Post by Lisa on Jun 15, 2005 9:49:49 GMT -5
Rodney is a beautiful male greyhound aged 6 years who first arrived in Greyhound Gap's care in February 2004.
Rodney came to us from a home that he had been placed into five weeks previous by his trainer, a home that was recommended to her at the time. Sadly it wasnt a home you would want any dog to be placed in.
When we received the call about him he was a very broken, sad, mixed up and confused dog.
A large 30 inch to the shoulder hound Rodney went into the home weighing 36kg and came out weighing just 28 He had in the five weeks only been offered cat food to eat, he had urine burns on his skin from lying in his own mess and the lady who had contacted us had witnessed him being drop kicked under the jaw for soiling in the house.
When Rodney first arrived in my care he was very shy to human contact and would not look you in the eye. He needed or wanted no one and was as close to broken spirited that any dog could be.
Rodney was nursed back to physical health but once he began to feel better in himself the mental damage began to become more obvious. His aggresion round other dogs and human's became obvious and his behaviour was volitile to say the least. He would without a second thought turn on the dogs in my own home both male and female and on occasions myself. At times I really dispaired at anything else to try and sort outside advice which I got, mainly to cut my losses and consider pts because he was so unhappy and it was almost cruel to keep him going, and some days I thought myself that it was.
After a long chat with the rest of the Gap team we decided to buy an outside run, somewhere where Rodney could have chill out time and decide himself if he wanted to be in the house or out and he was allowed to make a choice of where to spend his time. I agreed to keep him here as a Sponsor Dog and maintain his well being. I then withdrew from him completly and allowed him just to live in our house like an invisible lodger and with time it worked. The dog that he was slowly began to disappear and the dog that he was capable of being started to emerge.
In August 2004 I lost my senior hound Maisy leaving a vacancy for another hound in our home permanantly. Still I didnt choose to adopt him, I needed to get through bonfire night, loud bangs trigger him to hit out around the other dogs and I needed to be confident that I could manage it, and I did he wasnt as bad as I expected. Again, Christmas a very stressful time for any dog to cope with especially a dog like Rodney but again he proved me wrong.
In January 2005 the decision was made. It was two years to the day since our senior girl joined us and her prescence not being there was trully missed. That was it! I looked at the now almost serene, gentle brindle boy lying with his head on my lap because he choose too and he was home for life.
I never envisaged a day when Rodney could be allowed off leash or to play with other dogs in a normal set up, again he has proved us wrong and now although muzzled he regularly runs off leash with the other hounds and is as good as gold! His recall is selective but he sticks with the pack and comes back to me smiling and wagging his tail.
Winning Fancy Dress at Thornberry Animal Sanctuary
Playing in the paddling Pool
Enjoying his toys. Sadly he cant have them anymore because he doesnt understand the concept *play* NOT *eat*
Birthday Boy
and playing off leash on the beach with his friends ;D
Can you spot me in the Sea with my muzzle
and having a cuddle off a teary eyed Mum