Hector
Born 10th May 2025
40% Bulldog ● 36% American Bulldog ● 17% Staffordshire Bull Terrier ● 4% American staffordshire Terrier ● 3% Dogue de Bordeaux
This page is dedicated to Hector, our puppy. Throughout our journey, it will showcase our progress. We’ve aptly named it “Pupdates” thanks to Charlie (Kelly’s Charlie).
Hector has his own Instagram account. It’s called ‘ourdoghector‘ and available to see from here.
Friday 25 July 2025
FIRST SEARCH
Here’s the first little puppy we saw and fell in love with straight away. He was in Slough, but we were too late, he had been sold.
FIRST PURCHASE
We visited a private address in Goldaming, Surrey, to purchase our first product for setting up Hector’s home. It was a Kong pet cage, which typically costs around £60. However, we managed to get the crate, base, cover, and some training pads for just £35 from a lady called Megan.
Saturday 26 July 2025
SECOND PUPPY
Still looking online, we stumbled upon this one, in Chatteris, near Cambridge. The breeder seems fairly new but is registered with pets4homes. This little chap is the last of two of a litter, with one other (female). We expressed our interest with the breeder, Tony S. and waited for him to contact us. It was scheduled that we meet them in a video call the next morning.
Sunday 27 July 2025
We have pulled out from viewing the puppy in Chatteris, after discussing it with Elaine Bruton, Neil’s Mum. She has a vast knowledge and experience as an ex-breeder and Crufts show breeder.
We looked at the Creature Comforts vets in Putney where Stacey works and have registered with them. We are interested in subscribing to the All-Care plan with them, but we are going to speak to Stacey.
Furthermore, we registered with champdogs.co.uk this morning.
I mentioned to Jezz that the other breed I fell in love with, whilst walking around the local park, was a Rhodesian Ridgeback. A short-lived moment of wondering if we could cope with a miniature horse in the house, and then we went back to thinking about crossbreeds and mongrels. Here’s what we came up with:
Well, it got to around 9am, and Jezz noticed an advert for 2 remaining crossbreed Staffordshire Bull Terriers with Old English Bulldog. I know that sounds frightening, but the photo that caught our attention and hearts was this one. We made an enquiry and it opens an online chat window. Within minutes, we were arranging to see our little Hector and soon enough, we’d paid a deposit and were on our way. It was with a lady called Charlie, who was new to the Pets4Homes website. All the questions of pedigree, champion bloodline etc were gone, and we bought him around 12.30pm today. He’s home with us, so no turning back.
Day 1 – Sunday 27 July 2025
11 weeks 1 day
Day 2 – Monday 28 July 2025
11 weeks 2 days
Well now, the first night went fairly OK, certainly for me, but maybe not so well for Jezz. After a 12-minute song of whining, Hector went to sleep in his crate with the gate door shut. However, at 11.15pm, we both had to come down and see him. That lasted 4 minutes but then again, apparently at 3.15am, Jezz had to come down to him. At 5am, Jezz came down and decided to sleep next to the crate.
Hence, this morning, this was the scene:
After breakfast, and two massive poo’s, he was playful for about half an hour.
A Background Story about the name of Hector
Back in the mid 70s, there was a children’s TV programme called: “Hector’s House.” It was a glove puppet show. It originated in France and there were 78 episodes. It arrived in the UK on 9th September 1968 and was aired by the BBC.
As a small boy, my Grandmother, who raised me until I was 11, bought me a cuddly dog toy that we called Hector because he looked like Hector from the TV show, Hector’s House. During one of our house moves, I misplaced him and lost him forever. Over the years, my sister Nikki would tease me and remind me that I once had a Hector and that maybe I’d get another one one day. Knowing that she meant a dog of my own, I’ve always refused and said I would never have one. But they’ve finally beaten me down, and now I do.
Okay, day two is nearly over, and we’re all about to call it a night. Well, Hector might be calling it a 4-hour night, if we’re lucky.
FIRST TIME LEFT IN THE HOUSE ALONE (but only for 45 mins)
Jezz and I took off to Pets At Home to get some food, more training pads, a new collar, some cleaning, and training bits. Oh, and Hector’s own ID badge. (ID barrel to follow). It’s one of those engraving machines in the store that you operate yourself. So clever. See image, it is dog bone shaped. We set the 2 lines as HECTOR and ALTON using the Goudy font. The reverse side is a rainbow. Who’d have thought?
And this is the new puppy collar. It’s black leather and has gold dog bone shapes around it.
Day 3 – Tuesday 29 July 2025
11 weeks 3 days
Well now, Jezz has returned to work this morning so it was just me and Hector. We have emptied the dishwasher, put one of his towels and blankets in the tumble dryer, we’ve played in the garden, he’s done a poo and a wee there, and one more in the kitchen (right next to the training pad). We then had a long walk round the block, where he stayed in my arms, under my hoodie and with my finger through his collar. Furthermore, we saw two cats, a massive staffie across the road, quite a few noisy cars passing, and a fit bloke who came to say hello and tell us we’re gorgeous. Well, he was only talking to Hector, but I pretended.
Jezz came home from work via Pets At Home and has bought a puppy car seat, a Tote bag and small square fluffy bed, really meant for the kitchen. Oh, and a rainbow bandanna for his collar. Hahaha.
WAYNE’S THOUGHTS
How is it possible that I can be so cross, enough to put him back to bed and yet, three minutes later, I am hugging, cuddling and kissing him within an inch of his life. ~ Wayne
Day 4 – Wednesday 30 July 2025
11 weeks 4 days
Jezz bought a new colander for the kitchen, and we were going to throw the old one out, but it’s had a new burst of life, as soon as Hector made use of it.
Today’s new experiment was the puppy booster seat. We’d got it all set up in the front passenger seat of the car and Jezz placed him in it, and we set off for what only turned out to be a 5-minute drive around the block. It wasn’t a roaring success, but not a complete failure either. There was a lot of whining initially, and he’d settled as we were heading back. We just need to get him used to it, so he doesn’t get stressed. We’re learning all the time. Zoe mentioned that she wished she’d exposed Buddy to the car more when he was younger because now he suffers with car sickness.
Day 5 – Thursday 31 July 2025
11 weeks 5 days
The best night so far. Between Jake and Jezz’s idea, it really helped to soothe Hector by talking to him through the webcam we had set up in the room, not the one directly above his crate.
WAYNE’S THOUGHTS
Would someone please explain to me what is going on with my body when, on five separate occasions now, the first one in front of Jezz, that I have involuntarily burst into tears with sheer affection and love for my little poo making machine? ~ Wayne
This morning I thought I’d install another camera directly above his crate. It works. In night vision and of course, very well, during the day, too.
Today, as well as Nik popping in, Stacey called round with Ted. Stacey is our ‘go to’ for all animal needs. She’s a qualified vet and is unstoppable with sound advice and guidance.
Jezz came home from work, via TK Maxx and bought lots more goodies, another chew toy for his teeth, a tug o’ war toy, a new food bin for his dry food, new duo matching bowel set, another lick mat for evening dinner. Hmm. It certainly slowed him down, which is a good thing because he ate so fast.
Another first
Today, Jezz peeled and cubed an apple, following Stacey’s advice that he can eat apples and carrots freely.
This is the food bin Jezz bought for Hector’s dry food. It remains to be seen whether it’s actually Hector-proof or not.
