Sun 28th Feb: A busy week ahead

 

Lily (l) with adopted Lilac 

There was some very happy news about one of the poodle girls that came as a group, and which I've mentioned several times before.  In this case it's little Lily, the blind one who was so traumatised when she ended up being left at the Homing Centre when all the others went to foster homes or were adopted.  Now Lily has found herself a lovely home where there's another ex-HKDR dog as well as a dog-friendly cat and people around all the time, and I'm sure I'll be sharing photos very soon.

Does anyone remember Puddle?

Dilly the corgi went to a foster home with another ex-HKDR dog, Puddle, so she'll have somewhere nice to stay for her heartworm treatment.  I also suspect she won't be coming back. 

As always there's a lot going on even if it's not particularly noteworthy in terms of my blog. I'm always having to think a day ahead, and this coming week is going to be a busy one starting with the pick up of the ear-less big dog and three puppies from AFCD in Sheung Shui, and multiple drop-offs to different vet clinics on Monday morning.  We may have other new puppies arriving if the message I was just sent about three little cuties actually means they will end up with us, never guaranteed as we know too well from other requests for help. 

Newly-adopted Tai Po dog Mungo jumped out of a dog park in Kennedy Town this morning (Monday) so that wasn't a good start to the week, and it's another reminder to all adopters that dogs really need time to settle and to become used to their new environment.  Our Tai Po Homing Centre is up in the hills, away from traffic and noise other than the dogs themselves, so a move to city life is very hard for most dogs and they easily become scared.  Still wearing a blue harness and collar as shown in the picture. Please call immediately if you see him: Victoria 9666 9487 / Laurent 9730 7907

Special thanks to HKDR adopter Anton Fung for picking Hong Kong Dog Rescue to be the beneficiary charity for the radio show Share My Song@ 881903! From today (1/3 6:00 am) to 2/3 6:00am, please support Hong Kong Dog Rescue by sending a SMS to 50 881 903! Each SMS means a donation of $5 to HKDR.

Your telecom service provider will debit the money from your monthly statement. 

Sat 27th Feb: Sad stories with happy endings

Lucky Bertha 

 I love the part of this work when things work out for the dogs that have had such an unhappy start in life, or even later on in many cases.  Bertha turned up as a stray in someone's garden, and because the resident dog was really unhappy about having her around we agreed to take her in at Tai Po.  Like many she didn't have a microchip but had obviously been someone's dog as she was friendly and happy to be around people, and today her life changed for ever as she was adopted. 

Giant-sized Toffee

Another dog who's been waiting for some time because of his giant size is Alaskan Malamute Toffee, and his big day finally arrived as he was chosen to go home once his desex surgery is done.

Yesterday I mentioned another big dog that's going to be coming to us on Monday, and it turns out that this poor boy has had quite a bit of publicity in the past due to the ear mutilation.  As I had suspected on looking more closely at the photos the ears have literally been cut off, and luckily the horror was reported by neighbours (I assume hearing the puppy's screams), but since being rescued at just a few months old the dog has been kept at AFCD pending a court case.  The outcome of that case was a pathetic Community Service order.  This dog is now a handsome but large one year-old, and nothing would make us happier than to see him going to a fantastic and loving new home.  Of course he's going to need space, and I'm told he's very strong and energetic (naturally), so please bear that in mind if you would like to help this boy.  Complete the adoption questionnaire if you think you can offer the right home and environment, not to mention training: www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Just like all of the smuggling cases, meaning dogs and puppies that were confiscated while being smuggled into or out of Hong Kong, all of these animals are kept as evidence for upcoming court cases.  That's always months at best, but due to the Covid situation these cases may take a year to be heard meaning puppies grow up at AFCD rather than in homes.  I believe that this is inhumane and that such dogs and puppies should be allowed to be placed in foster care after all the relevant information and photo documentation has been completed.  There is no justification for imprisoning such animals, especially those that are very young, for months on end. 

The three new puppies at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre have names now, and although too young to be adopted as singletons at the moment it won't be long before they're ready.   

Fri 26th Feb: Goodbye to Kathy, hello to new puppies

 Today marked a kind of landmark as we said goodbye to our longest-serving staff member Kathy, who started as a volunteer back in our Pokfulam days and then became the person in charge of keeping all dog records, as well as many other duties.  As I told Kathy's replacement Eva Loo, or "Little Eva" to distinguish her from Eva Sit, only Kathy and myself go back to those early days and know all the history of HKDR and the dogs that date back the old Pokfulam Kennels.  

In fact Little Eva isn't a new staff member either as she has worked for us before, but it's the first time she's been introduced to the depths of the information and record-keeping that luckily we've been meticulous about from the start. 

We had a mini-gathering at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre to say goodbye (with delicious food from Whiskers N Paws cafe, which I can highly recommend) and the only person missing was Iris, who has taken a few days off.   It's a good opportunity to introduce our Ap Lei Chau staff to show the faces behind the names, so starting top left there's driver Ming, Eagle, me, Suet (Red Dog Centre manager), and Andrea.  Middle row from left: Eva Loo, Kathy, Ka Yan, Eva Sit, and the two in front are Zing and Yannie (holding puppy Berry).

Today's 3 puppies, all girls

I know it would happen, that as soon as one set of puppies arrived (with others on the way later), then AFCD would pop up with more, only three luckily.  We were expecting five today but only three arrived, and they're probably five to six weeks old, so not old enough for adoption as singletons but we won't need foster homes this time.  We need to save potential foster homes for the other puppies that are currently with their mother but which I said we'd take when they're three weeks old. 

Also coming from AFCD is a very large and young dog that looks like a Great Dane cross.  When I looked again at the photos once I was back home and could check them on a bigger screen than a phone, I could see that the ears have been crudely chopped off leaving strange-looking stumps.  It's bad enough that this is done to dogs like dobermans and Great Danes as a matter of course, and it's rightly illegal in many countries, but I can't imagine why anyone did this in such a terrible way. In fact in countries where docked tails are banned,  if you want to import dogs you have to prove that the tail or ears were already docked/cropped when they were adopted.   

I'm not allowed to share the photos that AFCD send to us, but if you're interested in adopting a very large, male, black, assumed Great Dane cross, estimated to be a year old, please complete the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ as a first step. 

Thurs 25th Feb: Jumping ahead

Victor has waited far too long

 Starting again with more lovely adoption news, even if I'm jumping ahead of myself because the dogs haven't been picked up yet.  The first dog is German shepherd Victor, and this is an especially happy event as Victor has already been waiting far too long.  He's a beautiful dog, and he also has a wonderful temperament to match his handsome looks.  Sadly the lump that was discovered on his neck turned out to be a slow-growing cancer, but even knowing that his soon-to-be family chose Victor to take home.  

The second Tai Po dog is actually still a puppy, and Panini is her name.  Photos of the actual adoptions will follow after they have taken place and the dogs have left.

There are 5 in this litter

One of the puppy litters I mentioned yesterday is due to arrive at Ap Lei Chau on Friday, but we're not completely sure of the age.  From the photo the pups looks pretty young but I suspect that was taken a while ago so we'll have to wait and see.  Either way the second litter of pups still currently with their mother will be arriving soon and they will need foster homes, so please register with Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com if you're able to help out.  As always the puppies will need to be in pairs until they're old enough to be separated.  

Available at https://www.thelionrockpress.com/product/greeting-card-dogs

We have another lovely fundraising effort to run alongside the Lion Rock Press gift wrap, cards and tags, with both donating all sales proceeds to HKDR.  This one is a recipe book for homemade dog treats, inspired by personal experience:

"The Recipe of September" is a dog treat cookbook written by Shannon Sin, the daughter of one of our HKDR adoption families.

Shannon developed her interest in cooking dog food at home because their family dog, Sept Sept is a picky eater who suffered from gastrointestinal problems. After becoming an expert in home-cooking out of the love she has for her dogs, Shannon decided to create this cookbook so that nutritious and delicious homemade treats can be made available easily for more lucky dogs.

What makes this cookbook even more meaningful is that it is a fundraiser for HKDR, with 100% of the proceeds going to help transform the lives of abandoned dogs.

The cookbook will also be a wonderful gift for your friends who have dogs at home. It's always good to see your friends pampering their dogs like you pamper your own, plus all money goes directly to HKDR (Thank you Shannon's family for covering all the costs) !

Order now: https://hongkongdogrescue.com/therecipeofseptember/

Weds 24th Feb: A sweet reunion

 I talk a lot about the need dogs have for companionship, as by nature they're social animals that live in family groups.  You will never find a wild dog living alone, and even pet dogs that are abandoned will join a pack if they manage to survive and are accepted.   That's why it's cruel to leave dogs alone for long hours, and especially puppies, as it goes against everything that is natural in a species.

Lily (l) is happy again with Lilac-now-Pumpkin

Yesterday one of the poodle group of nine was adopted, and that meant only Lily was left at the Homing Centre.  Lily is blind, and finding herself suddenly without any of her poodle family was devastating for her.  She wouldn't eat and was shaking non-stop, so we asked the adopters of Lilac (now Pumpkin) if they would consider fostering Lily, and happily they agreed without hesitation. From the photo received this morning (Thursday) it's clear Lily is back to her happy self, which is a great relief. 

Separation anxiety is one of the common behaviour issues that we see in newly-adopted dogs, and for some the fear of being abandoned, even if only for a short time, is so great that it becomes a serious problem.  There are several reasons why dogs suffer from this, and the most obvious stems from puppyhood and being left alone at a time in their life when their experiences will be forever imprinted on the brain.  Of course being literally abandoned as an adult will also affect behaviour, but as with all animals, humans included, lack of touch, comfort and love as a baby has a devastating and lifelong effect.  At the very least having two dogs is one way to provide companionship, although the human aspect is still important. 

Some more dogs and puppies left both Ap Lei Chau and Tai Po Homing Centres today for trial adoptions.  As always I won't reveal their names until there's confirmation that they'll be staying.

5 in this litter

We're expecting new puppies of course, as there's never really a time when the birth of unwanted litters ends.  Many of the mothers are either abandoned pets or those that have been born wild themselves (hillside dogs), the never-ending cycle of birth and death, as stray dogs never reach old age.  One of the mothers is a warehouse dog, a loose term for the many hundreds of dogs that are semi-owned in the sense that they hang round a place for food and shelter, but they're never licensed or desexed.  You'll see these dogs everywhere in the New Territories, many of them either pregnant or recently having given birth.  I'll share more information once we know when the puppies are arriving. 

7 in this litter

For those who ask "why do I have to desex my male dog since he can't have puppies", just remember that all of the unwanted litters have a father as well as a mother.  In fact any litter may have more than one father if the female mates multiple times during the fertile period, as the urge for procreation in entire (not desexed) animals is incredibly strong.  Please do the responsible thing and neuter or spay your pet to make sure you're not contributing to the problem. 

Tues 23rd Feb: Two trials confirmed as forever homes

There is more happy adoption news to share today, starting with two Tai Po dogs who were in trial homes.  The first one, Ellie, hasn't been with us for too long and came as an obvious recent mother.  Here's her update:  

"Ellie has been with us for close to 3 weeks now. In the first couple of days, she started off a little shy, nervous and sometimes jumpy around our 9 year old daughter Jasmine. Ellie loves her walks but was very cautious and would avoid other dogs and little kids. Ellie was a sweet dog and thanks to Cactus' advice and the 3-3-3, we knew she just needed some time to adjust and trust us. 

In the past week Ellie has gained a lot more confidence and she is getting used to her new environment and routine. She walks nicely on the leash and would stop and stay whenever we ask her to. She would now even occasionally say hi to other dogs. She wags her tail with lots of enthusiasm and greets us with kisses in the morning. She also loves her belly rubs.

Thank you so much for giving us such a rewarding experience fostering Ellie and seeing her getting more confidence, stronger and healthier by the days.  We have fallen in love with Ellie and we would love to adopt her and give her a forever home."

The second happy adoption was that of senior dog Sylvester, and this is how we got the confirmation:

"Thank you for all your suggestions. Everything makes sense

It seems now that Sylvester has found his routine and rhythm... his diarrhea has stopped and I feel that he is feeling more relaxed both at home and when he is at the studio with me. 

We would also like to officially adopt Sylvester.... and we are very excited to have him as part of our family! "

At our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre it was a big day for another one of the nine poodles that came as a group.  Lilac was the lucky girl who started her new life today, with the prospect of moving to Canada in the future. 

For puppy Faith her going home was really going back, as she's returning to the foster-now-forever home she spent her baby weeks in.   I'm sure she'll be happy to return to the place she's already so familiar with.

Faith's going back home

Mon 22nd Feb: A lovely reminder of two lucky puppies

 

Little Reggie

We were all happy to have our driver Ming back from his Lunar New Year break so normal service could resume in terms of getting dogs to and from vet clinics, and everything else that Ming does being such an important member of the HKDR team.   

Joining the van trips is a way for me to meet a lot of the Tai Po dogs, some of whom I already know while others are new, and today I was introduced to Reggie, who was found abandoned with a note attached (meaning he wasn't just lost).  He didn't have a microchip so that had to be done, along with the license that is automatically issued when the rabies vaccination is given.  Now Reggie is legally registered and ready for adoption, although we do still have to arrange for his desexing, but that can be done when he's in his new home.  

He's a small/medium size, young and very sweet although quite desperate for attention.  He was pulling at my arm from the back seat with his paw so I'd pet him, and the Tai Po team also told me that he's always asking for love.  He's very good on the leash when out walking, and he'd be perfect for someone who wants a good hiking companion that isn't large in size.  He's probably a bit too active and excitable at the moment for a home with young children, not because he's aggressive in any way but because he might want to play too boisterously, but I'm sure he'll settle into being a fantastic little dog once he feels secure again in a home.   If you'd like to meet Reggie with a view to adoption please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Minty alone

As you know we weren't able to hold our big fundraising events last year, and there's no indication at the moment as to what the situation will be by October and November, the time when our annual Gala Dinner and Peak to Fong sponsored walk traditionally took place.  That's why we've been especially happy and grateful for the individual and smaller fundraising efforts on HKDR's behalf, like this lovely Lion Rock Press set of greeting card, wrapping paper and gift tag.  

What makes these items even more meaningful is that the dogs featured are all adopted dogs, some of whom are ex-HKDR puppies, like Waldo and Minty.  Do any of you remember this pair?  Waldo was one of a litter while Minty was a singleton from AFCD who was in such a terrible condition that I remember the AFCD staff asking me if I was sure I wanted to take her.  Apart from her crusty and hairless skin, she was also very scared and shy, so when Waldo's littermates were adopted and he was on his own, I put him and Minty together.  It was Waldo who saved Minty for the second time, as his playfulness and confidence made all the difference, and the third time they were lucky was when they were adopted together.   Now they're available on paper to help the other HKDR dogs and puppies, and maybe they'll all be as lucky as Waldo and Minty!

Minty and Waldo together

This lovely fundraising greeting card features Hong Kong rescue dogs who have been adopted. They are available on

The Lion Rock Press

website: https://www.thelionrockpress.com/product/greeting-card-dogs

They are HK$30 each, and 5 for HK$100! All profits go straight to HKDR to help more abandoned dogs get to their forever homes!

Minty bottom left, Waldo bottom right

Matching wrapping paper and gift tag are also available. Special offer: 10 sheets of wrapping paper PLUS 10 matching tags for HK$200! Don’t miss the great offer!

Wrap and Tag Bundle: https://www.thelionrockpress.com/.../charity-hk-dogs-wrap...

Wrapping paper: https://www.thelionrockpress.com/product/gift-wrap-dogs

Gift tag: https://www.thelionrockpress.com/product/gift-tag-cute-dogs

Thank you Lion Rock Press for making such adorable gifts available, and by doing so, raising funds and awareness for Hong Kong dogs!

Sun 21st Feb: Boogie's off to Spain

 

Although puppies Berry, Busby and Felix came back from foster care to our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre today we don't have a lot of adoption-age puppies staying with us at the moment.  I hardly dare say those words as they often precede an avalanche of puppies coming in,  and we have a lot of babies who'll soon be ready to head off into the big wide world.   As always we had a lot of potential adopters visiting so I hope that will mean good news very soon for the puppies currently available, or the up-and-coming youngsters.

Felix

Poodle-bichon Boogie has had a lot of interest since coming to us but his guarding behaviour made him unsuitable for a lot of homes, and definitely any with children.  However the little guy landed himself a fantastic opportunity today with someone who's adopted from us in the past, and he'll soon be heading off to a new life in Spain!  I love how our ex-HKDR dogs are all over the world, spreading the word about adoption.

Sat 20th Feb: It's finally time for Felix

 While I remember to mention it, I really appreciate that so many people read my blog and find it helpful or interesting.  I had to turn the comments off quite some time ago because of the amount of spam that was being posted, but I do go through them from time to time - like just now - and saw that some people are asking about adoption or fostering.   The contacts for both are regularly given here, and for general information you can email info@hongkongdogrescue.com, but I don't reply to any comments on the blog directly. 

Two pups are from one litter, the smaller from another

We had a few adoptions today, with puppies Faith, Josie and Dusty being chosen at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, and husky girl Jollibee being the lucky Tai Po dog.  We're almost at "sold out" point for puppies at the small Homing Centre but have the last of the foster returnees due to come back, meaning those old enough to be adopted now.  We have plenty of younger pups available, but at this age they have to go in pairs on an adopt one/foster one basis until they're also old enough to be separated.   We also have puppies at our Tai Po Homing Centre that are the perfect age to go to new homes, but they are all larger sized.   

You can see from the photo of the three babies (the little one was a spare from a later litter) how quickly they're growing, and we know that adopting at this young age creates a very strong human-dog bond.  In fact that's how and why so many puppies are adopted by their foster families, and Faith was one of those.  After having been returned to Ap Lei Chau and her brother Finn leaving yesterday, the ex-fosters wanted to take Faith back for ever. 

If you're interested in adopting (with a foster sibling for a while) please contact Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com to arrange a meeting. 

We're all so happy to announce the adoption of senior Felix, who moved from his foster home to a forever family today.  Felix has been with us since he was a tiny puppy, and with his adoption we can close the file on this particular litter after ten years.  You can see more photos of Felix, as well as other dogs, at https://www.facebook.com/HappyWoofHK

Remember you can also see lots of happy photos and videos on Eagle's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HKDR.DOGGIES

Fri 19th Feb: More sad stories

Jake-was-Jack is adopted

 Starting with the good news of the day, puppy Jake (who was Jack at Ap Lei Chau) went home today, following brother Jim's recent adoption. 

Dilly

The two dogs from AFCD Sheung Shui arrived at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, one of them a corgi girl, almost six years old and very sweet but with what looks like a chronic skin problem (almost certainly allergy related).  Her poor little ears are flattened and crumpled from long-term infection, so that will need sorting out.  I called her Dilly. 

Frito

Frito the sheltie is a very old boy, and it's always heartbreaking to see dogs like these being abandoned at this time of their lives.  He's almost fourteen, so we're hoping he can find a retirement home before too long. 

Betty was a keen student

As always there was so much happening today behind the scenes, a lot of it concerning vet visits for the various dogs and decisions to be made about treatment.  Little foster dog Betty, with a face I have always loved but I suspect wasn't everyone's cup of tea, was diagnosed with lung cancer after recurrent respiratory problems, and although it was agreed that it was time to say goodbye she died by herself before the long-term foster family could make it to the clinic to be with her for euthanasia.  Although Betty was never formally adopted, she was adored by her foster family and had been with them for so long I think it counted as a forever home.

8 of the 9 poodles

The nine poodles that came to us as a group, and all with tick fever (erlichia) as standard, have been going in ones and twos to have their respective treatment for all of the other health issues.  Jasmine has a broken jaw due to severe periodontal disease (rotten teeth and infected gums), and there is the option to have remodelling surgery to try to fix it, but this is complicated surgery that may in the end not even work.  With all of the infected teeth removed and gum cavities cleaned and treated, Jasmine will be fine as she is on a soft diet, so I decided not to put her through the surgery. 

We're also still working our way through the group of poodles, poms and bichons that came to us not long before the poodles, and they too have had various and multiple issues to be dealt with.  This was a "B" collection which included Bingo, Basil and Button, and all three of them have varying degrees of health issues, all of them chronic and due to previous neglect.  

One of the very common issues that poodles have is food allergies causing skin, ear and eye problems that if ignored develop into serious and painful conditions such as dry eye, leading to blindness.  Almost all poodles have this problem, and it's important to identify it and adjust the diet accordingly at a young age.  This also means restricting treats that contain the common forbidden element - chicken.  Seeing these poodles with so many problems at this point, especially knowing how painful they must be, is really very sad.   We will do what can be done, but some of the conditions are beyond help as they have been left for so long. 

Thurs 18th Feb: A day of drama

 

Although we saw two adoptions at Ap Lei Chau today it seemed there were as many dramas as anything else.  The first was that Tai Po dog Patch was found with his leg dangling and clearly broken, so he had to be whisked off to Acorn where Dr Tony was luckily on duty.  Poor Patch will need to be stablised before he can have surgery to fix the break and after that we're going to need a foster home for him so he can recover in peace and quiet and away from other dogs.  Patch had previously been in foster care so we know he's a very easy dog to take care of, and fully toilet trained.  That means we're looking for a home with a garden or outside space of some kind, even a balcony, so Patch can go "outside" for toilet needs without having to walk too far or up and down stairs.  If you can take Patch in for a couple of months please contact Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com, and thank you in advance.  I've shared the X-ray rather than the upsetting photo of Patch himself. 

Elsewhere one of the poodles in foster care was attacked by another dog while out walking, so she also needed urgent veterinary attention.  Luckily the owner of the larger dog was very helpful and is covering the costs, but it must have been a shock for little Holly, not to mention her foster family, and at least there was nothing broken.

Lucky Daisy

One of the other poodles that came in the group with Holly was adopted today, the first one of the nine to find a forever home.  Several are in foster care as they need treatment for this and that, so it was lucky for Daisy that she was still at Ap Lei Chau.

Finn leaving to start a new life

Also leaving Ap Lei Chau, puppy Finn has found himself a lovely home so now we need somewhere just as nice for his sister Faith.  She's a little more reserved that her brother, but I'm sure she'll come out of her shell once she settles with a family.  If there's already a resident dog in the home it always helps as well.  

Just as the new dog Tai Po arrival Reggie was showing what a sweet dog he is now that he's over the shock of being abandoned, we took in another dog that was found wandering.  The person who had found her had tried to bring the dog into the home but the resident dog wasn't happy at all, so we said we'd accept her.  She's young and without a microchip as usual, so it looks like she'll be joining Reggie on the trip to AFCD for licensing.  Our driver Ming is on holiday at the moment so we're relying on vans for transport, or lifts as available.

Bertha joined us at Tai Po today

Two new dogs are due to be picked up from AFCD Sheung Shui on Friday, a corgi and an old Sheltie, so I'll have details and photos tomorrow. 

  

Weds 17th Feb: Keeping the numbers steady

Tom and Tucker, with Finn on the left (still available)

 I'm happy to be able to write about some adoptions today, especially the double one that took place at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre as brothers Tom and Tucker went off to start a wonderful life together.  We already knew the adopter as she had previously taken in another one of our dogs, so we could wave goodbye with full confidence.

Also leaving the small Homing Centre was poodle Beau, who always has a toy in his mouth and insisted on holding onto it for his adoption photo.   I hope he will have a big collection of toys to choose from in his new life. 

Beau held onto his toy

A new dog arrived at our Tai Po Homing Centre, a smallish (around 15 kilos) black boy who's now called Reggie.  He had been found abandoned and with a note attached, and was about to be sent to AFCD before we stepped in and agreed to take him immediately.  He doesn't have a microchip so that will need to be done, along with the licensing and desexing.  Although obviously completely disorientated and stressed, he seems to be a nice little dog and I think he should find a home pretty quickly.   

Reggie is a medium size

If you're interested in adopting Reggie or any other of our dogs and puppies, please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Lucky Pretzel going home

Puppy Pretzel, chosen on Monday, left Tai Po as Reggie was arriving so the number of dogs at the Homing Centre remained the same.  Fortunately this is how it tends to work so we can maintain a steady level of around four hundred dogs at any one time  (plus those at Ap Lei Chau and Lamma).  It's still a lot, but at least we have a big space to accommodate them.  Feeding and taking care of the dogs is a huge task, as is maintaining the site itself, so this why donations are always needed to help us sustain that level of care we give to all of our four-legged guests.  For information on how to donate please visit our website https://hongkongdogrescue.com/donate/

Tues 16th Feb: Changing from puppy to adult

Will someone please give Cider a home? This is how he "hangs out" all day

I talked yesterday about puppies and their early stages, but something today reminded me that there's another stage of a dog's life that I need to mention, because it's the time when more dogs are given up or abandoned than any other.  We all know about puberty in humans and the difficulty of transitioning from being a child to becoming a young adult, but do you know that dogs go through the same? The reminder I got was from an adopter whose previously sweet and easygoing puppy was suddenly fighting with his best (dog) friend and his behaviour wasn't what they were used to.  Before handing the problem over to Cactus for her detailed reply, I asked how old the puppy was now as I suspected it was something to do with puberty, and yes, it was exactly the age when it's common to see such behavioural changes.  However difficult it is, just like the baby puppy biting and chewing, this too will pass, and I hope that understanding that it's simply a result of raging hormones will help.  Your puppy hasn't suddenly become crazy or aggressive, and you just need to be patient for a few months and make allowances. "The onset of sexual maturity (puberty) is triggered by hormonal changes that lead to physical and behavioural changes. Generally speaking, puppies will start to mature sexually between 7 and 10 months of age. There is some variation and every dog is different."

As always we had quite a lot of visitors to our Homing Centres and I again I hope that tomorrow I'll be writing about decisions made.  However for today it was puppy Jim who was taken home from the Tai Po Homing Centre, one of the three large-sized puppies sent to the big centre from Ap Lei Chau just recently.  Jim's brothers Joe and Jack are still available, along with another litter of around the same age. 

Mon 15th Feb: The way a puppy grows

 

5 baby gemstones

The new puppies arrived today and were sent straight out to their foster homes, and again a huge thanks to everyone for taking the babies in.   One of them is weak and may not even survive, but  the foster home is experienced and knows what to do, and in fact even has two of the pups from the previous litter staying there.  That's dedication for you.

Puppies grow so fast that even a week sees big changes, and a month is like a lifetime.  At two weeks, which we estimate the new litter to be, the eyes are just beginning to open and the pups are fully reliant on their mother, or the bottle of milk, but even by three weeks they'll be starting to explore on wobbly little legs. At a month they can walk and are already playing with each other, and they can eat by themselves even if still preferring mother's milk when available.  Of course as orphans the process of weaning has to be speeded up and the babies learn to cope without a real mother, but they have each other which is so important for proper development of social skills as well as comfort.  Puppies will always sleep tightly up against each other, and not having that when young is what creates the later problems such as separation anxiety and other emotional instability.  It's really sad to see puppies sold in per shops at a very young age and knowing that they will often be left alone for very long hours with no company at all.  It's no wonder so many adult dogs have behaviour issues.  Although this is a promotion for a brand of dog food (and actually not a bad choice), the following is a very good explanation of a puppy's development and worth reading for all puppy adopters/fosters: https://fish4dogsus.com/blogs/news/the-main-growth-stages-of-your-newpuppy

Pretzel is the perfect age for adoption

In a way many mongrel or mixed breed puppies are luckier than the purebreeds because they never have to experience the trauma of a breeding farm or a pet shop cage.  They are far less likely to be separated at a very young age, even if taken early from their mothers like all of our baby pups are out of necessity.  The puppies that are currently staying at our Tai Po Homing Centre are still together at three to four months, and that contributes greatly to their emotional well-being.  It doesn't even have to be a blood sibling as long as a puppy has a friend and playmate, and there's quite a group of youngsters at Tai Po now that have joined into one big family.  One of them was chosen for adoption today, and lucky Pretzel will be heading off to his new family home tomorrow. 

If you'd like to meet Pretzel's siblings or any of the other puppies staying at either or our Homing Centres, please start by completing the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Please note that we don't have any small/medium-sized puppies or young adults available at the moment, and all of our puppies will be at least medium-to-large as adults.