Thurs 7th March: Too early for a haircut

Raffles already has a new home

New older puppy Raffles hardly had time to settle at Tai Po before he left again with his adopter, something we wish would happen to every dog staying with us.   It's really just a case of the right dog being in the right place at the right time, and then all three coming together.  Most dogs have to wait a lot longer than a day before they are chosen so I'm really happy for Raffles that he was one of the rare lucky ones.

As soon as I shaved Murphy the winter came back

Nobby post haircut

I have to take the blame for the sudden drop in temperature because on Wednesday I decided it was time to get rid of Murphy's thick and woolly winter coat so he got a full shave, the only style I know how to do.   Then today I had arranged with Iris to send over three of the small Lamma dogs for a haircut so they also got the full short back and sides, and now all will need dog coats to keep them warm.  Luckily we have plenty of them to choose from.

Kobe is available for adoption although staying on Lamma

This weekend we will be at the West Kowloon Freespace Happening on both Saturday and Sunday, and of course at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday with the available puppies. Here are the photos from last week's puppy Sunday, and there are a lot of up-and-coming babies that will soon be old enough to join: Puppy Adoption Day 3 March 2019 

The Freespace Happening offers something for the whole family

If you are looking for a very young pair of baby pups to adopt please contact Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com for photos and information.  These babies can't be adopted individually yet as they are too young to be on their own.

Weds 6th March: Happy day for Nancy and Jayden

Jayden (l) and Nancy are now brother/sister

The rain today meant not much was happening anywhere, but there was still good news about the two lovely Tai Po dogs taken home together for a trial as Nancy and Jayden had their adoption cofirmed. I bet they're happy to be inside and dry.

Ivory (l) and Tusk are both from Stanley Barracks

Raffles is still just a puppy at 8 months

The new dogs at Tai Po are doing well, with Tusk especially being a lovely surprise.  I was sent a video of him having a great time running around and playing with the staff, completely the opposite of the very scared boy I saw and took out of AFCD.   Tanner is also settling, as is the latest recruit Raffles.

Our van's going for its annual servicing on Thursday and Friday which coincides nicely with the bad weather, so there'll be no outings to the vet barring emergencies, and I won't be paying a visit to AFCD either.  All four of the latest puppies are safely in foster homes until they are old enough to be adopted individually, which is eight weeks at the earliest.

All 4 puppies are now in foster homes

Tues 5th March: Welcome to Raffles

New boy Raffles happy to be out of AFCD kennels

As I was on my way to AFCD with a van full of five month-old puppies needing their rabies vaccinations and licenses, there was a car in front with the numberplate RAFFLES so that is now the name of the doglet I took out today.  This lovely boy had belonged to an expat couple who on leaving Hong Kong had dumped their puppy at AFCD, being too cowardly I suppose to approach any rescue group.  At least the "leaving Hong Kong" was the excuse given for the abandonment, but honestly I believe very little these days.  I've heard and seen too much to be able to rely on what's said as being the truth.  Anyway Raffles is now at our Tai Po Homing Centre and being a very handsome young man I hope he will quickly find his new family.

West Kowloon Freespace Happening this weekend 

Coming up,we'll be at the West Kowloon Freespace Happening this coming weekend 9th and 10th of March

🎶 Freespace Happening  event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/2252162351721664/

🐾 HHDR booth opening time (including meeting with dogs, charity sale and other activities):
March 9th & 10th from 2pm to 6pm

🐾 Location: West Kowloon Cultural District Art Park

Our Flag Day on 6th April is approaching fast and we have issued a special Gold Flag for our loyal supporters, or anyone who would like to become one.  Limited Edition Gold Flags now available!

To support our ongoing rescue and re-homing efforts we are now selling a very special Gold Flag featuring 6 of our HKDR long-termer dogs. As a No Kill Organisation that commits to taking care of all of our 650+ dogs for life, we very much appreciate your donations and support

For more information, please visit:
https://hongkongdogrescue.com/gold-flag-donation/

Our special Gold Flag pack

Mon 4th March: Always puppies and more puppies

The new babies enjoying their dinner

I was back at AFCD today to take out the four new baby pups that arrived over the weekend, luckily a bit older than the seven real babies so able to eat by themselves. They really tucked in when given their dinner and it's always good to see puppies devouring their meals as lack of appetite is the first sign that something's wrong.

Cotton and Dobby were very scared at first

There was good news about one of the puppies taken for fostering on Sunday as little Dobby's adoption was confirmed.  He was one of the group of seven from the illegal breeder/hoarder, and from his looks and size I'm guessing there's shiba inu in there somewhere, but who knows. 

There was another slightly older non-fluffy that we had put together with Dobby, and although both were

scared on arrival at our Homing Centre they are quite different now and very happy.   Iris shared photos of Cotton holding and licking her hand, and I also saw her playing with the other puppies.  Cotton is also a smaller sized mixed breed, although we have no idea what that mix could be.

Dobby was already very different on Sunday

Cotton is a very sweet girl, around 6 months old

The two remaining fluffy pups from the group went to Acorn today to have their blood re-checked, as they had tick fever, or something causing anaemia.  The conditions at the place they escaped from are so bad that there isn't a dog or puppy that's totally healthy and we know many die before they can be rescued.  This ongoing situation is really upsetting as there's nothing we can do until we find out where the place is.

Barney is undeniably VERY cute as well as being small

As always we have so many lovely and healthy adults waiting for homes, and please do visit our Tai Po Homing Centre to meet them (see map below).  Many adopters are swayed by the cuteness of puppies, but in terms of behaviour, looks and size when you choose an adult you know exactly what you are getting.  A lot of our dogs are only a year old so you still have a full lifetime to share.

Sun 3rd March: More puppies on the way

Pumpkin had to have one leg removed but is quite happy

In my excitement about the puppy adoptions on Saturday I forgot to mention that three-legged poodle Pumpkin was also chosen, and left the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre with her new family.

We also managed to find foster homes for the seven babies, but are expecting more to come in on Monday in case you are able to temporarily take care of youngsters who need extra care, more than we can provide at the Homing Centre.  Please contact Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com for details about fostering.

To simplify things the babies had names A,B,C,D,E,F and G

We had another in-and-out event at Whiskers N Paws, with the older puppies playing on the terrace and the smaller ones staying inside.  Eric Tang was the photographer for the afternoon, a regular volunteer who really knows how to capture both portrait and action shots.  Here is Eric's lovely album for today  Puppy Adoption Day 3 March 2019 — at Whiskers N Paws

We usually allow trials for the adult dogs at Tai Po, just because being grown-ups they already have established characters which need to be able to fit in with the human side of the family, as well other animals who may already be in the home.

Portia looking relaxed in her new home

Recently Portia was taken for a trial adoption, and while she had her forever status confirmed another pair left the Tai Po Homing Centre today to start their week-long "test drive".  As happy as I am about Portia, I'm also thrilled to bits that our sweet ex-office girl Nancy has finally got a chance of a real home, along with her new friend Jayden, and  I hope with all my heart that this is a forever situation.

Nancy (back) and Cello when they were office dogs

Not many trainers are qualified to deal with aggression in dogs

All dogs and puppies that are adopted or fostered from HKDR have the benefit of free follow-up training advice and support from our very experienced trainer, Cactus Mok.   It's always incredibly disappointing when adopters don't take advantage of Cactus's extensive knowledge and experience, preferring to use other trainers who may be old-school or just not that good.   This past week Cactus has been expanding her knowledge at a ten-day training course specifically focusing on dog aggression, the causes and how to help, and I look forward to hearing all about it when Cactus is back this week.  Alice Lau, another Positive Partners Training Course teacher and one of the trainers we routinely recommend for private training, also attended the course.

Sat 2nd March: Minus 6 but Plus 7

The last of the Kitten Pups were adopted today

It was a great afternoon for the puppies at Concordia Pet Care in Happy Valley with three pairs of little ones being adopted, or taken for fostering with a view to adoption.  Thanks to volunteer photographer Kevin Yuen for this beautiful set of photos:

Puppy Adoption Day 2 March 2019 — at 康迪亞獸醫 Concordia Pet Care - Happy Valley

One each:  Magic and Chimey going home

Gorgeous Oatmeal and Porridge

Don't worry though, we still have plenty of puppies for Sunday's Whiskers N Paws afternoon, rain or otherwise.

Apart from the fact that we are always happy to see our dogs and puppies going to homes, as it happens we really needed the extra space created by the six leaving.  I'd been contacted by an unknown person in the morning asking if we could take in a litter of seven very young babies, and I had to say no as at that point we really had nowhere to put them.  By late afternoon and with the six not coming back to the Homing Centre, I finally agreed to taking the newborns in, but I have to say it was quite reluctantly.  At this age the puppies need day-and-night care, at least to be fed very late and again very early.  We urgently need foster homes now, and as there are seven babies it would need to be in two pairs and a trio.  Please contact Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com if you can help, and remember that all food and anything else needed will be supplied.  All we're asking for is the puppies' care until they are able to be adopted, or at least be self-sufficient enough to return to our Homing Centre.

7 babies URGENTLY need foster homes

Fri 1st March: Getting ready for the weekend

Tanner has a lovely smile

I ended up taking both of the Stanley Barracks dogs out of AFCD today, and they have now joined the large Tai Po Homing Centre family.  Now-named Tanner, the smaller of the two is a very sweet boy, and he was able to sit on the back seat of the van rather than be in a crate.  The other dog, who must be Ivory's brother or at least closely related, was quite scared so he stayed in a travel crate for the drive, and he still has a worried look on his face.  I suspect that's just the way he's made.  His name is now Tusk.

Tusk has a sad face

We have two puppy adoption events this weekend as I hope you all know by now, with Saturday at Concordia Pet Care in Happy Valley and Sunday at Whiskers N Paws, but you can also meet most of the puppies (excluding those in foster homes) any day at our Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre.  Of the new ex-breeder/hoarder puppies, Oatmeal and Porridge will be at Concordia while Tiffin and Barney will be staying at the Homing Centre as they are the ones with tick fever.

Whiskers N Paws is where most of the older puppies will be on Sunday, and I don't want them to be forgotten just because there are some younger ones available.  The five-to-six month olds are ideal for first-time adopters as they are already vaccinated and at least partly, if not totally toilet trained and know how to walk on a leash.  Not having to tackle the basic training cuts out a lot of time and effort while still allowing for the best part of having a puppy.  https://www.facebook.com/hkdogrescue/videos/255455265357210/