Day One For Milo.....

One of our newest arrivals is Milo the lurcher who has come to us completely under socialised. Despite being a really loving soul everything stresses him out and he has no idea how to behave. His previous owner wanted him destroyed, and when the vets contacted me I knew we had to help him. He's only 10 months old.....

It's times like this I miss Star even more because she definately would have sorted him out, but having walked him the last couple of days it was clear I had to come up with a plan.

Step up Keiser for his first mission as a stooge dog. Keiser himself knows all about the stress of kennel life before he ended up living with me for that very reason. Milo was horrific in meeting, paws all over, lunging and a high pitched bark. Keiser had a little word back and then got on with his walk..... amazingly so did Milo!

I'm so proud of both of these boys, Keiser has come so far and the fact he's even doing such work is amazing. For Milo it was a huge step and a great day one in his journey to finding a new home....

(Keiser and Milo on the left.)

The Ice Cream Man Has Been.....

With such glorious weather it's nice to spoil the dogs and spend some quality time in the sun. That is until Rusty decides to pinch your ice lolly.....

Introducing Holly.....

One of our long term residents is Holly. Quite simply beautiful but equally as challenging.

Holly came to us a few years from another rescue after we'd stopped her being destroyed for the second time. Her issue was, and still is, guarding things. Her infatuations switch between the sublime to the ridiculous but they make her so easy to read. In her last home she decided the bottom step of the stairs was the most important thing in the world and wouldn't let anybody else have it....

She was imported from Ireland into this country as a puppy, grew to big for the owner to handle and spent the first 6 months of her life chained up on a garden. I believe that is where her resource guarding stems from. Given that start in life can you really blame her?

She is a super girl though, great fun and enjoys her countryside retreat.  She loves everybody and everybody loves her, making her a real favourite amongst volunteers and staff alike.

The reason I am telling you all of this is because she really is a great example of one of the areas we work in, given a dog like Holly somewhere to have her life, to have friends and to have a little bit of freedom without having to worry about keeping anything just for herself.

Her issues means we can probably never rehome her, which doesn't make her a bad or aggressive dog, it simply means we understand her needs. Watching her play with everyone makes me think she knows and really appreciates that.....

Twelve Years Ago Today.....

Twelve years ago today I lost the dog that had changed my life forever,  Shak. Lymphoma took him unexpectedly and I swore never again would I have another dog......

Phoenix Finds His Home.....

Thank you to everyone who has sent best wishes to our little Husky that arrived on Friday. Too unwell for kennels he came to spend some time at my house, that was until Rachel came to stay.....

Instantly there was a bond and suddenly my new house mate had moved on to his new home.

Phoenix as his to be known in his new life has settled extremely well,  he enjoyed the traditional Sunday evening  bath like I used to as a kid and is enjoying having the company.

Below is during his bath, after and with his new sister (another ex SHAK dog) Willow.

Another Arrival In A Horrendous State.....

So when I decided to take a few days off to try and get my head around the events of last weekend, I never for one minute expected to be joined by a new house guest.

I hadn't long been awake yesterday morning when my phone rang. It was one of the dog wardens who had just picked up a Husky from a vets where he had been on IV fluids since being found tied to a tree on the A69, the main road from Northumberland to Cumbria.

The dog was described as being almost at deaths door when found and in a horrendous state.

Of course I said we'd help, but on his arrival at the kennels the true horror of his condition came to light.
The husky (I still haven't thought of a name) was extremely under weight, very wobbly on his back end and it appears his eye sight is very limited.

I quickly had staff on the phone as they had put him in a kennel and all he had done was walk into the walls. It looked like I was going to get company.....

So first up he met Lennox, a veteran of course at meeting and greeting new arrivals, then it was a case of coming home to meet the others.

This boy is so special and just desperate to be loved.  There has to be somebody out there somewhere who knows where he is from and whose he was. Of course I think it's important to state that there may be a very reasonable explanation for his condition, but I have to say the videos really do not do his condition justice.

If you have any information about this dog then please contact Northumberland Council Animal Welfare Team on 03456006400

A Wonderful Tribute.....

Thank you to James Willoughby at the Northumberland Gazette for a beautiful piece on Star.....

The next instalment of our weekly series dedicated to Alnwick-based dog sanctuary, SHAK. An emotional tribute has been paid to a much-loved SHAK dog, who passed away last week.

Star lost her battle against a splenic tumour on Friday and the charity’s founder, Stephen Wylie, expressed his heartache following the death of his ‘best friend and rock’.

Star arrived at the sanctuary in March 2013, and lived with Stephen for the last five years. During this time, she changed from an aggressive dog to one that loved humans and her own kind. Stephen said: “Star was one of the most amazing dogs I have ever had the privilege to know. I didn’t see this awful disease coming to take her. “She came to me after being booked into the vets to be destroyed for repeatedly biting. I could get her out to walk her, but it took more than two months before I could actually touch her. She was that bad. “Eventually, once I could get closer, I noticed she had a terrible infection in both ears. I muzzled her and tried to look, but she just went ballistic. “I drove her to the vets, they sedated her and got a good look in her ears – they were rotten. She had them cleaned out and was given antibiotics and from that moment, her life changed.

“She loved everybody and was amazing with other dogs – reassuring them if they were scared or telling them if they crossed the line. She helped so many at SHAK.

“It dawned on me a while later that her ear issue was probably why she’d bitten people. She nearly lost her life because of that, but instead she went on to help so many others. Now she’s gone, I feel lost. She was my constant companion who went everywhere with me. I am so proud of what she achieved and I miss her so much.”

Read more at: https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/an-emotional-farewell-to-the-brightest-star-1-9206624

Goodnight To The Brightest Star.....

Tonight a Splenic Tumour has one of the most amazing dogs I have ever had the privilege to know. I have been through this  awful disease so many times but I didn't see it coming to take Star.

I have lost my best friend and my rock, the charity has lost the greatest stooge dog it ever had, despite being in the vets room with her I still can't believe she has gone.

Maybe one day I will be able to remind you all of her story on here without breaking down, but right now no words could do justice for my beautiful girl.....

Worthy of Such Devotion Hits The National Glossy's......

A fantastic review of "Worthy Of Such Devotion" in the national glossys magazine Dogs Monthly today. Thanks to them for that.....

Of course you can still by your copy of the book here.....

https://www.shakshop.co.uk/Worthy_Of_Such_Devotion_-_The_SHAK_Story/p168627_18458742.aspx

Lady And Daisy Play.....

I'm just back from another incredible walk with Lady and Daisy, for the first time they began to play when out except Lady had no idea what to do.

When I got back I asked Rich to give me a hand. These two just continue to amaze me....

The Question On Everybody's Lips.....

And for the answer to the question everyone has been asking all week.....

Yes Bully remembered where he had buried his teddy!

Then he promptly buried it again!

Holiday Weekend For Two Very Special Staffies.....

It's been another great summer weekend for a couple of our older staffies thanks to a couple of members of the SHAK Team.

Amy and Brad are becoming dab hands at this now,  but for Rusty this was perhaps the first chance ever of some kind of holiday. He came to us a while ago having been left in a house on his own for weeks with only a friend of the owner going in to feed him once a day. The owner had fled through domestic abuse. For no fault of his own Rusty was alone and arrived with a serious fear of men.

As you can see he is doing exceptionally well and learning to trust. This weekend he spent it all away from kennel life and having shared  a couple of beers with him on a night time it was incredible to see what a loving little man he is.....

Rusty snuggles upto Brad.

We would love to see Rusty in a home after seeing him this weekend, but it would have to be one with no other dogs and very experienced with Staffordshire Bull Terriers. If this is something you'd like to discuss more then please email foreverfoster@shak.org.uk for an application form.

Mona was another very lucky SHAK Dog as she got to spend the weekend at Jill's house. Mona has been there before,  but I think this time she really felt at home. Getting on to being one of our longest serving residents, Mona is a complex character who has progressed so far in our care and even more so since she retreated to the quieter and more relaxing SHAK 2. This weekend especially should that despite all of her troubles she can still enjoy the simple things that we all take for granted.

Breaks like this are so valuable to our dogs I really do want to thank Amy, Brad and Jill for giving them this opportunity and for enabling both Rusty and Mona to show what amazing characters they are.

Bully And His Cuddly Toys.....

I love this footage Lynn got of Little Bully just to show you the antics he gets up to with his cuddly toys.....