PAWS2FREEDOM
ADOPTER EXPERIENCES
ROBBIE
The story of a former chain dog who battled with his fears of people and the world in general.
Robbie came to me as a dog needing a quiet home with no other dogs. Unfortunately, my house is neither quiet nor empty of dogs. I offered to give him a place of sanctuary in his hour of need. The plan was to keep him in a safe space and allow him to make the decisions about how much he wanted to interact with the others and the humans. I set up a dark den and left the door open for him to explore the secure garden in his own time. He liked the bed that he had brought with him that I had put in a cubby hole as it was a familiar smell.
My first problem that night was he is a very dark dog, and my garden does not have any lights in it. I took my torch to look for him to found him in a dip in my compost heap that he had made for himself. He didn’t object to me putting a lead on him and taking him back into the house.
The next day, I would often find him asleep somewhere that had greenery.
The introduction to the others gradually happened over the first week and it didn’t seem to bother him, but he mainly kept to himself and watched from a distance. I hired a secure field for his first outing and while the others ran around madly, he slinked along the hedge exploring. Gradually, they all went to say hello to him, and he seemed to not mind their interest.
Robbie loves his food and very quickly learnt the mealtimes and actually started to tell me when I was late. He gets so excited; he spins on the spot until the bowl is put down.
Robbie also is a huge fan of sunbathing and will lie or sit outside all day if I let him.
Despite my concerns that our house would be too busy for him, Robbie has thrived with the other dogs, even playing with Pixie. Going for walks are fun with friends.
Robbie now has a choice of many beds but likes to curl up so even the smallest bed is used.
Robbie is an example of a wait and see character. He gave the impression of being an extremely anxious dog that didn’t want any interaction with people or other dogs. With time he has shown that he is actually quite gregarious and has a sense of fun. He comes to sit by the humans and wants his head tickled for as long as you are willing to do it. I am happy that I gave this boy a chance despite seeming like the opposite household for his needs.
