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.
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.
