Thurs 30th Sept: A few broken hearts, and 48 lucky dogs and puppies

Ollie with his lucky adopters

 Some puppies are born lucky just by having a certain look, and little Ollie was one of them.  So many potential adopters were asking about him, so when I write that he was chosen today I'm sure there's going to be a lot of broken hearts.  He came to us (from AFCD) with two other pups, assumed siblings although they look nothing like Ollie, so maybe Omar and Odin will also get their chance to shine.  

I hadn't seen them before today so I didn't realise how small they are, and they're also totally adorable (the photos don't do them justice).  Other puppies that appear to be smaller than average are the "L" sisters of Lacey, Letty and Laura, so look out for them if you're interested in puppies that (probably) won't grow into large sized adults.  Cricket is certainly a smaller girl who we know won't be big when fully grown. You can meet them any day at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, or on Sunday at Whiskers N Paws, 2pm to 4pm, but please complete the adoption questionnaire in advance.  It's at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

I could say the same about corgi Speedy breaking hearts because he was also a very popular choice for many potential adopters. I wrote about him yesterday and that he should be leaving today, and indeed he did. 

Funny lively Speedy

It's been a particularly stressful week, not helped by the fact that three Lamma dogs have had health issues, with two of them needing urgent veterinary attention.  One of them, Dusty, had been limping, but that suddenly turned into horrible open sores on her leg and she was sent to Concordia as an emergency case. It turned out she had a broken bone in her foreleg, not needing surgery or setting, but she is on pain relief and heavy duty antibiotics.  The most serious case happened today when poodle Kobe suddenly had blood coming from his mouth and was in a state of collapse.  Luckily Iris had come over for one of her regular visits so she was able to rush (if that's possible in a sampan) Kobe to Acorn where he was given a blood transfusion thanks to a very lucky donation of a bag of blood that was waiting for a dog that needed it.  Kobe was brighter after the transfusion so I hope he'll be OK. 

The third dog that isn't well is Rag, and he has an infected paw which he absolutely refuses to take any medication for.  I'll have to see what I can do about that, but at this stage I think I can manage. 

A total of forty eight dogs and puppies were adopted during September, a great result and thank you to all adopters, but again we took in far more than that, seventy three to be exact.  Here are the lucky ones:

Tai Po Homing Centre:

Sheldon (Multibreed)

Mario (Multibreed)

Glitter (Multibreed)

Floyd (German Shepherd)

Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre:

Molly (Terrier)

Ellis (Poodle)

Olive (Terrier cross)

Elsa (Corgi cross)

Ellie (Multibreed)

Candy (Multibreed)

Joshua (Multibreed)

Ethan (Poodle)

Edie (Chihuahua cross)

Pudsey (Multibreed puppy)

Poppy (Multibreed puppy)

Arthur (Multibreed puppy)

Eddie (Corgi)

Esme (Multibreed puppy)

Milky (Maltese)

Kindle (Multibreed puppy)

Ruthie (Multibreed puppy)

Scooby (Pug)

Devon (Terrier)

Dimple (Terrier)

Suzy (Poodle cross)

Stella (Poodle cross)

Scarlet (Poodle/Terrier)

Spud (Frenchie)

Rufus (Multibreed puppy)

Scrabble (Poodle)

Pipkin (Pekingese cross)

Cobbler (Poodle)

Crumble (Poodle)

Dumpling (Poodle)

Scruffin (Poodle)

Speedy (Corgi)

Ollie (Multibreed puppy)

Whiskers N Paws:

Lucy (Multibreed puppy)

Petey (Multibreed puppy)

Diesel (Multibreed puppy)

Sugar (Multibreed puppy)

Foster:

Minky (Multibreed puppy)

Luke (Multibreed puppy)

Fritter (Multibreed puppy)

Willa (Husky/terrier cross)

Digby (Labrador puppy)

Laika (Multibreed)

 

Number taken in (Total: 73) 

From AFCD: 26

Other sources: 47

Weds 29th Sept: So many dogs in need of homes

 

The family of four will soon be together again

The poodle family were taken home today, that's Dumpling, Cobbler and Crumble, with Strudel also due to re-join the others from her current foster home.  What a fantastically happy result, something we really never expected to happen so it's all the more joyful.

Speedy by name, speedy by nature

Today continued like preceding days with so many adoption enquiries, but mostly for the same puppy (Ollie) and Speedy the corgi, so I'm very happy to say that Speedy should be heading off home on Thursday.  I say 'should' rather than 'will', because after his interview and meeting with his potential shiba "brother", which went very well, the two dogs were together in the small reception area while the adoption paperwork was being completed.  It's a tight squeeze at the best of times, but adding to the situation there was a big delivery (of dog treats from Australia) which may have been the catalyst that started the fight. When I first got the message I assumed that was that and Speedy's adoption was over before it even started, but apparently not.  In fairness to Speedy he's been a very happy and playful dog, tolerating even the puppies and their demands, so I hope I'm right in thinking it was all just too much for everyone at the time. 

There were further meetings at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre today which I hope will turn into adoptions, but you'll have to watch this space to find out who I'm talking about.

Heidi the Caucasian Shepherd (shaved)

I wrote yesterday about an exceptional case of a a very large dog in need of a home, and not one that's under HKDR which is why I say it's an exception.  Actually for the breed, a Caucasion Shepherd, Heidi is relatively small at only 52 kilos, but that's still a lot of dog for most Hong Kong homes.  Please let me know if you're interested in knowing more by completing the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Little Nola 

Another dog in need of a home (in addition to the hundreds of hopefuls waiting at our Tai Po Homing Centre) is little girl Nola, and the reason I'm posting her details here is because I don't want her to have to come to the Homing Centre.  Nola was adopted as a puppy, as most are, and now at two years of age her family have gone to the UK leaving Nola with friends.   Putting aside all of the "why did they leave their dog behind" questions, I want to concentrate on the dog, the innocent one, and because she's young and small-medium at only 12 kilos in weight, I hope she'll be the perfect size for a family wanting a dog like Nola.  Again please complete the adoption questionnaire as a first step if you're interested in knowing more. 

My Top Tip for the day is Dolly

I can't forget the Tai Po dogs as they need highlighting too, and my top tip for today is a very sweet young girl, barely out of puppyhood.  Her name is Dolly, and she'd make the perfect family companion.  Please don't overlook these beautiful girls and boys just because they don't have a breed label attached.  Dolly is a star in the making, just give her the chance to prove it to you. 

Tues 28th Sept: An exceptional home needed for an exceptional dog

 I had to wonder if Speedy the corgi had been posted on Facebook because there was a sudden deluge of adoption enquiries about him, one of which sounded just right so I hope that will work out with the resident dog.   We'll always choose the home that we feel can offer the best life and environment for any dog, and often no matter how nice and well-meaning the potential adopters are, their home and lifestyle just aren't suitable.

Scruffin the poodle going home

Another young and small dog went to a lovely home today, and again we had a lot of interest in Scruffin but wanted a home where his age and playful nature would be appreciated.  Coincidentally both Scruffin and potentially Speedy will be "brothers" to resident shiba inus. 

File image of a Caucasian Shepherd

Exceptionally I need to help a dog that's not actually with HKDR but whose case I've become semi-involved in because the adopters (thankfully a trial) have an ex-HKDR dog who we knew didn't like other dogs when she was adopted.  I'm not sure what motivated the couple, again nice people, to offer to take a giant dog into their home, with predictably disastrous results.  Maybe disastrous is an exaggeration, but this was never going to work out and now the Caucasian Shepherd is in very urgent need of a new home without other dogs or cats, and with a lot of space.  Heidi is two years old and is friendly with people, but if you Google the breed you will wonder, as we all do, why on earth anyone would buy a dog that's so unsuitable to be in Hong Kong.  I remember the craze, thankfully short-lived, for Tibetan mastiffs, another breed that should be roaming snow-covered moutains not living in a sweltering hot climate.   If you can offer a home to Heidi, please start by completing the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Phaedra is on the mend mentally and physically

Looking at the photos posted by 

hkdr_eagle , Happy Woof  and volunteer Harryn, which I do every day without fail, I saw a video of cocker spaniel Phaedra out walking alongside her two best friends and it really made me smile.  This is a dog with a very sad story, and when she first arrived she was injured, in pain and angry.  I can't say she's suitable for all homes, but she's doing so well at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre that I really hope one day she will find her own dream family.  You can check out the video on Instagram @h_dogsister, plus lots of other great photos that will have you wanting to adopt all of the dogs and puppies!

Mon 27th Sept: The one special home that's just right

Ollie (l) and Lacey at WNP on Sunday

 There always seems to be a dog or puppy of the day, the one that everyone suddenly wants, and today it was puppy Ollie and Frenchie Squash.  Ollie is undoubtedly extremely cute, but he was at the Whiskers N Paws event on Sunday yet nobody took him home, and Squash has also been with us since the 18th of the month, again with no particular interest.  

I know both were posted on Facebook and that obviously attracts attention, but it seems to be that when it's the right time the dog will find the right home.  I have to add that we're not in a rush to get anyone out of the door, and some of the questionnaires I receive would mean a very sad life for any dog, and the worst thing of all is that many already have a dog in the home.  It really upsets me to know how many dogs are living tragically sad and lonely lives, and staying at the Homing Centre is a far better option in these cases. 

Referring to the above and the fact that we prefer to wait rather than let a dog go to a home that's not exactly right, I was very happy to receive enquiries today that sounded perfect for several dogs, Squash included. I really hope these materialise into actual adoptions, and you will read about it here if they do of course.   

Cricket is going to be a small-medium adult

As always almost all potential adopters ask about a puppy's adult size, and although we can see from the body shape of some that they will be small, or small-medium (those with short legs and long bodies), for very young pups like Ollie it's really impossible to know.  W can make a guess, but that could end up being completely wrong as we've found from previous experience.  Some end up much smaller and others much bigger, but in the end it's the personality than counts. 

Please don't forget the many lovely dogs we have at our Tai Po Homing Centre, as lots of them were themselves puppies not that long ago.  Too many of them also ended up in the sort of homes we don't want our puppies to go to, where the realisation that puppies grow very quickly into large dogs means them being ejected at the "teenage" stage.  An adult dog is easier in so many ways because what you see is what you get, meaning you know the full-grown size, look, energy level and temperament.  It takes the guesswork out of having a dog, and you miss all of the hard training work without missing more than a few months of a dog's life.  I think about all of the chewed furniture and multiple mobile phones and remote controls that I lost during the days when I had puppies on Lamma, and am happy that I can get my puppy fix at the Homing Centre without having the destruction at home any more. 

Sun 26th Sept: A dream come true

A full collection of poodles at the dog park 

There could be many scenarios that would fit the "dream come true" heading, but for today it was the adoption of the senior poodle family, Cobbler, Crumble and Dumpling, with Strudel (currently in foster care) also likely to join the others once they have settled.  There have been homes offered for the poodles individually, but these dogs are related and have been together their entire lives so they stick together like glue.  Even if one of them is taken out for a walk the others cry, so we really didn't want to separate them.  Knowing that they can stay as a family is just amazing. 

Pipkin chose his new parents

Finally, and after so many enquiries and meetings, little Pipkin was adopted today.  Why did the other interviews fail?  Well, Pipkin is one of those dogs that takes a little while to warm up to people he doesn't know, and while he's not a biter many potential adopters want a dog that runs up to them and begs to be cuddled.  There are some adult dogs that are like that, but usually it's puppies who throw themselves at anyone passing by. 

It was another completely hectic day, and while I'm not physically at either Whiskers N Paws or the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre, I'm online the whole time and checking questionnaires as they come in, which is literally one after the other.  Both venues were incredibly busy and we only had two volunteers at Whiskers N Paws to handle all of the potential adopters who came to meet the puppies, so as is often the case on Sundays, more puppies are taken home during the following days rather than at the mini-event itself.  For anyone who was at Whiskers N Paws and wants to meet the puppies again, you can always do so at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre any day of the week. 

The lucky adopters who got to take little Sugar home

Benjamin Po was a new volunteer photographer for the puppy party  Puppy Adoption Day 26th Sep 2021 so you can take a look at who's available, although there are so many at the moment that I'm sure there are quite a few that are missing.   Gorgeous little Sugar was the only on-site adoption that took place, but hopefully I'll be able to share more good news in the coming week. 

Sisters Lacey and Letty back from foster

Rather than having fewer puppies after the adoption event we ended the day with more, as four came back from their foster homes now that they're old enough to be adopted. 

Another pair of sisters, Melody and Marina

Sat 25th Sept: Hiring at Tai Po

 Before anything else I want to mention that we're looking for another staff member at our Tai Po Homing Centre due to the additional number of dogs we've been taking in, and the manpower needed to take care of them all.  We hope that one of the existing volunteers will want to step up, as it's obviously helpful if any applicant already understands what's involved, but maybe there's the perfect dog lover out there who dreams of working with dogs as a career.  However, due to the size and location of our Tai Po Homing Centre, meaning it's a very large area built on a steep slope, we need someone who is physically fit and strong as well as everything else.   The big Homing Centre is totally different from the one at Ap Lei Chau, and the work conditions too, so unless you can hike up and down multiple steps all day without falling over from exhaustion, this isn't going to be for you. 

For the right person working with HKDR means joining a big family all of whom have the same interests and aims, that is to help as many dogs as possible.  The ultimate goal of course, is that the dogs find their own homes and leave the Homing Centre, but with hundreds of hopefuls the chances are that many will stay with us for their whole lives, so giving them the best we can offer is important. 

If you're interested in applying for the job, this is what we're looking for:

You must hold a Permanent Hong Kong ID Card

- Be over 18 years of age

- Be physically fit, strong and healthy

- Be mentally mature, able to cope with whatever challenges occur

- Be able to work as part of a team

- Have a good basic understanding of dogs and their care

- Be willing to work long hours

We can't offer riches in return, but if the idea of sitting in an office every day horrifies you, and you want a meaningful job that gives you the satisfaction of knowing that you're making a real difference, maybe this is for you.  Please send you application and CV to eva@hongkongdogrescue.com, or if you're already a Tai Po volunteer speak to May at the Homing Centre and let her know you're interested in a full time job.

The puppy shown in little Cricket

Sunday is puppy day at Whiskers N Paws, and that means party time for those staying at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre as they're let loose on the big terrace for fun and games. 

Dylan

Dina (with Speedy behind)

That also means the smaller adults at the Homing Centre get the space to themselves, but I suspect they too will be having fun at the nearby dog park.  Long-term volunteer Harryn took these photos of just such an afternoon, and you can see how much the dogs love it.

Poodle Scruffin

We also made a happy discovery, and that is that French bulldog Squash is actually fine with other dogs, not aggressive as we'd thought at first.  It's not unusual for new dogs to act defensively, so I suggested that Squash be given a chance of free running with others to see how she would behave off leash, as often being leashed is also challenging for dogs as it means they can't run away from perceived danger. 

Squash is so sweet with people

Aptly named Speedy

Fri 24th Sept: One out, twelve in

 There's actually no shortage of adoption applications, but making sure the home is right for the dog is very important to us so we were very happy that newly-arrived German shepherd Floyd found his perfect family so quickly.  In fact he was picked up from ALCVC still half asleep after his desex surgery which had been booked before we knew he would be going home today, so his adoption photo shows him still dozing.  He's a very lucky dog.

Alanna 5 years old

 

3 boy puppies from AFCD Sheung Shui

After picking up three gorgeous puppies and the poodle girl I wrote about yesterday from AFCD Sheung Shui, I got a message from AFCD Pokfulam about more puppies - seven of them.  In addition to these ten puppies in total, another poodle was surrendered, this time a boy.  He had no microchip, so obviously no license, and the most horrendously dirty teeth, even though at seven years (as told by the owner) he's not an old dog by any means.  

Charlie is 7 years old

Carrying on from what I wrote about yesterday, keeping teeth in good condition is vital if you want a healthy dog, and that's often more difficult with small dogs than larger ones.  Even one year-old small breeds can already have tartar starting to build up, whereas my large Lamma dogs (whose teeth I check regularly if I can) have a nice set of healthy teeth well into old age.   I don't clean them, but I do give hard chews and raw bones (thanks to GrowsFresh), and as a positive aspect to kibble it also helps, as opposed to the soft food favoured by many small dog owners.

The 7 puppies from AFCD Pokfulam

 

Teeth like this poison the whole system

The weekend is going to be busy again, especially at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre with so many small dogs and puppies available.  

Sunday afternoons are a bit easier for visitors and staff as the puppies head off to Whiskers N Paws for the two hours of play on the terrace, and meetings with potential adopters.  Please be sure to complete the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/ in advance to help us, and to speed things up in the adoption process. 

Thurs 23rd Sept: What makes a healthy dog?

Not a poodle, but shiba puppy Donny going home

 Continuing with the never-ending intake of dogs and puppies we have yet more arriving on Friday from AFCD Sheung Shui, this time three very cute puppy littermates and a friendly five year-old poodle.  Unsurprisingly the poodle has a skin problem, minor apparently, but almost all poodles have food allergies and can't be fed beef or chicken.  

There's always ongoing debate about feeding and diet and what's good or bad, and the pet food industry is like any other when it comes to creating novel ingredients and ways to market their product.  Now there's a backlash against the  previously-popular "grain-free" foods, with claims that it can cause heart problems in some dogs.  

If you really want to keep it simple, natural is always going to be better although not everyone has the time to home-cook for their dogs and to make sure that it's a properly balanced diet.  We do suggest that even if you use the convenient commercial dog foods, you add some fresh meat or vegetables for variation and taste. Imagine if you had to eat the same processed dry food every day of your life and how you would feel about it.  Apart from anything else, giving the same food every day for years on end is what causes allergies to develop later on. 

Sharpei-cross Tufty in 2012 

Having said that, with so many hundreds of dogs under our care at HKDR, its obviously impossible to provide fresh food for all of them so the old, sick and weak dogs are singled out for individual feeding. The oldest dog I have on Lamma now is Tufty, who's sixteen or even seventeen, and she gets her special meals twice a day but she has eaten kibble for most of her life, just like the other dogs.  In fact I have many dogs that are fourteen-plus living with me, so I'm always checking to see that they're doing well and staying fit.  The older dogs are also given supplements every day according to their needs, as personally I'm a great believer in natural health and that supportive care and prevention is far better than cure.

What keeps a dog healthy is a combination of factors including genetics, lifestyle (stress affects animals as much as it does humans), good exercise and, of course, diet.  Over-vaccinating is also a contributing factor to things like auto-immune diseases, so please do your own research about this issue.  Certainly vaccinating every year is something that is not recommended. 

Weds 22nd Sept: Photos don't tell the whole story

 

Pipkin's happy at the Homing Centre

I knew it was going to be busy today, and we were all working non-stop as I was checking the incoming questionnaires and the Homing Centre staff (today it was Andrea and Eagle at Ap Lei Chau) were dealing with the potential adopters in person.  Pipkin seemed to be the main attraction and I was wondering how the poor little guy was doing with what must have been endless trips to the dog park, especially as in the end he didn't go home with anyone.  It really proves what I try to explain many times, that you can't choose a dog from a photo or by the way it looks, and while there's nothing wrong with Pipkin in terms of health and behaviour, maybe he just didn't have the personality that today's visitors were looking for. 

Sweet Rufus has his forever home

It doesn't matter if the small adults wait for the right home as they're fine and happy at the Homing Centre, and the puppies have great fun playing as well as snuggling with their friends to sleep. As long as we have the space to accommodate them they can stay as long as they need to, but for Rufus and Hugo today was their last at Ap Lei Chau as they both left to start their new lives. 

Hugo didn't have to wait long for his home

It seems a long time since I was able to post an adoption photo from Tai Po, although it's probably only my perception as the small dogs are chosen far more quickly.  Anyway I was very happy to get the message that Mario had been taken home today, even though it still leaves so many that are still waiting.  

Mario is the lucky Tai Po dog

Tues 21st Sept: Getting ready for a busy holiday Wednesday

 I have a feeling we're going to be busy on Wednesday, a Public Holiday, as there have been so many enquiries about adoption.  There's obviously only one of each particular dog but I hope we will have more arriving sometime soon, and again obviously I'm talking about the small dogs and puppies at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre as we have literally hundreds of larger dogs waiting at Tai Po. 

The lucky adopters of Scrabble

Poodle (cross) Scrabble had a queue of potential adopters but one family were the lucky ones and took this lovely dog home.  

Laura came back to join the other puppies

Puppy Laika was adopted by her foster home, while sister Laura came back to the Homing Centre to enjoy the games played pretty much non-stop. Another Failed Foster was that of labrador puppy Digby, who underwent hip surgery after being surrendered to us with the very typical problems of this breed. 

Only $500 for 12 bottles

Digby is staying in his foster home

Just a reminder if you're coming to our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre that we have wine for you to buy, as well as old Chinese scroll paintings, not to mention the various T-shirts available.  All sale go towards helping support HKDR and our work, and remember Christmas isn't too far away!

$500 each, or 3 for $1000

We also need newspaper to use for the dogs and puppies' toilet areas, and this is becoming harder to come by now that so many read the news online. We like to use newpaper rather than bought pee pads for a few reasons, one being cost and more importantly to save the environment.   Puppies are also somehow drawn to newspaper as their preferred toilet spot, maybe because it has a certain smell, I don't know.  Lastly they don't shred newspaper like they do with the pee pads, so we would really appreciate it if you could bring some newspapers along with you when you visit.  

Mon 20th Sept: Dogs are not robots

 Every day is carefully planned out ahead of time so driver Ming knows where to go and with which dogs and puppies, and with only so many hours to fit everything in we have to try as much as possible to stick to the schedule.   This afternoon was thrown off course when I turned up at AFCD Pokfulam to have the remaining new small dogs licensed, those that hadn't already been adopted, only to find some pet shop person there with cages of tiny puppies being microchipped.  I waited in the van until they were finished (actually I can't bear to be around them and to see the poor puppies) , but in the end we had to leave before our dogs could be licensed because other dogs in the van had an appointment at Acorn. 

Scruffin

We made it back to AFCD just before closing time, so I let the dogs out of their crates for a run (on leash of course) and a pee before having their microchips and rabies vaccinations.  The two poodle boys are fantastic characters, incredibly friendly and very lively.  They're bigger than the regular toy poodles and I'm pretty sure they've got something else in them, possibly terrier, so anyone interested in adopting has to be prepared to give these boys good exercise. 

Scrabble

The French bulldog girl Squash is a sweetheart with people, but not so with other dogs.  This is typical behaviour for the breed but it can be changed, as we found out with our previous Frenchie Romeo.  Do you remember him?  He had very serious dog-dog aggression issues, but his adopter was amazing and worked with him until he learned new behaviour. 

Squash

Little pom-cross Sonic is also a sweet boy, and his video was shared on Facebook yesterday.  

Sonic

The fifth dog is corgi (cross) Speedy, whose name was given before I realised how appropriate is is because he's also full of energy and likes to run everywhere at top speed.

Speedy has a very long body

I have said before we have no idea where these dogs came from, but they are all toilet trained which is quite amazing. 

With so many dogs coming to HKDR meaning many adoptions as a result, there's one main theme that we see adopters asking our trainer Cactus about. This is that the dog or puppy isn't eating, or that it isn't playing or fully interacting with the humans.  All of this is perfectly normal behaviour as described in the  booklet that is given to all adopters, and which was written specifically to help answer all of these standard questions.  So here again are a couple of helpful posters which show what to expect.  Dogs are not robots, they're thinking, feeling animals with emotions such a fear, confusion and loneliness.  Please give them time to adjust.