All Dogs Deserve a Second Chance!

Before I came to live here, Arann and Meg wanted to rehome a dog of their own.

After months of looking at various National Dog Rescue Websites they fell in

love with Tanni a lovely eight month old lurcher X bitch. 

They asked mum to go and visit her to see what she thought. 

(They couldn't go themselves as they were still abroad but were due

home the following week.) 

There was a particular criteria which everyone in the family agreed on.

 The dog chosen had to be a girl, preferably an older lady who could stand her

ground and put the boys in their place if they got a bit much.

A lot of thought went into it and it wasn't a decision they made lightly. 

Benji and Fudge had to be as happy with the choice as the humans were.

Mum and Ashlea went along to meet Tanni and really liked her.

The next step was for all the members of the family to meet her, and that

included Benji and Fudge. This caused a bit of problem.

Arann and Meg's work commitments ran over and they had to stay abroad

for another week, so they couldn't be there. What to do?

The rescue centre advised it was best for all members of the family to go

to that first meeting to see if Tanni got on with everyone but really, for the family

 it was all about whether she got on with Benji and Fudge and to see if they liked her.

Six people had to be there and there was only four!

Mum had a thought!

Enrol the help of some more family members.

Ashlea's brother Duke and her cousin Siobhan stepped up to the mark.

So, it was one very cold October night when the mish mash of people and pooches

turned up to the Rescue Centre.

Knowing the dogs better than anyone Nik was anxious that 'The Boys' be on their

best behaviour.

Benji is the more dominant of the two, he puffs himself up to look twice his size

(although he doesn't have to try hard as he is a right tub!) 

It was Fudgie who everyone was concerned with.

He gets spooked really easily - which is an advantage for

me (hehe!) - but not in a highly charged situation like the one he found himself in!

The member of staff who greeted them and took them around the back to

see Tanni set the mark. Benji would go into the outdoor run with Tanni

first and then Fudgie would follow after ten minutes or so.

Nik and Mum were, by now, getting increasingly nervous as they both knew this

was a bad idea. It was too stressful for the boys, for everyone.

It needed a calmer atmosphere.

Duke and Siobhan lightened the mood by joking about how they

were impersonating Arann and Meg. Duke was wondering how he would

explain his snowdrift white skin after spending eight months in the

scorching temperatures of the Mediterranean!

As they all got closer to the kennels the crescendo of noise was like a trigger to

the boys. Benji was pulling to go and investigate, Fudgie was pulling to get out of there!

Taking his role a little too seriously Duke could be heard saying,

'Oh, I've changed my mind, I prefer this one.'  As he pointed at another dog in its pen. 

Nik went into the run first with Benji and left Fudge with Mum. Tanni was then brought

in and Benji was great! He play bowed and sniffed her and went off to explore the run

and then came back to investigate her some more.

Meanwhile Fudgie was looking on and getting more and more agitated.

Mum took him behind a wall but it didn't help. 

More people entered the run, there were; three members of staff, Nik and Benji.

Then they beckoned for Fudge to go and join them.

Uh oh!

He was confused and irritable and upset, but he went into the pen and had a sniff

around. Benji was happy enough, Tanni was understandably nervous.

Duke was fussing some other dogs.

Tandi approached Fudge, he raised a lip and that was that!

Tandi was scooped up and taken away. The staff member said that Fudgie

would never ever accept another dog into his household and 'Goodbye'.

Nik was upset and mad, Mum was just mad. Everyone else had enjoyed the

ride out to see some dogs, especially Duke!

Mum always says that if you do it right you can give any dog a second chance

but sadly for Fudge the Dog Rescue was not of the same opinion.

Things could have been so different if it had been done the way Nik and Mum

wanted, but the chance had gone, it was just a good job that they were

bringing Fudgie home and he wasn't one of the poor unfortunates

waiting patiently for their forever friend to come and get them. 

Does this look like a dog who 'Will never ever accept another in its household?'

I love my Fudgie!

Happily, Tanni found another great home.

*Footnote;  Duke's real name is Jake. He gets called Duke by his grandad as he slowly

goes through all the other males in the family before finally getting

to this most noble of names which was what he called his beloved Doberman!