Tues 8th Aug: Urgent home needed for Rex and Nova

Rex and Nova are in urgent need of a new home

 Before writing about any adoptions I want to ask if anyone can offer a home to two wonderful little dogs, adopted from HKDR as young puppies in 2021 and who are the sad victims of a family break-up with both parties having left Hong Kong (separately). Rex and Nova have no health or behaviour problems and, having always been together as a pair, are tightly bonded.  They weigh only 7kg and 10kg, so they're the perfect size.  This is an urgent case so at the very least we need a foster home, but obviously a forever home would be a much better option. 

Nyla is now Luna 

I'm just emerging from under the pile of adoption offers for the labrador puppy, so I'm happy to say that she was picked up by her new family first thing this morning.  Thankfully at least a couple of the potential adopters for Nyla (now Luna) were happy to come to meet some of our many other dogs and puppies, and as a result terrier pup Nina and bichon frise Nicky also left the Kennedy Town North Street Centre today. 

Nina is one of the 4 terrier type puppies

The street party in Lan Kwai Fong 2013

I'm counting the days until the end of the summer holidays so we can get back to business as usual.  Apart from so many people being out of Hong Kong, the heat is oppressive and makes everything seem like hard work.   We also have exciting things to look forward to later in the year, especially the return of Peak to Fong in November.  By chance I ended up looking through some photos from previous P2F events, and was reminded of what a fantastic time everyone had.  Mark your diaries now so you don't miss out - it's Sunday 26th November.  If you want to participate as a vendor or sponsor you can also do so now by emailing p2f@hongkongdogrescue.com. 

Mon 7th Aug: Welcoming the newcomers

 Getting straight down to it, the labrador puppy girl that had me slaving over the keyboard as soon as the photo was posted will almost certainly have left for her new home by the time many of you read this.  Several of the homes offered are very suitable, others not so much, but I hope that all of the potential adopters will choose another dog or puppy instead.  

(Not labrador) Saffy

As I was typing the replies to the questionnaires, I was remembering the film and book that was so popular many years ago.  It was called 'Marley and Me', and it was the story of a labrador puppy and the chaos, destruction and mayhem it caused in the home.  Of course it was about love too, but I wanted to convey what having this type of puppy means, especially the chewed shoes and furniture. 

Before I show the photos of the rest of the newcomers, I want to share this adorable video of Avia and her new puppy friend Soda.  If you remember, Avia is a very cute small-sized doglet, but also very shy, which is why she had trouble finding an adopter and ended up staying in her lovely foster home.  Knowing how much Avia enjoyed the company of other dogs the adopters chose a puppy to be Avia's companion, and you can see the result here.  It made me smile for sure, and one important thing it shows very clearly is how Soda is controlling his bites, making sure they don't hurt.  This is why it's so important that puppies can play with other dogs or puppies and not be isolated.  It's through this kind of play biting that they learn bite inhibition, so that when they grow they don't use their teeth to grab and bite in play. 

There are still two of Soda's littermates available, sisters Sophie and Saffy, if you would like to meet them. 

Sophie 

There were four little terrier-type puppies in today's group of eleven new dogs, all gorgeous, and if I had to choose between a labrador and one of these, I can tell you it would probably be all four of them!

The other six are the usual small-sized mixture of this and that, with one being a young bichon (Nicky).  All of the photos are taken for identification and naming only, so they're very quick snaps that don't really show how lovely the dogs are.  

Please remember that we still have so many other small-medium dogs that were last week's newcomers, or the weeks before.  You just have to come to meet them all to see which one is the right one for you, and you can do that any day of the week as we open every single day without exception.

Start by completing the adoption questionnaire so we can recommend the dogs or puppies that we feel will best suit your home and family. 

Adoption Questionnaire Direct Link: https://hongkongdogrescue.com/.../adoption-questionnaire/

Sun 6th Aug: Ins and Outs

 I used the word "Ins" for the subject heading, not because we had any new dogs arriving today, but because they'll be coming on Monday and I wanted to give advance warning.  Read to the end of the post for some details of what's expected. 

Luke has a new home!

One of today's adoptions was a particularly happy one because Luke had only a few days left in his foster home before he would need to come back to the Homing Centre, something we wanted to avoid if at all possible.  After living as part of a family for so long it would have been very hard for Luke, but now that won't be happening as he has his own forever home.  Even better, he'll still be able to enjoy the sea sports that he's become so good at during his Sai Kung days.

Pip and his new family 

Also leaving from Whiskers N Paws, and another very happy adoption, was that of little Pip.  That's one more name ticked off the list of the 'Group of 19', the puppies that arrived together in February.  Paxton has taken Pip's place at Whiskers N Paws, and I hope he has the same good fortune.  

With Penny also recently adopted, I think I'm correct in thinking that there's now only Pippa and Paxton remaining from the nineteen, and it will certainly be a happy day when that file can finally be closed. 

Jimmy Tsang was today's photographer, and as always his wonderful shots are well worth checking out  Puppy Adoption Day 6th Aug 2023. 

Lovely Betty 

One more dog left Kennedy Town today, this time for a short trial with the resident dog, also ex-HKDR, and I'm pretty sure this will work out without any problems.  In fact, I'm going to do what I almost never do and give the name - Betty.  

Chester 

Chester also found his new home, this time without another dog so the jealousy issue won't arise.  Poodles can be demanding in that way, maybe because they're so intelligent and tend to get treated like human babies, developing similar behaviour.  

Labrador puppy?

Now for the anticipated new arrivals, including some small-sized puppies that we'll be needing foster homes for.  All of the dogs are either small adults or puppies, except for one who looks like it's a labrador puppy.  I don't have any information about age or sex, and as always there's a chance that some won't turn up and others will be added. 

Poodle? 

For all adoption enquiries please complete the Adoption Questionnaire:https://hongkongdogrescue.com/.../adoption-questionnaire/

Baby pups need foster homes

For fostering please complete the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/volunteer/fostering/ or email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com if you're already registered as a foster.

 

Sat 5th Aug: Who will offer Luke a home?

Lily has her own family now

Lily was today's lucky dog, and she's a gorgeous scruffy terrier type, very cute and easygoing and just right as a family member.  We have several more dogs that are very similar if you like the way Lily looks. 

Lily's makeover 

Why is it that one puppy from a litter always seems to be left behind when the siblings have long since been adopted?  Luke is the perfect doglet, and because he's been in foster care since he was very young he's used to living in a real home and as part of a family.  He's only medium sized, is lovely with people and other dogs, and you can see many photos of him on Instagram @why_i_foster if you went to know more.   Sadly all good things come to an end, and as Luke's foster parents are heading off on holiday it will mean Luke having to be returned to our Homing Centre, something none of us want.  If you're looking for the perfect dog, please take Luke home and you won't be disappointed.  

There's only good things to say about Luke 

You can meet Luke at Whiskers N Paws on Sunday, 2pm to 4pm, and ask as many questions as you like of his foster parent.  I should mention that Luke has been living in Sai Kung which means hiking in the hills and swimming in the sea every day, so a small city apartment wouldn't make him happy.

With so many dogs in the shelters, it’s hard to make this special boy stand out. So here are 10 key things I know about him.

Super dog friendly!

He loves dogs and prances like a pony over to make new friends. Great with biggies and littles.

Loves water!

He’s a water pup - a confident swimmer who will swim out into the open sea! Fabulous, easy exercise whilst it’s so hot!

Snuggle buddy!

He’s a sofa surfer, most often found snuggling into the cushions.

Children friendly!

He adores children and loves to roll onto his back for a belly rub.

Smart, quick learner!

He taught himself “paw” by watching what the other pups were doing for treats. He’ll do anything for a treat.

Only 12kg!

He’s a medium-small dog, weighing just 12-13kg and pretty much full grown.

Super human friendly!

He’s a total goofball - you can pick him up like a baby and rock him back n forth; he’ll just stare goofily at you!

Well-trained!

He’s potty trained, socialised, and sleeps through the night.

Food-motivated!

His favourite word is “treatsies”.

Gentle eater!

He thinks hand-fed kibble tastes best and would rather wait for me to have time to hand feed him - not greedy at all!

Check Instagram @why_i_foster if you want to know more about Luke’s daily life!

If you are interested in adopting Luke, please take the first step by completing the adoption questionnaire. Thank you!

Adoption Questionnaire Direct Link: https://hongkongdogrescue.com/.../adoption-questionnaire/

Fri 4th Aug: It's been a busy time

Sweet lady Hershey

 Yes, I completely missed writing an early blog yesterday, and I did think about posting one later in the day but decided against it.  There's always a lot of things going on at home with many senior dogs to look after, and the new corgi Boomer who arrived to start his re-training.  

I did want to share a new photo of the senior dog who was so cruelly abandoned at AFCD at almost twelve years of age, as now-Hershey is such a sweet lady who really didn't deserve to be treated this way.  If anyone can offer her a retirement home please let us know. 

I'd been wondering what would happen when young corgi Boomer was introduced to the house where the two shibas live, Damson and Gumbo, because they also started off having serious food guarding behaviour making them unsuitable for adoption.  Gumbo is a lot more relaxed these days and is a very sweet boy, but while Damson can also be just as charming and friendly, she still obsesses about food from time to time.  At first both shibas were fine with Boomer, as were all of the other dogs, but when he happened to walk too close to Damson's food she reacted badly.  Poor Boomer ended up being given a hard stare and a warning from Damson, and I'll have to see how this develops once Boomer is more settled.  

Little Camille is adopted 

Puppy Camille was adopted on Thursday, while two small adults left the Kennedy Town Centre in North Street today.  Dolly was the first to go, while Ticket left soon after.

Dolly heading home

Remember Ticket's makeover?

Ticket is now a family member 

Sadly, as I have mentioned before, not all adoptions work out and there are different reasons for this. In the case of poodle Chester it's nothing to do with the home itself, or the adopters, rather Chester's dislike of the resident large dog.  Usually this settles after a while, but in this case it hasn't improved and we agreed that it would be better for everyone if Chester found a new home.  This is what the adopter said about him: "Alfie (Chester) is an absolute darling with adults and smaller dogs. He loves loves loves people and just wants lots of cuddles. He gets along with people both inside and outside the house, so I feel that he will probably be happier as well in a home with adults and older children or small dogs. He’s great on the leash, housetrained (only pees and poops outside the house), and loves to jump up and sit next to his humans."

Chester is 5-6 years old 

If you would like to offer Chester, Hershey or any of our many dogs and puppies a home, please start by completing the adoption questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/

Please also remember that dogs are not robots, and moving to a new home with everything and everyone completely unfamiliar to them can be very frightening.  It can take time for them to settle, and it's quite usual that they won't eat for a few days, won't pee or poo.  Just give them space and time, leave food and water where they can eat and drink without being observed, and let them choose when they feel safe enough to approach you.  Please don't take them off to the groomers for a bath and nail clipping the moment they arrive, as this can been traumatising for an already scared dog. Remember the 3-3-3 rule, as shown in this chart:

Weds 2nd Aug: Bad breeding and bad behaviour

 Before I forget, can I remind everyone who's waiting for an email reply to check your Spam, because so many messages seem to get filtered out unless the sender is recognised.  It can be frustrating to both sides when sometimes important things get stuck in the system this way.

Where's Tucker? 

We had two adoptions at Kennedy Town today, with shiba puppy Igloo also moving to a foster home in readiness for surgery on her frog legs.  

Puppy Tucker was one of the adoptions, and because you can hardly see him in the adoption photo I'm sharing a later "I'm home!" shot too. 

Gorgeous Tucker at his new home

Dizzy was the second happy adoption, and she's now called Madison, Maddy for short.

Dizzy is now Madison 

There was further good news about doglet Penny as she had her forever status confirmed, meaning her foster family automatically become members of the Failed Foster Club.  Congratulations!  Penny's adoption also ticks another name off the list of the nineteen puppies that arrived together in February, and like recent Failed Foster Avia, Penny was one of the shy ones.  She's very pretty, like a fox, and several potential adopters showed interest, but she was just too nervous to pass any interviews.  Of course she's fine with the family she has grown to feel secure with, and she also has an ex-HKDR friend as a confident companion in the home. 

Penny standing next to her now-brother Goku

If you read my blog regularly you'll already know that the shiba inu is the breed that we receive most surrender requests for and always for the same reasons, resource guarding.  This can be food, toys, or anything that the dog considers to belong to them.  In a small apartment it can be very difficult to deal with this kind of behaviour, because basically there's no space to get away from the teeth, and no room to provide a private area for feeding.  This is why we will never home a shiba to any small home, because it's not fair on the dog and it really never works.  In the past we tried it and the dogs always came back.  

Bubu-now-Boomer arrived today 

The breed that also tops the list for guarding behaviour is the corgi, and last month we received many surrender requests for corgis.  We agreed to take the first one that we were asked about, mainly because he's still young at two years, and it was also before all the other corgi surrender enquiries came in. It took a long time between the initial contact and the dog actually turning up, and had we known how full we would be right now we would not have agreed to taking Bubu-now-Boomer.   Still, what's done is done, and now we have a young corgi boy with guarding behaviour who will be moving to Lamma on Thursday to begin his (hopeful) rehabilitation.  If anyone is experienced in handling guarding behaviour, likes corgis and would be willing to give a home to Boomer, please let us know.  It's quite possible to train a dog out of guarding, and we have done it before with corgis and shibas, but it's not for beginners or homes with children.  

If you absolutely insist that you must have a breed rather than a sweet mix, make sure you meet the parents of the puppy you plan to bring into your home.  Also be realistic about the genetic traits of each breed and never choose a dog based on looks alone, unless you are prepared to end up with problems. 

There will be some more adoptions this week, and I hope at least one or two will be from our Tai Po Homing Centre.  Not all of the dogs that are staying there are large sized, and many are still doglets (meaning halfway between puppy and adult), so if you're closer to Tai Po than Kennedy Town please remember to take a look there first.  Our Homing Centres open every single day of the year, from 10am to 6pm, but please make sure that you allow enough time to spend with the dogs and puppies if you're thinking about adopting.  Feeding time at Kennedy Town is at 5pm so that's not a good time to visit, and at Tai Po the dogs have a free-running session between 1pm and 3pm, so again it's not ideal for meeting individual dogs. 

For all adoption enquiries please start by completing the questionnaire at www.hongkongdogrescue.com/adopt/adoption-questionnaire/.  

Tues 1st Aug: Urgent foster home needed for baby shiba Igloo

Who can offer this old lady a home?

 As I'm sure you know I have many old dogs living with me, all of whom arrived as puppies and ended up staying.  They're at that stage of life when they need me much more than when they were healthy and active, and it's not unusual for me to have to go running to help when one gets stuck after its legs have given way.  Not in my wildest dreams could I imagine surrendering any of my seniors to AFCD, the cruellest of all options, but that's just what one despicable owner did to the dog that came to us today at almost twelve years of age.  The Tai Po team haven't come up with a name yet, but if anyone can offer this old lady a retirement home it would be lovely. 

Sweet petite Pudding

Also from the same AFCD Centre, this time Kowloon, we also received a lovely young sharpei girl, two years old and only medium sized.  Her name in now Pudding, and she's also at our Tai Po Homing Centre.

Prissy the shih tzu was in and out 

One of the two that went to Kennedy Town was already spoken for before she even arrived, so I had to think of a name pretty quickly so we had something to use for our paperwork.  For the record, the young shih tzu girl was Prissy, but she' probably already has another name in her new home. 

Percy is 8 years old 

The fourth dog is a friendly poodle boy, now Percy, and like most small dogs that end up being homeless he needs a dental and his knees fixing. 

Poor baby Igloo

Apart from forever homes, we are urgently in need of a foster home for shiba inu puppy Igloo.  She came as a breeder throwaway, born with twisted and bent back legs. Today's X-rays confirmed deformity of the femurs and twisting of the tibias, so although Dr Elaine at Concordia will do her best to correct the problem, as you can imagine it will be a long (and costly) process.  Igloo's first surgery is scheduled for Thursday, and we will need a foster home in place by then.  Other than the leg issue, Igloo is a typical puppy, very sweet, and it's just tragic that these types of genetic problems are being passed down through bad breeding.  If you can foster Igloo please email Cindy at foster@hongkongdogrescue.com, and if you can help with the costs of her surgery please go to our website for donation details.  https://hongkongdogrescue.com/donate/one-off-donations/.