And An Update On The New Boy.....

Of course yesterday I introduced you to another amazing boy, the one I have decided to call Keene, which apparently is German for 'sharp' and to be honest it really sums him up.

Keene had a tough act to follow after Axel''s impressive show, but he wasn't intimidated by the new surroundings,  he simple sucked it all in. I'm not sure if I have ever seen a dog that is so alert and switched on to EVERYTHING. He knows exactly where you are all the time, and is fully aware of everything that is going on around him. I didn't feel threatened at all, just aware that I was under surveillance! Even when we stopped for photographs there was a visible glance my way when I moved my hand slightly more over his side. I could see he was recalculating the situation. Though as you can see he did let me get that little bit closer.

On the way back we stopped to pick up his poo bag, but he beat Melissa to it.....

The incredible thing was once he did put it down and Mel picked it up, he ever so gently took it from her hand and carried it again.

Keene is incredible. A dog more intelligent than I've possibly ever seen before, yet he was a vets appointment away from having life taken away.

Update On An Amazing Boy.....

It was really nice to spend some time in the sunshine today, especially after waking up to snow. What was even better was spending it with Axel! This boy has come on so much and I don't just mean physically, his whole attitude to life has developed as well as his character.  So much so I trusted him to pose for these photos off lead....

I think it's fair to say that he was pretty pleased with himself!

And as a little reminder for those who aren't familiar with Axel''s story, this is how he looked when he was found.....

Readers on Facebook will need to click on the story to see all the pictures.

Road Trip For A New Arrival.....

I got a frantic phonecall on Friday from one of my most trusted rescue contact's.  The kind of phonecall that you its desperate the minute you see their name.... Because that's the only time they contact you.

Turned out there was a dog sitting at the vets waiting to be destroyed. Having had several homes he'd allegedly been used in protection training, but at 18 months old his life hadn't even started.

So I had a road trip south today, preparing myself for a dog that had been described as 'very sharp.' I was really going to have to be on my toes with this one.

What I was greeted with was a very confused and beautiful boy who watched every move I made. Once out of the van, on a rigid lead, he was an instant attraction for spectators sitting in their cars in the car park. I'm sure he noticed every single one of them.....

We had a gentle 4 hour drive back home,  on which he responded every time I said his name. You can see he is desperate to have that connection with someone, and being a suspected German Shepherd cross Malinois I wouldn't expect anything else.

I think the world outside whats he's known is a new and scary place to him. Exciting too of course,  we have to introduce him gently.

There's a bond between us already, I can see the desire in his eyes to belong and trust, but also the fear and bewilderment. It's our job to make the trust take over the fear.

More Amazing Progress.....

Another amazing bit of progress today was with a dog that was found last Friday chained to a lampost and was understandably showing signs of fear aggression. I have to be very selective in what I say about this one as we do know some history.

Taken to the vets, he was looking at getting destroyed until I got the call.

Yesterday after being in our care for a week he trusted me enough to let me take the chain off from around his neck. Today, after a week on the 'rigid' lead we enjoyed a wander on a double lead.....

Another amazing soul who is rediscovering trust.

(Facebook readers will need to click on full post to see all photos.)

Big Changes For Daisy.....

Having spent a few weeks in emergency temporary boarding, I moved Daisy to The Rescue Place yesterday. She was perfect sharing the van (in a crate) with some of my dogs.  She's quickly settled and today she made a new friend in Rich.....

A Date With Daisy.....

I introduced you to Daisy a little while ago..... a dog that had been written off for aggression issue's and was less than 24 hours away from a vets needle in a pound.

Today the weather was atrocious.  Wet, windy and the kind of day that makes me question why I do this. Surely an office would be a better place to be?

Then I went out with Daisy.....

This beautiful girl has issues, there's no doubting that.  However those issues are man made, and this is backed up by possibly finding out a little bit about her history before she ended up on death row.

I see her as a very special girl, and one that made my job today worth more than the rain could ever spoil.....

(Facebook readers will need to click on the story to see all the photos.)

New Kai 'Graffiti' Tee's......

The sunshine we've seen lately has inspired me to produce somerging both colourful and different with spring hopefully on its way.....

The Kai 'Graffiti' T Shirt is unlike anything I've ever produced before, as individual as the big man himself.  You can order yours here:

https://shak.teemill.co.uk/product/graffiti-t-shirt-1192/

Where We Are At The Moment.....

I'd like to thank everyone for their patience and continued support during the quiet time on here. My time just seems to disappear at the moment, but everything will be so worth it. The Rescue Place is going through what I can only describe as a 'life changing' redevelopment, which will not only make our job easier but also improve the lives of our dogs beyond my wildest dreams. Coupled with a new exciting venture that I'm hoping will help us find homes or rescue places for some of our dogs we think are ready, then you can maybe begin to imagine how it's so difficult to find the time to sit and write on here.

More on all of the above when the time is right, but however life does continue to go on, and the need for our work is as intensive as ever.  On Tuesday teatime I received a call from a vet who had a dog booked into be destroyed. Despite not having space,  or even premises capable of taking another, we came up with a plan alongside Northumberland County Council Animal Welfare (who were again amazing) and we were able to stop this beautiful girl losing her life. After a couple of assessments from their team and myself and a couple of days in temporary boarding I'm delighted to say that she is moving to abother rescue soon. She was so close to losing it all.....

Another who was facing destruction and the subject of a few frantic phonecards is Daisy. She ended up a shelter where she was showing signs of aggression and dog aggression.  Again the council contacted us as she finished her last day as a stray, and of course I said yes.....

She is currently again in temporary boarding, but today I spent my second day assessing her. It's early days but the first signs are good.....

(Facebook viewers will need to click on the post to see all the photos. )

Jenson left and Daisy right. Daisy was due to be destroyed and dog aggressive. 

Daisy and Fagan who is a great stooge dog as he wants to be on his own! 

Ember Update.....

I think it's fair to say Ember stole everyone's hearts when she arrived late last year. Emaciated and in a right mess.....

She came home with us after CT scans and all sorts at the vets, in a desperate bid to find out what was causing her to be so skinny and weak.

I thought I'd share with you some photos I took on her walk this morning.....

The Big Rescue Has A Sad End.....

In my last post I mentioned that I was working on one of our biggest rescues to date, it's with great sadness today that I have to tell you that despite everything that was done for him, the little guys body wasn't strong enough and we lost him this weekend. Taken fron us before he'd even arrived.

I was contacted a couple of weeks ago about a little crossbreed that had been ploughed into by a car and left for dead in a ditch in Romania.  I know the subject of importing dogs is a controversial one, but now isn't the time to discuss that, my own take is that if a dog needs help and people accept responsibility for life then location shouldn't really matter.

Anyway, little Negrutu was found in the snow and left to die. His legs were frozen together he was so cold, resulting in open sores. However a worse discovery was made when it was found he was paralysed from midway down his back. He was taken to the vets where he was quite happy to accept the use of wheels to get around, but he was very under weight and weak. That was when I was asked to help him.....

Some very kind people donated the money to buy him his own set of custom made wheels and the process began to try and get him to us.

Last week things took a turn for the worst again, as the little man was rushed to the vets again, this time with suspected renal failure. He died this morning.

There was something special about this dog that stole my heart from the minute I saw him. So special it made me think about situations and broaden horizons that I'd never done before. We are full to capacity as normal and won't be venturing into bringing dogs to the UK,  but Negrutu really needed our help.

I'd like to say a special thank you to the people who brought this little guys story to my heart, and did everything they could to get him here. Although he never quite made it to us, I will always think of him as a SHAK dog, and one who certainly showed so much courage in his will to live.....