About Boyce
UPDATE: While the shop is a very exciting time for us it has been tinged with sadness as we had to say goodbye to our beloved Boyce on Christmas Eve 2020. This was very unexpected and left a huge hole in our lives BUT we are so very grateful for the 8 and a half years we got to say he was part of our family, the joy he gave us on a daily basis, the fact he got to see Boyce’s Way open to the public on 20 December and most importantly that he was happy and active right up until his last day are all a huge comfort.
We rehomed Boyce when he was four years old from Battersea Dogs Home and you will see from Boyce's story below he had numerous health issues over the years but it never stopped him being the happiest dog with the biggest staffie smile! We’ve therefore decided to leave the “About Boyce” section as written as without Boyce, Boyce’s Way would never have happened!
RIP my gorgeous boy!
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My name is Boyce and I am a 12 year old staffy.
My Mum and Dad adopted me from Battersea Dogs Home in London when I was four years old. My world revolves around food, humans and walks (in that order!). Everyone says I’m a handsome boy and lots of humans comment on how happy I am (I love to flash my staffy smile).
Mum and Dad say I’ve had more than my fair share of health problems over the years but I don’t let it get me down as life is simply too much fun to be sad. In my eyes it just means I get to meet more humans who love animals (my Mum and Dad call them specialists).
My Medical Diagnosis
A few years ago, my vet sent me to see a nice man called Padraig at Fitzpatrick Referrals (he’s been on the telly you know…). Padraig said I had something called elbow dysplasia and arranged for me to have a plasma injection*. I wasn’t so sure I wanted an injection in my elbow, surely that would hurt right, but I was wrong and after just one injection my elbow felt great.
Then at the start of 2019 my back legs started to have a mind of their own and I struggled to keep up with my Dad on walks. During this time my Mum and Dad took me to see more of those nice humans but they were unable to tell us the exact cause of my wobbly legs, because I had a problem with my spine and my knees.
*A plasma injection offers a safe and natural cell therapy to relieve pain, promote healing and reduce recovery time using your dog's own blood.
Acupuncture
My Mum and Dad then had more chats with my vet (I think they love to talk about me because I’m such a good boy!) and they arranged for me to have a course of acupuncture*…eek more needles…but the needles didn’t hurt at all and in fact I had a little snooze whilst they worked their magic.
*Acupuncture is known to help with inflammation and pain.
Hydrotherapy
In the Spring/Summer of 2019 my vet referred me to Pool4Paws for something called hydrotherapy*. Now I’m not that keen on water, and that includes having a bath or going out in the rain, but I shouldn’t have worried because Terry and Carly kept me safe. I had my own lifejacket and Carly kept me company in the tank while I walked on a treadmill (sounds easier than it is!). Carly always found it funny that my dad would feed me bits of banana to keep walking…I LOVE BANANA.
My Mum and Dad rave about Carly and Terry because the muscles in my legs are so strong now that I’m back to being faster than my Dad!
*Hydrotherapy is a form of therapeutic exercise carried out in water, in a pool or underwater treadmill. The properties of water allow exercise in a partial or non-weight bearing environment, giving increased circulation to muscles, increased joint flexibility and reduced joint pain.
