More about Freddie
Introducing Freddie, the Firecracker
Freddie is a wild, 5-year-old little package of Fox-Terrier x Papillion. Freddie needs an experienced home, so please read his entire advertisement before putting an application in.
Freddie is a fun, hilarious wee character who truly believes he is a big dog. He is forever making all of us laugh with his greeting antics (think – pogo-stick!!) and he absolutely adores getting out and about and exploring the world of smells & sights. However, this has not been without challenges.
Due to persistent overhandling in his previous home, and continuously ignored/missed stress signals from Freddie, he was led to believe that his only option is to snap when he is uncomfortable. When Freddie arrived, it took us about a month to get him comfortable enough for us to clip a lead on and off his collar, and for him to realise that we were not going to treat him like he was a cute little bundle of scruff to cuddle, cart round, and toy with. Freddie has since, made outstanding progress and he absolutely LOVES human interaction with people who understand where his threshold and level of comfort is presently at.
The ‘flight or fight’ response is an automatic physiological reaction to any situation perceived as stressful or frightening. This evolved as a survival mechanism. Often, when a dog (or other organism) is presented with a situation they perceive as threatening or frightening, their reaction is usually to try the “flight” response first. This is when the dog will move away or present what we call calming or stress signals (lip-licking, looking away, turned head etc.) to communicate that they are uncomfortable. Canine stress signals can be easily missed as they are not automatically recognized by humans, and unfortunately, if a dog finds themselves in repeated situations where their “flight” response is not respected, they believe that their only solution is to defend themselves. We have seen as Freddie has gained trust in us, that he now realises he does not automatically have to revert to “fight” mode – which has allowed us to gain a great relationship with him and see how wonderful he really is.
Freddie is a sweet little man with a lot of fun to give to the right person, and his toy crocodile that makes a squeaky noise has also won his affection. He is very play driven, which has been very rewarding to see, as this shows enormous progression from the dog that first arrived to us several months ago. Freddie loves being in the car and travels well.
We have mixed Freddie with an adult male dog here at the shelter, where Freddie showed relaxed body language and was able to be off lead. He is not a dog that initiates play and likes to have his space but will do the initial sniffing and greeting. He could be a second dog, but this would need to be the right match.
Freddie will need to be in a child & cat free home, and we are particularly looking for an owner who will provide Freddie with all the adventure’s he desires, without putting him under any pressure. Freddie has begun muzzle training, which has been helpful in unavoidable situations that he finds stressful such as going to the vets. He is affectionate and people focused once he trusts, but he is never going to be a lap dog. If you think you can provide Freddie with the adventurous, stress-free & loving home he deserves, then please complete an application form here.