19-07-23 Louise has come to us from a breeder to find her forever home. She is a very scared girl who is very overwhelmed to find herself here at the moment. She will be looking for a calm and quiet home with adopters who have experience with scared ex-breeding dogs. She will need at least one other kind and confident resident dog to be her friend and who will allow her to snuggle in to them for comfort. She has never lived in a home before so this will be very new to her and her adopters will need to be kind and understanding as she settles in and learns all about home life and new skills like house training and how to walk on a lead. She is a very nervous girl and isn't yet used to being handled or accepting fuss and attention but with time and love she will start to come out of her shell and it will be so worth it when you see he reach new milestones like wagging her tail or accepting a treat for the very first time. Louise has a Grade 1 heart murmur, she doesn't require any medication for this but it is something her adopters and their vet will need to monitor going forwards. She also has Grade 1 luxating patellas, which may improve with exercise as she builds up muscle but this may need to be investigated further in the future and wouldn't be covered by insurance.

09-08-23 UPDATE

Hi, I am Louise and I’ve been here for nearly 5 weeks now and would love to have a home like everyone talks about here. I am slowly building my confidence with the people here but I have a long way to go with my trust.
I am curious of new people and with time I do go up for a little smell of them when they sit down to my level. I don’t like sudden movements, as it scares me.
They say they will look for a home with another dog to help me in my new home. I will need help with learning to be clean in the home and to show me it’s ok to walk on a lead. I am more confident  with my kennel friends around. I have so much care here. I get fresh food, water and nice bedding each day. Today I got my first groom and I feel so clean and fresh. I love my new look what do you think?
Could I be a good match for your family? If interested please fill an application form. I will look forward in meeting you.  

05-09-23 UPDATE
I’ve been working with Louise for more or less the whole time she’s been at the rescue and I just love her. She is still a very nervous girl, especially when it comes to being handled, but her overall confidence has improved so much since she first arrived and I’m so proud of her. She’s becoming more and more inquisitive and I can tell she feels a lot more comfortable around me now and is happy to sit near me and just chill out. Food is definitely her favourite thing in the world so this is the main thing I’ve been using to try and win her over and earn her trust. When it comes to picking her up, she will still run away when I approach her, but usually now she’ll jump into one of the beds and stay still for me to do it. As long as I’m very slow and calm with her, she’ll allow me to do it with no fuss. I do think she does still have the potential to nip if someone was to go too fast with her, but it would be purely out of fear. She’s not a nasty dog in the slightest. All she really needs is time, patience and love. She is a project dog, but the rewards you get at the end will make everything completely worth it. So please, give this poor soul a chance.

21-09-23 UPDATE

Louise’s confidence has improved quite a lot over the past couple of weeks, and her true Shih Tzu personality is starting to emerge. She’s approaching me a lot more and giving me loads of sniffs, and sometimes when she’s in a funny mood she’ll even play bow at me now. I wiggle my fingers at her and talk to her all silly and she absolutely loves it. I’m hoping this is the start of her journey of trusting me and realising that she doesn’t need to be afraid of me or my hands. I’m still going to take things slow and steady with her because that’s what has worked for her so far … so wish us luck! I’ll keep you all updated on any shenanigans. 

19-10-23 UPDATE
I’ve been doing a lot of ‘touch’ work with Louise since my last update and she is doing SO well. Considering when she first arrived she wouldn’t let anyone near 3ft of her, I am so proud of her. My routine consists of getting her into the back of her kennel where she’ll jump into one of the beds, and I just sit with her for a few minutes talking very gently to her and stroking her lightly. You can see in the video that when I stop, she actually puts her head forward towards my hand. I’m not sure if it’s her way of asking me for more, but I can tell she definitely doesn’t hate it!!! We do still have a way to go until she resembles anything of a ‘normal’ dog, but regardless of that she’s being such a brave girl and really is coming on so well.

24-11-23 UPDATE

20-01-24 UPDATE

Louise came into foster just before Christmas which is a busy time here and another challenge for her. It’s fair to say she is an exceptionally scared dog and has a long way to go, but that said we would expect her to make progress at her own pace. She has found a quieter corner here and watched the world go by with her big eyes. She panics if you move too fast towards her, and becomes very skitty. She does understand wee wee and will run out with the resident dogs and come back in on her own, she loves the garden. She will take a treat from your hand and even come forward for it. She enjoys her food and sleeps all night in her safe corner. She has tried to play with the dogs here and will take toys to her bed. When approached slowly she sometimes low growls in fear, and if you move too quick she nips in warning. It’s going to be long and slow journey for Louise, and she will probably never be a lap dog and will do things her way. We would only consider someone who is home most of the time, with plenty of time to work with Louise and with experience of very scared ex breeding dogs. There will need to be no children or visiting children.  We will soon be picking up harness training again, now that she is more settled and she will be meeting the groomer who comes to the house so watch this space! 
 

09-02-24 UPDATE

Louise has been groomed here in her foster home by a visiting groomer. Whilst she was happy to be groomed, she struggled greatly with being handled and would still nip. She is now wearing a soft harness to make her easier to handle and to get used to wearing it for lead training. She is still handshy on occasion and would need to live with very confident similar size dogs to help her overcome her fears. We think she looks very pretty. 

01-04-24 UPDATE

Louise is making slow but sure progress. She has been groomed again and was really good. She isn’t keen on her front paws being touched but a lot of exbreeding dogs are the same to begin with. I can now very slowly and carefully handle her and pick her up but she is still handshy and would run. Her big news is we have come to our holiday home/static van for a week and it is a big challenge for her to live in a smaller space so close to us. She seems to be enjoying herself and certainly enjoys sunbathing in the rare spring sun. She is trying to play with the dogs and we are hoping to try her again on a lead. Please only apply if you have endless patience, time and lots of scared ex breeding dog experience. She is a beautiful girl who will shine when she is ready.

05-06-24 UPDATE

Louise has had her third groom and apart from being really sensitive with her front paws was very well behaved. She is still hand shy unless it involves food or treats. You still have to tread extremely carefully and slowly. She has spent another week at our holiday home and enjoys the quiet and sunbathing on the veranda. She still is not ready to walk on a lead but we will persevere and once she does it I’m sure she will love it.

Please read our information on ADOPTING EX-BREEDING DOGS before you apply.

19-07-23 Louise has come to us from a breeder to find her forever home. She is a very scared girl who is very overwhelmed to find herself here at the moment. She will be looking for a calm and quiet home with adopters who have experience with scared ex-breeding dogs. She will need at least one other kind and confident resident dog to be her friend and who will allow her to snuggle in to them for comfort. She has never lived in a home before so this will be very new to her and her adopters will need to be kind and understanding as she settles in and learns all about home life and new skills like house training and how to walk on a lead. She is a very nervous girl and isn't yet used to being handled or accepting fuss and attention but with time and love she will start to come out of her shell and it will be so worth it when you see he reach new milestones like wagging her tail or accepting a treat for the very first time. Louise has a Grade 1 heart murmur, she doesn't require any medication for this but it is something her adopters and their vet will need to monitor going forwards. She also has Grade 1 luxating patellas, which may improve with exercise as she builds up muscle but this may need to be investigated further in the future and wouldn't be covered by insurance.

09-08-23 UPDATE

Hi, I am Louise and I’ve been here for nearly 5 weeks now and would love to have a home like everyone talks about here. I am slowly building my confidence with the people here but I have a long way to go with my trust.
I am curious of new people and with time I do go up for a little smell of them when they sit down to my level. I don’t like sudden movements, as it scares me.
They say they will look for a home with another dog to help me in my new home. I will need help with learning to be clean in the home and to show me it’s ok to walk on a lead. I am more confident  with my kennel friends around. I have so much care here. I get fresh food, water and nice bedding each day. Today I got my first groom and I feel so clean and fresh. I love my new look what do you think?
Could I be a good match for your family? If interested please fill an application form. I will look forward in meeting you.  

05-09-23 UPDATE
I’ve been working with Louise for more or less the whole time she’s been at the rescue and I just love her. She is still a very nervous girl, especially when it comes to being handled, but her overall confidence has improved so much since she first arrived and I’m so proud of her. She’s becoming more and more inquisitive and I can tell she feels a lot more comfortable around me now and is happy to sit near me and just chill out. Food is definitely her favourite thing in the world so this is the main thing I’ve been using to try and win her over and earn her trust. When it comes to picking her up, she will still run away when I approach her, but usually now she’ll jump into one of the beds and stay still for me to do it. As long as I’m very slow and calm with her, she’ll allow me to do it with no fuss. I do think she does still have the potential to nip if someone was to go too fast with her, but it would be purely out of fear. She’s not a nasty dog in the slightest. All she really needs is time, patience and love. She is a project dog, but the rewards you get at the end will make everything completely worth it. So please, give this poor soul a chance.

21-09-23 UPDATE

Louise’s confidence has improved quite a lot over the past couple of weeks, and her true Shih Tzu personality is starting to emerge. She’s approaching me a lot more and giving me loads of sniffs, and sometimes when she’s in a funny mood she’ll even play bow at me now. I wiggle my fingers at her and talk to her all silly and she absolutely loves it. I’m hoping this is the start of her journey of trusting me and realising that she doesn’t need to be afraid of me or my hands. I’m still going to take things slow and steady with her because that’s what has worked for her so far … so wish us luck! I’ll keep you all updated on any shenanigans. 

19-10-23 UPDATE
I’ve been doing a lot of ‘touch’ work with Louise since my last update and she is doing SO well. Considering when she first arrived she wouldn’t let anyone near 3ft of her, I am so proud of her. My routine consists of getting her into the back of her kennel where she’ll jump into one of the beds, and I just sit with her for a few minutes talking very gently to her and stroking her lightly. You can see in the video that when I stop, she actually puts her head forward towards my hand. I’m not sure if it’s her way of asking me for more, but I can tell she definitely doesn’t hate it!!! We do still have a way to go until she resembles anything of a ‘normal’ dog, but regardless of that she’s being such a brave girl and really is coming on so well.

24-11-23 UPDATE

20-01-24 UPDATE

Louise came into foster just before Christmas which is a busy time here and another challenge for her. It’s fair to say she is an exceptionally scared dog and has a long way to go, but that said we would expect her to make progress at her own pace. She has found a quieter corner here and watched the world go by with her big eyes. She panics if you move too fast towards her, and becomes very skitty. She does understand wee wee and will run out with the resident dogs and come back in on her own, she loves the garden. She will take a treat from your hand and even come forward for it. She enjoys her food and sleeps all night in her safe corner. She has tried to play with the dogs here and will take toys to her bed. When approached slowly she sometimes low growls in fear, and if you move too quick she nips in warning. It’s going to be long and slow journey for Louise, and she will probably never be a lap dog and will do things her way. We would only consider someone who is home most of the time, with plenty of time to work with Louise and with experience of very scared ex breeding dogs. There will need to be no children or visiting children.  We will soon be picking up harness training again, now that she is more settled and she will be meeting the groomer who comes to the house so watch this space! 
 

09-02-24 UPDATE

Louise has been groomed here in her foster home by a visiting groomer. Whilst she was happy to be groomed, she struggled greatly with being handled and would still nip. She is now wearing a soft harness to make her easier to handle and to get used to wearing it for lead training. She is still handshy on occasion and would need to live with very confident similar size dogs to help her overcome her fears. We think she looks very pretty. 

01-04-24 UPDATE

Louise is making slow but sure progress. She has been groomed again and was really good. She isn’t keen on her front paws being touched but a lot of exbreeding dogs are the same to begin with. I can now very slowly and carefully handle her and pick her up but she is still handshy and would run. Her big news is we have come to our holiday home/static van for a week and it is a big challenge for her to live in a smaller space so close to us. She seems to be enjoying herself and certainly enjoys sunbathing in the rare spring sun. She is trying to play with the dogs and we are hoping to try her again on a lead. Please only apply if you have endless patience, time and lots of scared ex breeding dog experience. She is a beautiful girl who will shine when she is ready.

05-06-24 UPDATE

Louise has had her third groom and apart from being really sensitive with her front paws was very well behaved. She is still hand shy unless it involves food or treats. You still have to tread extremely carefully and slowly. She has spent another week at our holiday home and enjoys the quiet and sunbathing on the veranda. She still is not ready to walk on a lead but we will persevere and once she does it I’m sure she will love it.

Please read our information on ADOPTING EX-BREEDING DOGS before you apply.