We continue with our 100 Days with 100 Dogs series with Charlie. Charlie is an older dog with specific behavioural complications that mean he's not suitable for rehoming. At many places this would mean the end for him, but we don't euthanise unless no other option is available, and so he's one of over 20 dogs in our permanent care.
Resident Charlie
Charlie is an 7 or 8 year old male entire GSD. He came to us after his elderly owner fell and broke his hip. The owner was 82 years old when he was sold Charlie as a puppy. After breaking his hip, his owner needed family assistance and Charlie wasn't too happy with this. He had been used to doing just as he pleased so when family members tried to tell him not to do something he bit them.
We've looked after him for over two years now. Once we had worked with him we tried putting him up for adoption. A couple of people expressed interest and we'd already explained Charlie's situation before seeing them. When they visited, we asked how they would handle certain situations and of course they said they would tell him "no". One of the visitors was reminded that a different approach was needed with Charlie and his response was "what good is he if I can't tell him no" even though we had a long discussion about it before his visit.
We subsequently made the decision that for Charlie's safety we wouldn't home him. He is very happy with us and is not being put in situations he cannot cope with.
Charlie is one of over 20 resident dogs in our permanent care, and these dogs can be sponsored to help cover the cost for that care. Find out more about sponsoring our dogs here: https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/sponsor-our-dogs.html
As we've mentioned elsewhere, we now have over 100 dogs in our care - more by far than we've ever looked after at one time since we started in 1975. And so for the next 100 days we'll post the details for one of these dogs, whether they're ready for rehoming, under evaluation, or in our permanent care, every day. Please share these posts wherever you can - if we can get some of these dogs adopted, or raise additional funds then we can get through our current crisis.
Meet Tony
Tony is a 2 year old sable entire male German Shepherd and he's looking for his forever home.
He found his way into rescue because of his reactivity to other dogs. Since being with us we've learned that he is worried and doesn't know what to do when he sees other dogs.
Tony is great with people and is an absolute sweetheart. Unfortunately he is ball obsessed - which we are trying to discourage as continuous throwing of a ball raises adrenaline levels, and so makes him more excitable. Tony needs to have calm behavior encouraged, and so we're looking for an experienced person to help Tony develop.
Tony should be homed as the only dog in a cat free home, and without very young children (Twelve or under).
Sadly, we've reached the stage of having to turn dogs away now. As much as our heart breaks for them, we need to draw the line, or risk the dogs already in our care. We currently have over 100 dogs in our care. It's not about finding more kennel space, but how the hell do we pay for the kennel space. It sometimes seems that many people are under the illusion that we get cheap kennel space. We may receive a minimal discount but believe me, our kennel bills are still enough to give us nightmares.
[Editor - We'll post an article about the cost of Welfare tomorrow.]
So, when we turn these dogs away, what happens to them? I know these dogs in the photo are not GSDs but they were found last night tied to a tree risking strangulation. The well known rescue charities were called (the ones who have millions in the bank and can pay for expensive advertising), but they were "unable to help". The dog warden doesn't work weekends!. So, were they meant to stay tied to a tree?
If the well known rescues are not taking dogs, why do we feel so bad at having to say no? Because we genuinely care. As breed lovers/enthusiasts/breeders/exhibitors/guardians WE SHOULD ALL CARE. It shouldn't be about not being responsible for someone else's mess, it should be about the poor dogs.
This is what could happen to the German Shepherds we turn away. By the time people come to us to ask us to take them, they have already made their minds up that they don't want the dog. We all say they should be made to take responsibility. To a degree that is true but these people that are capable of things like this obviously don't have a conscience! What about the people that sell the dogs? what about the rescues that home the dogs? What about the breeders that breed the dogs? Shouldn't they be made to take responsibility? Yes of course, but in the meantime, it doesn't help dogs that end up tied to trees or abandoned.
Thankfully, Rose has taken these dogs in for the weekend out of the goodness of her heart, until the dog warden is back at work on Monday.
Rest assured, we do not turn dogs away lightly for worry of what could happen to them, but what are we supposed to do with all these calls we get? How are we supposed to pay for all of the kennel fees. Answers on a postcard. ;-(
There are many ways you can help, from adopting a rescued dog, to volunteering your time, and all manner in between. Some of the shopping donation schemes cost you no money, and only a few minutes to set up. See how you can help here - https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/how-you-can-help.html
Natalie Palmer provides the first article concerning Manuka Honey in a new series about useful natural remedies when caring for your dog.
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So, what do you know about natural remedies? If you are like me the answer is not a lot, but I am learning there are a lot of great products out there to help us keep our dogs happy and healthy. Recently our Susie had some open wounds to her tail which were stitched and yep you guessed it she managed to pull out the stitches – even with an extra large cone and an inflatable collar no less! Anyway, as our Susie is really nervous at the vets they decided not to restitch but the treatment was clean them 3 times a day and apply Manuka Honey….I was genuinely intrigued and somewhere remember hearing about the benefits of Manuka before. While researching I found that the Manuka honey will basically remove anything bad from the wounds due to its natural healing properties. My advice would be to keep a jar in your cupboard - just in case. Not only is it amazing on cuts and wounds but it also works internally too. Raw unpasteurised honey is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. Don’t be thinking this is the same as the runny honey you spread on your toast at breakfast, Manuka honey is special thanks to the bees in New Zealand and Australia who pollenate the flowers of the Manuka tree.
Uses for manuka-
First aid wound care
Skin disease
Probiotic for gut health
Provides added immune support against viruses
Protects with anti-oxidants
Helps to maintain great oral health
For me, the tricky bit was understanding what Manuka Honey to buy, there is the Manuka honey you can buy in the local supermarket and then there is a whole range you can buy at your local health store as well as online too. When looking at buying there are 2 things to consider:
1) UMF (unique manuka factor) grade Manuka is superior to other supermarket bought honeys
2) The MGO level which means the antimicrobial activity in methylglyoxal
When introducing this into a dogs diet the advice I found was to start with the lower levels -
Manuka UMF 5+|MGO 83+
Manuka UMF 10+| MGO 263+
Not only does the natural remedy cost far less than other medication at the Vets but also it reduces the amount of chemicals we are using on our dogs. Of course, in some cases these medications are needed just as we also had anti inflammatory and pain relief medication for Susie but when these came to an end, we continued with the Manuka honey orally as a natural continuation until the wounds had healed.
I hope this has piqued your interest in finding out more and there is a really fantastic guide on how to use manuka honey for dogs which is well worth a read for further information:
The plan is to continue this blog going forward with other natural remedies out there, so if you have one in particular you think is amazing please comment and the team will look to post more blog items in this subject area.
Please note that natural re,medies can be an effective means to maintain the health of your dog, but if you are concerned about their health then you should consult a vet.
Hello my fellow pupsters! Dickie Hill back here with news on the the long anticipated rematch with Ada. There were some who questioned my clear victory in our previous encounter. Mum said that Ada was currently in season, and while I'm not quite sure what that means, it did mean that she could come and play with me, but not the other dogs. My chance at last!
I'm bigger than I was last night, and as you can see I went straight for the throat. No ducking and diving this time, just pure attack - so much so I think I stunned her with my ferocity. It was so one-sided mum had to intervene and save her again. I didn't even have to use my super zoom! It was all too easy, and so until next time pupsters - Dickie Hill signing out πΎπΎπΎ
This handsome boy is Loki, who is a 2.5 year old German Shepherd dog. He's currently in South Lincs, and looking for his new forever home.
Loki came into our care due to a change in the domestic situation. He has lived with children and other dogs. He is a well bred boy who will make someone a wonderful companion.
In this latest behavioural article from our resident expert Lisa Hird she describes one of her case studies. You can learn more about her work on her website: https://www.dogbehaviourclinic.co.uk/
Dogs that are anxious or worried are sadly often labelled as "stupid". But unless a dog is relaxed, she won't be able to learn.
Freya would usually follow me around the house as soon as I moved. In the early days of adoption, she found it difficult to not follow me and it could have easily escalated into separation distress!
We practised, one step at a time, me moving away while she didn’t move! We used a simple hand signal and literally took one step each time, slowly building up the distance, setting her up to succeed. I was able to ask her to “stay” while we were outside, using just the hand signal we had been practising inside.
Unless we tackle the underlying anxieties and stress, dogs are not able to learn. We no longer teach obedience, we teach life skills, and being relaxed and staying where she is, is very much a life skill for Freya.
This is the last of the catch-up progress videos, so future updates on Elda's progress should be more timely!
Elda has been here 6 weeks today and she is coming on nicely. The changes in her behaviour and confidence are noticeable improvements. She interacts more, with toys, the environment around her, and with me. She's also starting to show glimpses of quite a character hidden underneath, just waiting to come out. I am still not touching her. I open the gate to the run and she comes running out and really makes the most of her playtime. ❤️❤️
Clicker training uses a distinct and consistent signal to mark a desired behaviour and then follows that signal with a motivating reward.
Click = treat.
The click pinpoints the desired behaviour precisely so your puppy will learn desirable behaviour amazingly quickly—often from two or three clicks.
The clicker provides a consistent, non-emotional marker so your puppy always receives the same information, no matter who is holding the clicker.
Clicker training is used to teach/learn new behaviours. Once the behavior is learned, the clicker is not needed any more for that behaviour—although praise and treats can still be used.
Whenever you want to train a new behaviour, or fine-tune an old one, use the clicker.
For now, you will be clicking and treating every single repetition. Clicker training can be used to “capture” a desired behaviour.
If you see your puppy sit down, click and treat. Repeat each time and then add the cue – Sit. No need to use luring or repeated requests for the behaviour.
If you find it difficult to manage a clicker, treats and watch your puppy, a word or hand signal can be used instead of the clicker.
A thumbs up sign can work well for some dogs – just use it instead of the clicker.
My marker word (and one used by many trainers) is “YES!.” So, when my dog does something I would like to see more of, I just use the word “YES”. You can use any word you wish if you are consistent.
You can now share your support for the German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund to the world with these two bold and eye-catching designs. All profits from their sale are donated to help fund our mission to rescue, protect and rehome vulnerable German Shepherds throughout the mainland UK.
The bumper stickers measure 29 x 9 cm. Postage is £1 within the mainland UK, please contact us if you want to deliver to a different region.
Hi there my fellow pupstars! Dickie Hill back and I'm happy to report that it's all wonders and marvellous toys for me at the moment. Look at this new toy mom gave me today. She laid it out, calling it a 'snuffle mat' - something to explore with my nose apparently. I didn't find much - just a few treats.
That was way to easy to be what it was really for. And then I realised how it was supposed to be played with - it was for running with. So off I zoomed, and ran a tour of the garden with my brilliant new toy.
Thanks Mum! πΎπΎπΎ
My bearded chronicler says that my diary entries are now being archived on a special blog page - you can find them, and other interesting posts here: https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
Meet Brodie, he's a six year old male German Shepherd who's suffered persistent ear infections since he was taken into Welfare after his owners could no longer care for him.
Despite repeated attempts from vets to heal and prevent the infections, nothing has been successful. His quality of life from the constant pain was such that euthanasia was his remaining option.
The opportunity for drastic ear surgery at the Christchurch vets in Ipswich are his last remaining chance for a life without constant pain. The operation was completed this week, and Brodie is recovering well, and we're hopeful that it will improve his life as we'd hoped.
Such operations are expensive, and while we never want to worry about price for a dog's health and happiness, the vet's bill still needs paying. To help pay for this we have created an appeal to raise the £3200 needed. We hope that you can help raise this money, and any donation - big or small is greatly appreciated.
Hello everypawdy! Tia here with a really exciting pupdate. Can you believe that tomorrow is my first gotcha day? I will have been with Welfare for one year tomorrow. It seems such a long time ago that I ran loose in farmers' fields before the hooman trapped me, but in many ways, I remember the fear so vividly that it could have been yesterday. Anything could have happened to me, and even when I was trapped, I remained afraid, but this time of the unknown.
I needn’t have worried because I've settled really well here, and I've even made friends. Rodney is my best friend - although we don’t physically mix, we are neighbours and I cannot wait to get back to my kennel to be next to him. I did wonder why the hooman didn’t let us run together, but she said that it’s because she cannot put a collar or lead on Rodney yet, so if he tried to hurt me (although she thinks he is as besotted with me as I am with him) she would not be able to stop him without a lead.
She said it is called erring on the side of caution. It’s a shame she doesn’t err on the side of caution a bit more often as she is always getting things wrong!
I am still not too happy around people but the hooman says it takes as long as it takes. She said given the trauma I have been through she is not surprised.
To celebrate my gotcha day, I will be doing a live in the new Friends of GSD Welfare group. I am not sure what I am supposed to do, and strangely, the hooman looks a little bit uncomfortable with the idea as she said she never knows what I am going to do next. I don’t know why she doesn’t have faith in me. She said that I might possibly get some treats so I shall really look forward to that. Although, I have to tell you, she is one of those that breaks a treat in two and thinks I've been fooled into believing they're two treats. How stupid does she really think I am. She has promised me this won’t happen tomorrow though.
I really look forward to seeing you in my live tomorrow if you are a Friend of Welfare. Bye for now …. Rodney is calling me. Love Tia ❤❤❤
Although Elda loves sniffing and her food, she's never engaged with the sprinkles I put down, or interacted much with snuffle /lickie mats. I can only think that so far, she wasn’t confident enough to do so. This morning for the first time, she really got in to the sprinkles. At times her body language was a bit stiff, but she soon seemed to relax and enjoy it. Well done Elda ❤
There are a number of things to consider when deciding on the right breed for your family. German Shepherds are a breed that have specific requirements to ensure they are a happy, healthy, and well-rounded dog. Whilst there are breed specific characters to consider, as with any breed, each dog is an individual, with different drives and physical needs. However, there are some basic requirements relevant to all German Shepherds that should be considered when first deciding if they are the right breed for your family:
ππ’π¦π – Do you have the time and effort to put training into your German Shepherd? This is an ongoing requirement, not just when they are a puppy. Every moment spent with your German Shepherd is a training moment. German Shepherds want to be around their people most of the time, they do not do well locked outside in a backyard with little interaction. They will start to show signs of stress which will affect their behaviour. They require ongoing training and commitment and to build a bond with their caregiver.
ππ¨ππ’ππ₯π’π¬πππ’π¨π§ – German Shepherds are prone to antisocial behaviour if not regularly exposed to different scenarios and situations. They require regular socialisation with other dogs in a controlled and safe environment, they need to have positive experiences with different types of animals, people, vehicles, places, and objects. By the same token, flooding a German Shepherd/any dog can cause them to stress and display reactivity. Get to know your dog. Learn some of the stress signals so you can recognise. Flooding is a form of “socialising”. For instance, you decide to socialise your GSD with other dogs and you take him to the park. There are plenty of dogs there for him to meet. Whilst this may sound like the ideal plan, in reality it may overwhelm your dog. If we miss the signals, and carry on “socialising”, it could have the opposite effect to the one we are expecting. Your dog may become reactive, because his previous attempts at communication (stress signals) were ignored.
ππ¨π¬π - German Shepherds can live for on average for 10-14 years; during their lifespan, they need to have regular check-ups at the vet as they can be prone to some medical conditions which are expensive to treat. This is one of the many reasons that they are relinquished to a rescue. German Shepherds are a large breed dog, resulting in higher veterinary bills than smaller dogs if they ever need surgery, they must also be provided with good quality food. German Shepherds may also need assistance from a professional trainer to help with any arising behavioural issues.
ππ«π¨π¨π¦π’π§π – German Shepherds shed A LOT of hair! They need regular brushing to keep their coat well maintained otherwise they can become matted and itchy. No matter how much you brush or groom your German Shepherd, there will be plenty of hair everywhere around the house! Shaving a German Shepherd is not an option, they have a double coat that helps to regulate their body temperature acting like a layer of insulation!
ππ±ππ«ππ’π¬π ππ§π ππ§π«π’ππ‘π¦ππ§π – German Shepherds are an active breed that need to be given exercise daily and provided with mental stimulation in the forms of walks, games, training, challenges, and puzzles to keep them active and amused. They are a clever breed that need to keep their mind working or they will become bored and develop problem behaviours.
These are the bare necessities for a German Shepherd to live a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life; please consider if you can meet all these basic requirements of a German Shepherd, if you can, then the next step is to do some further research on this wonderful breed. Learn as much as you can about them. Take the time to find a reputable breeder or rescue. There is no doubt that you will experience “teething troubles” (sometimes literally) so you need a breeder or rescue or will provide back up support. You also need a breeder/rescue who have done their best to pair you with suitable match temperament wise. Out of a litter of puppies, each one of them will have different characters. Your breeder should have got to know their characters. They should ask you about your lifestyle and what you expect from your new best friend. Some of the puppies will be forward and confident, some may be more timid and less confident. If you are an outgoing person who has a hectic social life that you will include your dog in, the timid one may stress in such environments. If you are a bit of a home bod, then the party animal out of the puppies may not be sufficiently stimulated. A rescue should ask you what you expect from a dog and try to match you with a suitable candidate. If you have cats, it is not the best idea to take a 4-year-old who usually chases anything furry and expect him to get used to it.
If you cannot fulfil all of the requirements listed above… then a German Shepherd is not the breed for you! However, if it is then adopting a rescued dog can be extremely rewarding - take a look at the dogs in our care to see if you could give one a loving home: http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/dogslist/
Back in February we enjoyed an emotional day when Apollo and Lexi's puppies left our care for their adoptive homes. Those pups are now six months old, and here we catch up with a few of them and their pawrents.
First we catch Evie, adopted by Cathy and Chris.
We we are a retired couple who live in the Norfolk countryside with an enclosed acre field for our GSDs, and so were in a position to offer one of the Welfare puppies a loving home. We had/have two boys: George 6 and Milo who was only 11 months old at that time. Sadly we'd lost our girl Meggie Moo to a tumour on the spleen which had then burst, she was only 9 yrs old and we were devastated.
We certainly had room in our hearts and our home for a new little girl, but weren’t actively considering getting another puppy at the time. Then the pups were born and Debbie said that Welfare were giving first consideration to people who had previously adopted from Welfare. Although being long time supporters over 30 years we had never adopted. Then I saw Debbie’s post about two pups looking for homes and I contacted her and asked if any girls were available. And the rest as they say is history π.
Evie settled in really well with us and our boys, in fact, I would say she chose us… I sat on the grass and she came running to me. This is amazing as she really is cautious in nature and takes time to get to know new people, not worried at all but she does things at her own pace. We feel blessed to have her in our lives and she has gone a long way to healing our hearts after the loss of our darling Meggie Moo. We can’t thank GSDWF enough for the opportunity of letting Puppy Evie share our lives.
Jane also shared some lovely photos of Jackson with us.
Young Dickie Hill is probably the more famous of the litter with his own social media channels (you can follow him on Facebook here - https://www.facebook.com/DickiesDiary), and was adopted by our chairman Debbie Hill.
The day these wonderful puppies were born, is a day that I wont forget easily. Just over eight weeks previously we had taken in a male and female GSD that had been presented at the vets for euthanasia. They were so frightened that we couldn’t touch them. This particular day, 10th December 2021, I had visited the kennels to get updates on our
Welfare dogs. I had interacted with several of the dogs and then they brought out Apollo (the male of the pair that had come from the vets). I was blown away with his progress. He interacted with me and was no longer the terrified boy that I had brought here. When it was time for Apollo to go back to his kennel, the kennel owner told me she was fetch Lexi (the female from the pair). I waited, quite excited to see how she had progressed.
Nadine came back out of the kennels and shouted something to which her husband Craig went running over. He then came out and called me over. I was getting a bit worried that something had happened to one of our dogs. In no way did I expect to hear what they told me. Lexi had a puppy. I went and looked, and sure enough, there she was laying on her bed with a puppy. We all sprung into action. Nadine, who had a wonderful bond with Lexi, went in to help her and supervise the birth. Craig was arranging another kennel for her, where she would have more privacy and I went off to source a whelping box and all the nutritious food mum would need.
A total of 9 puppies were born but sadly mum lay on one, despite having roll bars in the whelping box. And so began this new journey. It was quite worrying that not only were these puppies born in rescue, but mum and dad were both nervous so not the best temperaments to be producing puppies, and also, we had the madness that the pandemic had brought about in the dog world. The market was flooded with puppies.
We couldn’t do anything about the parents’ temperaments, but we could give the pups the best start possible. We took advise from behaviourist Lisa Hird and from day one we provided stimulation for the puppies. Different obstacles and surfaces. As the days passed, we watched their characters emerge. Cuteness overload! We took them on car journeys to the pet shop. We needed these pups to be bomb proof.
The thought of finding the right homes for these puppies was terrifying. The world and his wife were asking for them, but we were concerned people were seeing them as a chance to have a cheap puppy. They had not had the best start in life, being born in rescue, we wanted to do our very best to ensure that they found forever homes. We decided that we would give first refusal to our members and to people that had adopted our dogs previously. We were very lucky in that the homes we found were all people known to us, or recommended to us by trusted friends.
At six weeks, we started the puppy parties, introducing the pups to their potential pawrents. As the pups all came running out, exuberant and full of confidence, I couldn’t have been any prouder of them. We paired them with their potential parents and I almost sighed with relief. I felt really comfortable with the selection we had made.
The day for the pups to go off to their new homes came around so quickly. It was a very bittersweet moment. We were so pleased and proud to see them starting their new adventure, but by the same token, it was sad to see them go. We have a Facebook group, especially for the puppies so that we can all keep in touch and share the highs and lows that having a puppy can bring and offer each other advice. It has been amazing to watch their progress and see them grow.
Sadly, one of the pups, Sparkle, was taken ill. She was diagnosed with a brain degenerative disease which means she suffers seizures and has trouble using her back legs. Her pawrents have been amazing and have done everything in their power to get her the right treatment. Unfortunately, this is the risk of breeding from dogs with no health tests. Most back street breeders do not health test and this is precisely why we advise against it. In this instance, we had no choice. Lexi had come to us already in whelp. Also, when adopting rescue dogs, you never really know their background. That said, there is so much more to gain from adopting a rescue dog.
Although I had no intention of adding to “my gang”, one of the pups really took a liking to me. He was the naughtiest and was always at the centre of the mischief. I did worry what would happen when he was adopted. I had a home lined up for him and they came and met him, but then changed their minds at the last minute. It seemed fated that he should come home with me. Mr Green became Dickie Hill.
Dickie is a working dog, although working in media rather guarding a flock from wolves :-) He helps us promote Welfare and the work we do. We desperately need to educate people so that so many dogs do not find themselves in rescue. He features in training videos, not only demonstrating the effectiveness of positive reinforcement, but also sharing the fun of growing up as a pup. He recently made his first public appearance on behalf of Welfare at a street collection helping to raise funds for us and was a star.
We are so proud of all these puppies, and eternally thankful to their adopters for giving them the most amazing homes that we could ever have wished for. We may all be a bit greyer and a few more wrinkles but we are all ready for the next six months of our journey.
Sincere thanks to all our supporters that were there for us when the puppies were born. Also, heart felt thanks to Lisa Hird for her continued support.
Hi everypawdy - Dickie Hill here with news about the Greatest Toy Ever. You can't believe how truly amazing it is. Mum took me to a shop filled with lots of colourful smells, and more toys than I could count. But none of them were right. I didn't know what I wanted, but I knew that it wasn't here.
I searched, sniffing the toys on offer until we left. We arrived home and there it was! I grabbed it immediately before another dog spotted it, or mum told me not to. I grabbed it, I dropped it, I threw it. I chased it. It's the best toy ever.
Got to go everypawdy - Dickie signing out until next time πΎπΎπΎ
After a temporary pause in posting updates while some other work was being completed, we're pleased to resume them. This update dates from a few weeks ago, and we're going to catch up with the next few updates, and then we're back to normal.
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The lovely Elda is coming on in leaps and bounds. This is from my perspective and they might not seem overly dramatic they are all positive steps for her well-being. After four weeks I’m still not attempting to touch her. It's important that I remain mindful of my behaviour around her so as not to frighten her. It's all too easy to lose progress by pushing a dog too hard.
Sometimes people consider basic command training a way of measuring progress with rehabilitation work. I’ve not even attempted to put a lead on her. So why do I think she has come on in leaps and bounds? Elda's body language is much softer. She's now asking to interact with me. She is playing with toys, and communicating in ways other than barking - which has also lessened. Her emotional state is changing. Does she trust me? Not yet, and it would be surprising if she did. Four weeks of care does not wipe away the trauma she's experienced.
Of course I want to cuddle her and tell her it will be all be alright. I'd love to take her for long walks, and to allow her to catch up on what she missed these past two years. But that’s what I want. Not what Elda wants - yet.
This is the lovely Kosmo. He is 16 months old and bred from working lines. He was a real challenge when he came to Welfare but we are pleased to say he is making progress.
He won’t be up for adoption for some time yet as he is following a rehabilitation plan. Here he demonstrates how clever he is. He knows where the treats are kept and had no problem opening doors. π
This beautiful girl is Hollie. She has come so far since coming to us. She was one of four dogs that we rescued - mother and her three daughters. They lived in a run down kennel without any stimulation, and human contact was almost non-existent.
Not surprisingly the owner couldn’t even get near them, so you can imagine the challenge we faced when collecting them. They had never been on lead.
That was Christmas 2020.
Although Hollie has come so far during her time with us, because of her previous life she will always bear emotional scars. We are looking for an understanding human companion for Hollie who can help her cope with those scars.
