On 28th September 2023 I took on a case from Sighthound Rescue in the Cape. A few years ago the owner of a young Irish Wolfhound bitch, Fiadh, had died and she was “inherited” by his daughter and her partner. She was only 6 or 7 months old at the time. She went to live with them and their German Shepherd cross. Shortly after that they acquired a Pitbull. The Pitbull and shepherd did not get on and some fights ensued resulting in the Pitbull being rehomed. The Fiadh became very nervous after the fights and started showing aggression to other dogs on walks. The couple then moved house and did not have much garden so they employed dog walkers to take her out as well as sending her to daycare once a week. In September, while they were away, one of the dog walkers had her off lead when a small dog came up from behind. She went for the little dog and the incident ended with the other dog owner getting bitten. This last incident made them decide to rehome her, something they had been considering for quite a while but because she was so sweet with them at home, they had put it off. They felt she needed a home where she would be the only pet on a property big enough that she did not have to be taken on walks. Walks stressed her tremendously.
On 18th October, I was contacted by an IW owner in the Cape who had recently lost her 9-year-old wolfhound and wanted a companion for her 6-year-old. We arranged for a 2-day trial visit by Fiadh. All went well at the beginning but after an hour or so she attacked the older dog. The owner managed to get between the dogs and shouting at her caused her to get her to let go.
Unfortunately the prospective adopter had a commitment that would take her away from home for about a month and she was not willing to take a chance with the rescue as she did not feel she could leave them with her pet sitter. When the original couple came to collect her, she ran back into the house and had to be forced into the car. There was obviously no bond with the couple and Fiadh was very unhappy.
Working with Sighthound rescue we contacted several of the dog walkers that the couple had used. We discovered that, after the aggression incidents, she had been sent to a trainer who is known for her unethical training methods. This poor girl had been handled by so many people and always returned to a home where she was obviously unhappy. With this new information I was sure that this was the cause of her behavior. If she stayed there she would only get worse and she might reach the point of no return. While arranging for her to come up to me in Johannesburg, I got a call from someone that I knew was experienced with wolfhounds and other breeds. She was enquiring if there were any rescues around. I told her about this girl and she and her husband decided they would like to take her. They were convinced they would be able to help her by providing a stable, safe home and giving her the attention she needed. They had two middle aged Dachshunds, but the dogs could be separated if need be.
Our young rescue girl (who now will be three years old in February) was picked up in the Cape and behaved beautifully on the long drive to her new home. She was dirty and grossly underweight but set to exploring the garden as soon as she arrived. She met the dachsies under supervision, was given a bath and her diet changed as she was still on puppy food. Within a week she proved to be a totally different dog, was living in supervised harmony with the dachsies and going for walks on lead in the park.
She has been in her new home for six weeks now, has put on weight with her corrected diet and does not need the medication she came with for her digestive problems. This poor frightened girl just needed the right home to blossom and thankfully she has found it.
These are the rehomes that make all the time and costs worthwhile.
Dawn
