Happy Staffy place: JoJo and Tip find friendship and their forever

“Dogs have always been a big part of my life. I’ve always had Staffordshire Bull Terriers,” says Anne-Marie, talking about the rescue dogs in her life she has adopted with her partner of 12 years, Grant.

Anne-Marie and Grant adopted two Staffies, Casper and Storm, in 2009 and cared for them from puppy age until they were 10 and 13 years old. After losing them both, Anne-Marie wanted to celebrate overlooked older Staffies in memory of her 'best friend' Stormy. So they looked for opportunities to grow the family.

The couple found gentle Nala, who was deaf, on our website at Dogs Trust Loughborough. They gave her a loving retirement home, but she sadly passed away from cancer.

“After we had 6 months grieving our 13-year-old Staffy, Nala, which hit me quite hard, we wanted to adopt again and give a dog a chance to have another home,” says Anne-Marie. “It felt like time to fill our empty home with more Staffies again!”

For Anne-Marie and Grant, coming back to Dogs Trust was a no-brainer.

The couple headed to their local rehoming centre, Dogs Trust Harefield, to see who needed a home.

“We were initially looking for another senior Staffy, but then we got introduced to this little black and white dog with the pinkest of noses, and we fell in love.”

This black-and-white patched puppy was a Staffy Cross called Tip. She had been found at around 3 months old, abandoned on a rubbish dump with a broken tail by the dog warden at Christmas. 

We took her in, gave her the vet care she needed to get back on her paws, and when she was ready, introduced her to the couple. Despite all she had gone through, she had so much love to share.

“Tip was an absolute bundle of joy – wagging her tail as soon as we saw her! We just knew we had to adopt her,” recalls Anne-Marie. 

After the couple made some adjustments to their house (such as raising their garden fence), their home was set up for maximum pup happiness, and it was time to bring Tip home.

Despite her tough start to life, brave Tip thrived in her new pad, and it quickly became clear she’d found her happy place with Anne-Marie and Grant.

“Tip greets you when you come home and gives you so much love. She has the best personality!”

Tip had been home around six months when Anne-Marie and Grant really started to feel that she needed a sister or brother to play with.

“We completed an application form and I got a call from Dogs Trust 12 hours later saying they remembered Tip well. They said they had an Underdog called Jolene (known as ‘JoJo’ by her friends), who had a hard start to life, and needed a confident doggy friend.” 

Staff at our Harefield rehoming centre thought Tip would be a really good fit for her to help a new environment become a happy place.

The couple met a sweet-natured Staffy Cross, scared of many things, and learning to trust humans again. Two-year-old JoJo had had two homes previously, and she was hoping it was the fourth time lucky for her forever.

“She really needed time to feel safe with us, but she is such a loving dog,” says Anne-Marie.

“We were a little bit apprehensive to begin with, because we weren't too sure what adopting an Underdog would mean for us,” says Anne-Marie. “But we’re open-minded and love dogs, and know that we could give a dog a wonderful home.”

A playdate was arranged, and the rest was history.

“They absolutely hit it off from day one,” smiles Anne-Marie. “We had five more meetings so they could get to know each other more, and decided we had to bring her home.”

Since JoJo joined the family, her friendship with Tip has bloomed.

“Tip is a year younger than Jo, but she’s almost like the big sister to her.” She adds that the difference has been remarkable in helping JoJo put one paw in front of the other and get used to her new life; “She’s brought so much personality out of Jolene.”

Making a house a happy place for JoJo

As a nervous girl, it took a bit of time for JoJo to settle and know that Anne-Marie and Grant are a safe place for her.

Anne-Marie recalls: “She was a bit unsure of where she could go and what she could do, and afraid of noises. It’s not been an overnight thing, but over time she has settled into life with us.”

The couple worked with our behaviour specialists to understand JoJo more, some of her anxieties, and introduce a routine to put her at ease.

“What was fantastic is that we could pick up the phone to the Behaviour team at any time. They were brilliant,” says Anne-Marie.

Anne-Marie says that JoJo’s confidence is growing day by day.

Anne-Marie recalls, “When we first got her, it took a lot of patience to be able to put a lead on her and take her out of the house, but now we can. We have to stick to the same walks she knows, but off lead she happily runs around and plays with the other dogs, which is lovely to watch.” JoJo is also able to meet new humans and learn that they can be friends, rather than something to fear.

“JoJo has improved so much within the 15 months that she's been with us. I'm just so proud of her, and it’s amazing to see her happy!”

The couple believe it’s important not to dismiss an Underdog. “It just means you’ve got to have a little more patience and do a little more work. It’s so rewarding to know that Jo has been through some difficult things in her life before coming here, and giving her her happy ending.”

A happy place for Christmas

This December will be the second Christmas spent together since Tip and Jojo completed the family to make Anne-Marie and Grant’s house a home.

Pictures of beloved Staffies Nala, Casper and Storm look over the family and the sofa where they all gather to watch TV or have snuggles in the living room.

“We’re really excited about the festive season,” says Anne-Marie. “JoJo really likes the lights and the decorations! They’ll be presents waiting for both of them, and they’ll both get a bit of turkey too as a treat.”

For Anne-Marie and Grant, not only have they given JoJo and Tip a happy place, but they have found their happy place in their company. “I think we’re the happiest when we’re with them, and they're happiest when they're with us. I cannot explain the unconditional love that these dogs give,” Anne-Marie comments.

“I really want my home to be a happy place for my dogs. My dogs are my family, and it's so important that they feel as safe and as warm in the home as we do.”

“I would definitely go back to Dogs Trust. The way they find the right dog to suit you is fantastic,” concludes Anne-Marie. “Rescuing a dog is probably one of the most fulfilling things I've ever done, and I would do it again and again.”

Could you make an Underdog like JoJo’s Christmas and give them their happy place? Meet some of our dogs who have waited over 6 months for their forever homes below.