Tues 5th April: Allergies

 I know it's not my imagination when I say that allergies are far more common than they used to be, and unfortunately that includes allergic reactions to dogs.  One puppy was adopted today only to be returned almost immediately when the son had a bad reaction, but at least being so quick it meant the puppy being able to go back to her foster home.  People can react differently to various types of coats, but it's a mistake to think that poodles and their mixes (labradoodle, cockapoo and so on) are completely hypo-allergenic, because some people are sensitive even to these low-shedding breeds and cross-breeds.  In case you don't know if you or your children are allergic to dogs, it might be a good idea to spend a little bit of time around dogs, even putting your face close to them if possible, because most reactions are pretty much instant.  

"Pet allergy is an allergic reaction to proteins found in an animal's skin cells, saliva or urine. Signs of pet allergy include those common to hay fever, such as sneezing and runny nose. Some people may also experience signs of asthma, such as wheezing and difficulty breathing.

Most often, pet allergy is triggered by exposure to the dead flakes of skin (dander) a pet sheds. Any animal with fur can be a source of pet allergy, but pet allergies are most commonly associated with cats and dogs."

Two of the latest babies, Daphne and Duke

I was going to start today's post with the returned puppy's adoption news, but instead I'll have to wait until Wednesday, when several meetings have been arranged.  I'm pretty sure these potential adopters don't have any allergy problems because they either already have a dog, or they have had dogs in the past.  I'm looking forward to deleting more names from the "available puppy" list, even if there are many more babies that will soon be added.

River is really sweet when she knows you

I'm also really hoping that two of my Lamma dogs can find a home soon, but I know it has to be a special kind of home because these dogs aren't typical house dogs even if they're smaller and young.  Rumble and River came to our old Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre as part of a large group of small-to-medium sized dogs, with unfortunately many of them being quite timid around humans.  

Rumble in the garden

Rumble moved to Lamma first, and when the Homing Centre finally closed for ever River joined him, and the two have since become very close friends.  When the weather's good - as it currently is - Rumble and River prefer to hang out in the garden, using the outside table as their shelter, or wrestling on the grass.  They're very easy dogs in that sense, being happy to entertain themselves and not bothering anyone.  However, as a pair they can gang up on the small dogs, and while not actually aggressive, they do bully the little ones as part of their games.  Rumble is the more confident of the two, while River is very sweet and affectionate only if she knows you.  If anyone had a home with a good-sized garden and would be willing to adopt a pair of dogs, please let me know.  To date River has never been for a walk because she is too scared to venture outside, and this is why a garden is essential.