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MadWoofter

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    Dog Rescue Testimonials

    in Dog Rescue (General Rescue Discussion)

    Posted

    *Your Name/ State - Kim - NSW

    *Dogs Name/Age/Breed - Fleming, Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) age approx 5 at adoption (now around 13)

    *Your adoption story

    Fleming came to me originally as a foster. He was found in rural Vic and was transported up to Sydney to the rescue group I volunteered at with his father. He had some noticeable medical issues with a bad hind leg limp and bits of skin out of him. This was put down to fighting with his father. He came to me malnourished, with bad skin & coat condition, and a lot of fear. Very quickly we realised that his rear leg was a real problem, and after consultation with the vet and the rescue group, it was decided to amputate. We don't really know what happened, but by the extent of the injury we think he had been hit by a car at some stage and never taken to a vet. He was in immense amounts of pain until we amputated, and had obviously had the injury for some time as he had already 'adjusted' to using three legs.

    Again we can only speculate on what his life was like, but judging by his reactions to certain things, it was apparent that he had been beaten with a broom, a hose, big sticks etc. He used to run at the slightest loud noise, quiver and shake in fear and was just generally miserable. It is a credit to Fleming that not once did he bite in fear or pain.

    It took a long time to get him physically good, and when the rescue group closed down and he was still with me 12 months later it was a very very easy decision to make - Fleming was now officially a "foster failure".

    He's been with me now for about 8 years, and he is an absolute delight. He loves people, dogs, and kids, he tolerates the cat, and his goal in life is to please me. Because of that he was very easy to train, and he is just about perfect ! He still has some fear-induced issues, for instance I have to be careful when I get the broom out to sweep the floor as he can get into a panic and run off (to hider under the nearest bush). If he is scared about something he goes and hides and sometimes it can be difficult to get him to come inside. Loud noises can startle him and scare him off, so I am always mindful of him and make sure I don't make large loud gestures or swing brooms around him.

    Fleming is just an absolute delight, and I love him to bits :) He is my pin-up boy for rescue, and is a prime example of a dog not having (too much :)) baggage despite his horrible start.

    Tv Adds Your Dogs Hate...or Love

    in General Dog Discussion

    Posted

    Fleming is usually sound asleep on the sofa next to me, but there's an ad where someone rings a doorbell which will guarantee to rouse him from the deepest sleep and get him up and racing up the hall to bark at the front door.

    I don't even have a door bell myself so doG knows how he knows to react that way :laugh:

    Found Dogs- What Do You Do?

    in General Dog Discussion

    Posted

    I've had a couple of cuties turn up on my doorstop in the last few years. One had a collar & number so I kept it overnight and kept trying to ring them, then rang the ranger the next day to collect them. The other one didn't have a collar or anything so I rang the ranger straight away. They were completely overwhelmed with incoming calls and asked if there was any way I could keep it overnight which wasn't a problem so I did and they picked it up the next day.

    We've got a big pound that takes dogs from a number of council areas, so my theory is that it is the first place most owners will look before calling local vets / facebook etc. They also have the microchip facilities, and if, in the worst case scenario an owner isn't found, they're in the best place to be looked after & rehomed.

    Pet Friendly Accommodation With Chickens

    in General Dog Discussion

    Posted

    I've had chooks for a few years now in a small suburban backyard, and they would free range with both the dogs (when Tess was still around) and a cat !!!

    I knew that Fleming might be a problem when I first got them, so I spent some time with him in the backyard on lead until he worked out they weren't to be touched. I never left them unsupervised until I was sure there wouldn't be a problem (although it's always a risk). Fleming is so laid back that he would lie out in the sun and the chooks would peck fluff & dust out of his fur !

    The cat is 99% of the time an inside cat and only has short, supervised visits outdoors, and as a result she's not nervous, but cautious I would say when she's in the yard. The chooks were bigger than her too so she'd race out and play underneath the bushes, then wait till the chooks had moved out of the way before racing back inside again.

    I would hope that those pet-stay places have the coop fenced off though for the chookies safety. At least in my home environment I had the time to train my dogs around the chooks. A short stay accommodation I don't think they would have survived !

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