, and in true Hansel and Gretel style had left them in a long line all the way back to the nest, so we knew where he had found them! What a clever dog! His reward was half a dozen fresh eggs that he enjoyed with relish!
Timba's favourite toy is a Frisbee and he is seldom seen without one in his mouth or between his paws, and when both were younger David would place his feet into the holes in the Frisbee, and Timba would hold onto the Frisbee and tug David around the garden across the lawn.
In his younger lifetime, Timba produced 303 puppies around the UK and everyone that has one of his children report a similar intelligence and loyalty with their dog.
Timba is the best dog in the world as far as we are concerned. He is more human than dog is full of wisdom and love and is our very best canine friend and companion, ever! There will never be another like Timba, although his grandson Taz comes close, Timba is unique, and we love him with all our hearts.
UPDATE
In April 2017, Timba, aged 14 years and 9 months had his second stroke. I had a few Vitofyllin pills left over from his first stroke, as I had discontinued them due to the amount of drinking and weeing they caused, but really I ought to have had him remain on them, but did not realise they would help him to avoid further strokes.
Anyway, that apart, his second stroke left him unable to walk, and he spent a week on a drip at the vets to keep him hydrated. At the end of the week, that particular vets had filled him withg medication and antibiotics that left him sick, and with diarreah and unable to walk unaided, and that only a step or two. I took him home and contemplated euthenasia the next day, BUT Timba was a 3/4 well and bright dog and only the one 1/4 hind legs were letting him down and I could not destroy him just for that. So I threw away all the medication the vet had sent him home with and used common sense. Vitofyllin was what he needed first. But I avoided meds for 2 days. I gave him just water and detoxified his system, and the stuff that came out of him was unbelievable! Black runny gooey stools for two days. I started on the Vitofyllin after this. He had head tilt and wobbled everywhere. He could not keep his balance. He fell repeatedly. I realised he needed pain relief and so I put him on Tramadol, and these two pills work effectively together. Very quickly Timba became bright and responsive but I made him stay inside and sleep. I knew that Vestibular disease affects the brain and the brain needed rest to repair itself. I also placed his name and details on a spiritual healers list.
His wobbliness persisted and someone recommended a Homeopathic vet, so I took him and got some homeopathic medication that dealt with loss of balance and head tilt associated with fluid in the middle ear following a stroke. I gave him hard boiled eggs with Pro Fibre every time he had a bout of diarreah. At other times I fed him chicken chunks, holistic wheat gluten free kibble and fresh water with the herbal pill in.
Yesterday 4 weeks after the stroke, in the pouring rain Timba almost ran across the meadow, I hold his tail to help his balance acting like a rudder. I let his tail gently slip from my hand and kicked a football ahead of him, and he was so focused in the ball he had not realised I was no longer helping by holding his tail and he fairly ran after the ball. He fell a few times but got up again. He was amazing! I was so proud of him! I am so glad I stuck to my logic, I have ordered him a wheelchair to strengthen his back leg muscles, but it looks like by the time it arrives from the USA he will no longer need it.
I thoroughly recommend Vitofyllin to every owner of a dog who suffered Vestibular Disease, along with Tramadol, if the dog can have it. Timba has liver disease and the vet okayed the combination of these two pills along with Denemarin for his liver. Timba will be 15 on July 22nd and I am determined he will celebrate it and hopefully next years too.
Update: May 31st 2017.
I cancelled the wheelchair. Timba no way needed it. He is up and running after his frisbee! Can you believe it? His sheer determination to survive at all costs and his love for us and ours for him has brought him to where he is now. I use a combination of 1/2 previcox pill one day and miss a few days then 1 tramadol on other days and only if I deem he needs them, like for example if he has been laying on damp grass and is a bit stiffer than normal the day after, then I will administer either the previcox or tramadol. I do not wholley support man made medication (although viofyllin was something else!) so use it as sparingly as possible. I discovered the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar this week too. It has been beneficial for solidifying Timba's bowel movements, and helps him to pass his own stools from a squatting position rather than passing them where he has been laying, hence no more cleaning up after him. All good, good, good.I am aware that although Timba was on previcox for 4 years without a hitch, there is suddenly a lot of negativity surrounding this tablet, hence why I am using it so sparingly now.
I started writing a book on Timba. I intend to self publish it at amazon.co.uk under the title Timba - more than just a dog. I will update when it is available. I really believe Timba's story needs to be told as inspiration for dog owners who may encounter a similar experience to Timba's. Never give up on your dog, no matter what appears to be professional advice. If you believe your dog can survive, he can. Your love for each other will pull him/her through. All you need to do is believe that.UPDATE:June 10th 2018
It is with great sadness that I must report that Timba has passed away today at 10.30am. All his family, David, Gemma, Richard & I were with him talking to, stroking him and holding his paws as he took his last three shuddering breaths, following finding him unconscious 3 hours earlier. Timba was and is the best dog in the world and no other dog will ever come close. His beautiful heart beat for exactly 16 years to the day from the time it first started beating in his mother's womb at 3 weeks gestation to the day he passed away.
Rest in Peace Beautiful Boy
We will forever miss you.
UPDATE: since June 10th - all of us at one time or another have both seen Timba in spirit in the house and the garden and have heard him barking - he had a distinguishable bark that no other dog here has and we at once knew it was him. These sightings and these barks have comforted us knowing that Timba is still with us in spirit just like the young bitch in the poem 'Waiting' as quoted on the Homepage.
Bless you, Timba.
All the Timba photographs on this page are by Lucy Alice Smith.
