Mon 13th Nov: Toby leaves and Ellie arrives

Pick up your free goodie bag when you arrive at Lan Kwai Fong

I'm paying close attention to the weather forecast, as I'm sure everyone else involved in Peak to Fong is doing, and was relieved to see that although much cooler this coming weekend - which actually isn't a bad thing - if there is any rain it should be short-lived.  I do need to mention that it can be quite chilly up on the Peak, so make sure you have something warm to wear before we start the walk down to Lan Kwai Fong.  Once we get going and leave the clouds behind you will soon warm up, and you'll be able to put your warm top away in the free tote bag being handed out at the entrance to the street party.

Toby will have fun on the beach

We knew that the black labrador puppy wouldn't have to wait long for a home, and of course there was a lot of interest in him.  However we wanted a home where Toby could enjoy lots of free running and play so a beach was the ideal choice, and I'm happy to report that's just what he got. 

Eva commented how sad the photo was showing all of the dogs in the background looking on as the newcomer left to start his new life as a family member, and I had to agree.  It's something that hits hard every time there's a rush of offers for a young purebreed, but at the same time I'm happy for Toby as his life up until now has been pretty miserable.

"Elephant skin" Ellie

We had a new arrival at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, a very small five year-old poodle girl I have called Ellie, due to the "elephant skin" which was the reason for her being dumped at AFCD.  The sad thing is that this is such a treatable condition, but I'm actually happy that she came to us because her previous owner obviously hadn't bothered to take her to a vet.  Allergies in poodles are so common that it's the norm rather than the exception, and a quick diet switch plus some medication will soon fix Ellie's skin.

Blind Blinky (in red) had to have both knees fixed and is now fine

Some things that are not fixable other than with surgery are also very common in small breeds but aren't unknown in larger dogs either, and I'm talking about knees.  Patella (kneecap) luxation is almost inevitable in breeds such as chihuahuas and the really tiny dogs, poodles included, and surgery is necessary when the degree of luxation is affecting mobility.  You can see it without needing any veterinary knowledge as the back legs wobble and bend as the dog walks, and in very bad cases which are left untreated the dog becomes completely crippled.

Nancy is such a sweet girl

We had noticed that adopted-and-returned puppy Nancy wasn't able to run and play for long before having to sit down, and at first we put it down to her being unfit but then it became clear that it was more than that.  Now we know that the poor girl has Grade 3 patella luxation in both knees and needs to have surgery.  Before we can go ahead with that we need a foster home where she can stay during the recovery period, so if anyone can offer a place in their home for a very sweet young dog please let Cindy know at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com.  Post-surgery Nancy will still be able to walk but can't jump around and play, which she would do if she was staying with us and her best friend Lara.

Although good exercise is necessary for all adult dogs, larger breeds that are still growing should have shorter and more frequent walks to prevent problems with bone growth and joints later in life.