Whilst the trainers and behaviourists worked with me, Dogwatch set out to find me the perfect home. Over many months 60+ people said they wanted me but they just didn’t meet the unique requirements I needed. Then Lisa got in contact, and I began to think maybe she could be the one for me as she was calm and relaxed. Plus, the first time I met her she did have lots of treats! It took four months to prepare me to make the permanent move to Lisa’s home because they wanted to make sure I would get on with her son, her cat and her other dog. Now that I’m living there full time I’m one happy dog. Yes, I’m still adjusting but it just gets better and better.
Like most of us that end up at Dogwatch I came from the pound after animal control found me. And whilst I’m a large sturdy dog, I was quite an anxious dog which meant I felt I needed to protect my resources. I also had complications with allergies which meant some days my tolerance was lower and I needed more space. And, I was scared of traffic too. Dogwatch knew they had to find a very special home for me which would take time.
Can you believe I spent 788 days – that’s two years and two months, or 14 dog years – in Dogwatch’s care before I finally went to my forever home. But the wait was definitely worth it because as I settled into the shelter, my beautiful, goofy nature began to emerge. I had a spring in my step, I loved playing in water and I was absolutely obsessed with balls. As I gained condition, I coped with being introduced to more of the team, and engaged in training with full enthusiasm. I started to trust.
