Tues 10th March: A massive thank you

Igloo is so happy in her new home, and a totally different dog

Sometimes it takes one particular home to prove my point that it's not the dogs that have behaviour issues, it's that the owners fail to make the effort to understand life from a dog's perspective, or to give them time to settle and adjust.

In this particular case I'm referring to Igloo the pomeranian, twice adopted and quickly returned (after just a day) for not being toilet trained or some other apparently unacceptable behaviour, and now in her third home where she's doing really well.  She's perfectly clean, it's just that she only knows how to use an inside toilet tray at the moment, and she's fine with the other three dogs in the home.  Dogs aren't machines that come with on-off buttons, and they all have their own quirks and personalities which is what makes them so special and interesting.  I know first-hand from the  many dogs I live with that you can't expect them all to behave and respond in the same way, or to like the same things, because they are living, feeling, thinking beings with their own way of looking at life.

The hardest thing of all is to have dogs coming back to us who were adopted as puppies, and returned for behaviour issues.  In almost every case we don't see those behaviour traits once the dog is back with us, because it was the situation in the home that was affecting the behaviour and it's almost always in relation to small children.   Often the dog has been an "only child" before the human babies come along, and that requires adjustment on both sides.  Young children should never be allowed to tease or torment dogs, and it's also the high-pitched screaming that a dog finds difficult to handle.  Having seen many parents who had children after adopting their dog I know it's perfectly possible to integrate all into the family unit, you just have to do it the right way and not suddenly forget that the dog still needs love, attention and exercise, as well as a quiet space to escape to if needed.   For all HKDR adopters there is ongoing help and support available from our very experienced trainer Cactus, and this doesn't end no matter how long the dog has been in the family.  It's really disappointing and frustrating when small problems are left to become seemingly insurmountable ones when a simple request for help at the start could make all the difference.

The Life Saver Club dog you sponsor will be exclusive to you

I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has already responded to our request for help during these difficult and challenging times, and to let you know that every dollar donated so far has been very much appreciated.  Receipts will be sent as soon as our very small office team can respond, and for those who have asked about regular monthly donations we have the Life Saver Club which offers the opportunity to sponsor individual dogs, a bit like adopting but without actually taking a dog home.

Ellen is our Life Saver Club volunteer and she can send you all the information as well as choosing a dog for you.   Please email Ellen at lifesaver@hongkongdogrescue.com for sponsorship options, or for one-off donations use this link  https://hongkongdogrescue.com/donate/one-off-donations
For direct bank transfers our account is HSBC 502-423825-001 Hong Kong Dog Rescue, and thank you again from the bottom of our hearts.