All Fingers and Paws Crossed for HIM and Me.

Mutter_2

Home check said no problems, Am planning on Saturday to collect, possibly staying the night before to get away home ASAP. More time with him before bed, the better.

I feel far more worried than if he were eight weeks old. I want him to sleep in the family room but he could, due to anxiety eat the furniture, so better in kitchen or even utility until he settles?

I'm so nervous, it's far worse than getting a pup. I'll never be able to tell anyone that he is perfectly "safe", as I could with Jaffa. I was thinking back to when Jaf would play tug with my fingers. I'd put two fingers behind his teeth and he'd tug away, playfully growling and wagging his little stump. When my fingers got too sore, I'd just say enough, and normal service resumed.

I can't imagine doing that with a rescue dog, might have my fingers off.

Looks like I'll be going house to house tomorrow then to see if anyone has a crate to loan me.

Just had a call from rescue. no one seems to know much about Paddy at all, not even what food he's eating, only that he hasn't been microchipped. I don't even know if he has been examined by a Vet.

I've arranged for him to be washed and stripped into a proper Cocker shape tomorrow at his boarding kennels. I asked them what he is like? The reply was, "Well they're all the same aren't they? He seems to get on alright with the staff" see, nothing. No one knows a thing.

I just checked with rescue that they would allow me to pay for him to be groomed. I explained that even if he isn't the dog for me, he will still look better for re-homing. There was silence at that on the other end of the line.
It is expected that he is coming home with me and that's that! Well not if he snaps at me it's not. Pees and poos, crying and being clingy and/or destructive, I can cope with those. aggression I can't.

The rescue lady has a Cocker that had bitten three people, then it turned on her recently. All three of my dogs have been 100% trustworthy.

I was asked by homecheck if I objected to a dog sleeping on my bed. I explained, not in theory, but I didn't feel that I would ever trust a dog not raised by myself in the same way as one who was. I didn't mention the Greyhound who ate the owner's nose whilst she slept.:eek:

I asked to spend time with him, especially in my car. Have been told I can walk him down the lane!

I know there has been loads on here regarding rescues. I never took much notice though, as I was never going to adopt one. Now look at me.
I've even been teary tonight, thinking of what can go wrong.

If just one person had been able to tell me what he is like. EG, "Oh he is sweet", "Very loving" anything would do.

Hope those here with rescue knowledge can tell me if this sounds like a normal adoption?
I also don't know how much to donate, there is no fixed sum.

Thanks so far. I do take notice, hence the crate.

Ivana_B_Rich

Congratulations on the home check.

I'm really sorry I have no experience of rescue dogs so can't offer any help or advice. Please don't worry too much, I'd like to hope that the fact that you care enough to offer a home to a rescue dog and are not expecting thing to be perfect will carry you a long way.

Sorry I can't be more help

foreign_correspondent

Odd that he is not microchipped....it tends to be something done by most good rescues - will they be chipping him before he leaves?

I note from your post that the boarding keenels were vague about him - which is perhaps to be expected, as they are not part of the rescue, just a commercial service who provide boarding to the rescue for a fee.

Some rescues are reluctant to commit to descriptions of the dog as being 'well behaved' etc as that may change in a new home, according to envoronment and treatment, and some new owners may lodge a complaint if the dog does not behave in their home!

However, I see his write up on their website states that he has a lovely temprement -

Paddy is a 6 year old blue roan Cocker Spaniel. He has a lovely temperament and gets on very well with adults and children. Although Paddy gets well with other dogs outside of the house, he needs to be rehomed as the only dog in the household.

Maybe the silence was just because they did not expect you to want to organise to get the dog groomed before you picked him up... personally, I would always let a new dog settle before washing/grooming it, (even if it is stinky!) as it can be stressful for some dogs. Now, this is total speculation, but, if it was me on the other end of the phone, (bearing in mind that you are a stranger to them) I may be a bit surprised, and it may cross my mind that you might not have thought it through, or be concerned that maybe you are more interested in the dog looking right, than him being comfortable and relaxed... I would probably be wieghing it up and may also be thinking it may well be ok, as he has probably been groomed before, and at that point, I may be wondering whether / how to express this, or broach the issue without causing offence...!

Of course, I have no way of knowing why there was a silence - it's just as likely they were thinking 'hope they do get on well' or 'no one had ever asked this before!' or something else entirely!

I would ask if he has been assessed, seen by a vet etc.. is he vacc'd and neutered?

Why is he in rescue? Was he brought in as a stray or a hand-in?

As for trusting a rescue dog... well, it is a gradual process for you to win their trust and vice versa... I would trust my dog, Badger, (who came to me aged between 5 and 7), with my life. She will let me do anything to her, without so much as a grumble. My last rescue dog was fantastic too in this respect - she came to me aged about seven, and had been kept in a pen all her life before that.

ETA - I think this is your fella...?
http://www.dogpages.org.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=213626

Mutter_2

Thanks for the pics FC. Looks more Springer than Cocker! Certainly larger than a Cocker. Suki! Where are you?

The reason I asked his Kennel to groom him was first they have been caring for him so know him and are also groomers.

Second it could be an age before he trusted me to do it. The rescue was thrilled for it to be done. The silence was due to me saying "if I didn't take him".

Thirdly, far less stessful if done there.

Yes you are correct in that the kennels are contracted to the rescue.

I see the owner has been taken into a care home, according to Dog Pages.

On my initial enquiry after Paddy, I was told this from the rescue.

A friend was in the Vet's waiting room. Paddy and another dog were brought in to be PTS as their owner had died.

The friend stepped in and saved Paddy. How the friend knew, and also what happened to the other dog, I have no idea.

Apparently, the friend took Paddy home with her, where he attacked her dog badly. Hence the Paddy has to be a lone dog stipulation.

He was then passed to Wagtails. I have asked for more information but the friend is unreachable. I have been told, maybe away for the Holidays? So no mobile whatever?

There is no info whatsover on Paddy from Wagtails. She knows nothing about him, only her friend does, who she cannot contact.

No way is Paddy Blue Roan. He is Black and White. Surely a Cocker owner would know that?

I am seriously concerned now.

I am now going to pull back from this, tell the rescue that I'm concerned as to to the history.

One dog or two?
Owner in care or dead?

If in care, I would want to tell the owner how Paddy was happy. But what of the other dog? Was there one?

I have made my decision. I will stall this for at least a week. I want to know far more than has been told to me. Wait until the friend reappears.

I will also seek the opinion of my Vet of 24 years. An abridged version for him of course.

Meanwhile, a poor Black and White Cocker, possibly Springer X is waiting for a loving home because homework wasn't done into his background, nor his owner's. If this is rescue, I could do that!
Just to add FC, I too would trust Badger. I have followed her for years though.

Thanks for your help.

foreign_correspondent

Mutter, it could well be that all is fine here - do not panic!!

Please remember that it is likely that everyone running this rescue is doing it in their own spare time, voluntarily, and that as a result communication is not always good - it is reasonably likely that both 'gone into care' and 'died' are true - maybe the owner has gone into care and then died, or that wires have been crossed as the owner was not expected to ever be coming home...

It sounds like the sort of scenario I have encountered before, where lots of communication is done via texts or emails, and everyone is so wrapped up in getting the dog safe, often with little time and resources, that things can get a little muddled!

Paddy may well be lovely, I knew nothing of Badger's history when I got her, she had been shaved and had overgrown claws, I decided to trust my gut instinct and experience and decided to go for it.

However, I clearly remember bringing her home and sitting and talking to her, and thinking 'well, I think I like her, but she is not Che...' (Che was my previous dog)... I didnt have that rapport that I had with my last dog, but of course that had developed over a decade. Badger is hare snoring on the chair at the side of me, and well, she isnt Che, but she is Badger, and she is smashing!

I think if I were you, I would be tempted to go and meet him and see what you think then...

Kirri

Things don't have to be perfect.... I don't know you and please don't take offence, but just from the posts you sound a little nervous/uptight over all this and maybe not suited to rescue dogs if you want everything exact and perfect.. they can come with their own in built personalities and yes my last rescue dog was clingy with a strong personality but that made him all the more loveable.

If it were me I wouldn't be stalling another week just to make sure of facts that are in the grand scheme of things irrelevant.

I'd knock the grooming on the head too, just go along and see the dog.

Mutter_2

Kirri wrote: »

Things don't have to be perfect.... I don't know you and please don't take offence, but just from the posts you sound a little nervous/uptight over all this and maybe not suited to rescue dogs if you want everything exact and perfect.. they can come with their own in built personalities and yes my last rescue dog was clingy with a strong personality but that made him all the more loveable.

If it were me I wouldn't be stalling another week just to make sure of facts that are in the grand scheme of things irrelevant.

I'd knock the grooming on the head too, just go along and see the dog.

No offence taken Kirri, but I can't "just go along and see the dog". He and me live three hours away from one another.

I'll sort it.

Kirri

Mutter wrote: »

No offence taken Kirri, but I can't "just go along and see the dog". He and me live three hours away from one another.

I'll sort it.

Yep, appreciate the distance which is a fair old way, but I meant as in a meet him and see sort of way rather than worrying about all the possible things that can go wrong (although obviously I know a lot has to be considered when rehoming any animal).

I'm hoping for a happy ending

UKTigerlily

It's great that you're considering Paddy, he looks lovely (& in that pic he looks identical to a Blue Roan Cocker, most have more black & this is a Roan & White afaik but yes he looks like one on a Cocker Spaniel website i've seen, he's lovely either way!)

I too was worried when I got Chay, would she travel well? How would she be with the Cat as i'd had a Cat since 2000 & the Cat was my priority & of course I didn't want to put her in danger. I worried about how much she'd bark as I have neighbours above & either side of me (Block of flats), if she'd have SA etc etc

I worried for nothing! She totally loved travelling home & has now been in cars, taxis & on the bus loads of times & has never had any problems. One year on we're a registered Pets as Therapy team, she's tried Hydrotherapy & Gundog work with my Dad, met Badger & FC & is one of the easiest Dogs i've known! When she first went off lead & even now in tennis courts she's always looking back to see where I am, but she's not clingy & is fine when I go out.

As for sleeping on the bed, wellllllllll, I said she will sleep in the kitchen. I knew to ignore her, but night one & could I?! No! So I opened the kitchen door, then her bed ended up in the main room, then on the armchair, then Chaya ended up on my bed & now in it! Of course an accident could happen & she could have a bad dream/be knocked by me & bite, but that's a risk i'll take, she'd never knowingly do so & so is the same as any Dog.

All of the Dog's in my family are rescues & all have been great, that's not to say some don't come with problems, they can & do, but it seems most are just so happy to have a home & not to be in kennels, it's the most rewarding thing i've done. Both the Cat & Dog are rescues & are fantastic, it's natural to have what if's? & to be cautious & nervous & I think that's good, it shows you're not entering into it lightly.

Maybe meet him & go with your instinct & how he is, if he's not 'the one' then Cocker Spaniel Rescue & other Rescues should have others, the one is out there somewhere!

BitterAndTwisted

I definitely think Mutter should just get in the car and go and meet Paddy, just to take him for a walk and see how he is with her. If he's been the beloved, darling pet of an older person I'd bet that he's a lovely, well-behaved boy probably in dire need of a good, long run about.

Just look at that lovely head! He's a smasher and I can quite understand how someone not actively looking for an adult dog would want to give him a chance, and I CAN see him sleeping on the bed in my mind's eye.

This is all going to come good in the end, I'm sure. I SO want to hear about a happy ending for both Mutter and Paddy. It must be heartbreaking to have a dog-sized space in your heart not filled.