Could You Be Tia's Special Person.....

I think anyone who has ever met me will know that whilst I love all dogs, I a have a real soft spot for one breed in particular, German Shepherds. Such an intelligent and a loyal breed, I've had some amazing friends and companionship over the years. Of course my Shak, the dog which inspired me to start all of this was also a German Shepherd cross.

Very early on in my days working in rescue I noticed that they are a breed that don't normally do very well in a kennel environment.  They want to be with people, they want to have someone to look out for. After all, that's what they were bred to do.

It was because of this the we predominantly rescued German Shepherds when the charity begun, before opening the doors to any dog when I realised the plight 'mans best friend' was suffering all across Great Britain.

We've had some amazing dogs from failed prison service dogs to ex scrapyard guardians. Everyone special, whilst increasing my love for the breed beyond belief.

One little girl that we have in at the moment is Tia. A real sweetheart, I was drawn to her immediately when I was asked to help her as she was about to be booked in to be destroyed.

She was very young and manic, but from the information we had she had been passed from pillar to post, she'd never been given that person of her own to look after.

The rescue that had her before us rehomed her within twenty four hours. No assessments were done, no time to settle then she was on the move again.

Her new family loved her dearly, they'd had German Shepherds before, but everything to her was a huge ordeal. So much so that strangers and other dogs became a major concern. That's when I was called.

Over the time she has been with us she has mellowed, but is still a little whirlwind.  I find now that she would rather ignore other dogs than get involved, shes quite happy just carrying whichever stone she has just dug up!
I think she enjoys the task of locating the treasured item just as much as the dig itself!

Maybe its time we tried to give her that person for good. We think Tia would benefit from being an only dog with somebody that knows the breed and understands how a German Shepherds mind works. The charity's policy of not rehoming with children would apply, whilst she would also need somebody with a lot of time to spend with her.

If you'd like to express an interest in being Tia's person, then please get in touch via email foreverfoster@shak.org.uk

Don't Forget This Morning At 9.....

Can You Give Sally A Home This Winter.....

I have spoken at great lengths over the years about how certain breeds receive reputations and then become undesirable.  I'm sure by now you will all recognise the breeds I've mentioned, so I won't go over old ground, but I would like to introduce you to Sally, who is a much maligned American Bulldog.

Sally came to us a few years ago as a stray and quite shut down. We had no history on her, but it was suggested that it was maybe the owner who handed her in, why we will never know.

She adjusted to kennel life slowly,  but eventually we saw the real her and she made new friends, both two and four legged. She was particularly fond of Bouncer who she socialised with until he moved onto his new home. Watching her play with him in the run was fabulous to see.

However, there was just one issue that stopped her progressing onto pastures new herself. Sally took a great deal of effort to protect anything that she thought was valuable, normally food.

Despite her obvious flaw, she quickly became a huge favourite of everyone and even found a new little playmate in Chuck the Staffy. He only has to see her walking his way and he instantly rolls over onto his back wanting her to give him a sniff!

Time though waits for noone, and over the last few months Sally has began to show her age. We think she is probably about eleven or twelve, and her hearing seems to have deteriorated the older she gets. A few lumps and bumps are showing but she still gets out and about, especially of course if food is involved.

With the winter well and truly settled in now, we are looking for a home where Sally can see out the rest of her days. She would need to be the only dog with no other animals and for her peace we wouldn't put her with children. We would be open to a foster home rather than a permanent adoption if preferred, all we want is for Sally to have somewhere to be warm this winter.

If you would like an application form or would like to know more about how you can help Sally then please email foreverfoster@shak.org.uk

What You Can Be Part Of.....

Just a little reminder of what we do.....

Axel today and how he was when he was found.....

Volunteer Recruitment Day.....

The change in seasons and especially the clocks going back has a dramatic effect on our day to day running. The darker nights obviously make the days shorter, but they also become a lot more difficult.

You are battling against the clock and daylight from the off, chuck in the elements and it means some very extreme days.

The dogs don't suffer though, the hard work and dedication of our team means that they still get the same love and attention, fed twice and at least two walks per day.

However, it also means we get really stretched, so at this time of year we are always looking to recruit people who fancy a new winter hobby!

Saturday the 16th November we are holding a Volunteer Recruitment day at our HQ in Greenwell Road, Alnwick NE66 1HB from 9am. Comprising of an introductory talk and question and answer session, these non obligation sessions are a great way for people who want to volunteer or maybe those who are just contemplating it, to find out exactly what we do and what it is all about.

These events have been very successful in the past, in fact some of the existing team came via this path, the morning will give you a chance to meet some of them and find out their thoughts and experiences too.

Speaking to some of the team this week about what volunteering at SHAK meant to them provided some very positive information.  Words such as rewarding,  special, commitment and making a difference were commonly used as well as paragraphs like "SHAK has transformed our lives" "You see some things you will never forget and hear stories you thought weren't even possible" and "it's a big commitment to volunteer but you get rewarded back in ten fold by those amazing dogs."

One volunteer even said it was the most rewarding thing she has ever done other than giving birth to her children.

Being a volunteer with the dogs isn't just about walking them. We are very much a hands on charity, with roles such as cleaning the kennels, preparing the feeds and general housekeeping duties all vital in the day to day task of making life as enjoyable as we can for our dogs. So maybe if the size and strength of our furry friends is a little too much, you could always help in other ways?

Of course it's not just in the kennels that we need help, our shop in Blyth is essential to our existence and again runs on voluntary help. There is so much more to running a successful charity shop than you see on the shop floor. Sorting all the donations, steaming, pricing etc, all of which take valuable time.

So if learning about any of the above is something that interests you why not pop down on the 16th for a very informal chat and to get more information.  The more help we get, the better life we can give our dogs.