Fliss is a severely neglected dog and our lovely vets said she probably wouldn’t have made it through the night if she hadn’t been found.  She was skin and bone, and found with a rope tied round her neck. We believe she’s been used for breeding given the state of her teats. She was blind and exhausted! Many rescues would have probably PTS but our Founder said “If we can give her a good few weeks of affection, warmth and good food so she leaves this world knowing love, then we will have made a difference”  - well said Rachael!

Our amazing Gill, from Windlesham Vets, came to us to assess her as Fliss was too weak to be transported. The report from Gill is not great… Fliss has mammary tumours which need sorting, she’s diabetic, and she needs some dental work as she has some rotten, infected teeth!  The first thing we need to do is to get her diabetes under control with daily insulin injections and also get her weight up so she can build up some strength.

Initially we thought she was maybe 14 years plus but our vets said she is probably only 8 years old, and sadly she could have lost her sight because her diabetes has been left untreated so it could have been completely avoidable!

​

Losing a dog is one of the most distressing things an owner can go through.  We have seen lots of reports of lost and stolen dogs recently, which is devastating.  We have  been out helping a couple of our adopters find their missing dogs in the last month or so.  Most of the time we have a very happy ending but recently, one of our rescues was killed on a railway line.  We will never forget gorgeous Kyra and she has inspired us to put together this advice.

Some dogs are flighty, jumpy or nervous and can easily slip pout of a collar or harness if spooked.
We recommend;

• Buy a GPS Tracker.  We have a deal with Tractive where you can get a free tracker with a one or two year subscription.  Contacts us on dogswalkthiswayrescue@mail.com for more information
• Double lead your dog.  Using a harness and a slip lead is something we always advise our adopters to do for the first few weeks, or more, when they take their dog home.
• Always supervise your dog in the garden if the garden is not secure.  Please know that rommies can be very clever at escaping if they feel the need.
• Make sure your dog is microchipped (all of our dogs are chipped before they are rehomed) and also make sure the dog has a collar and name tag
  
  

Many dogs will be spooked by lots of people out calling their name so searches need to be handled very carefully and sensitively.  However, having lots of people on the look-out can be good.  We always advise anyone searching for a dog to avoid calling the dogs name and just to wander around the local area on the look-out, whilst putting up posters.  If they spot your dog and it doesn’t come to them, they should call the owner and report the sighting.  Being very careful not to frighten the dog is key here – dogs can travel a long distance in a short time so the main aim is to get the owner on site at that specific location asap.

All dogs are different and some will come to a stranger for a treat or food so you will need to make a judgement on how active you want the search volunteers to be.

Here at Dogs Walk this Way Rescue, we love to hear how our rescue dogs are settling into their new homes.

We recently had an update from Jerry who arrived with us from Romania in March 2019 and was very lucky to be adopted by a super family.

Jerry has kept us updated with many of his adventures; holidays, days to the beach, enjoying ice cream and befriending his cat siblings.

In November last year his lovely Mummy, Ann, noticed he was limping. A trip to the vets later and he was diagnosed as having a luxating patella which in human terms is a dislocated kneecap. He was given a course of anti-inflammatory medication which helped for a few months but it was evident in January this year this was causing Jerry significant pain. After much deliberation by his family, Jerry went in for his 1st operation in February.

Unfortunately, after follow up visits to the vets his patella was not where it was supposed to be so back into surgery for a 2nd operation.

More vets visits only confirmed this operation had failed too. Surely 3rd time lucky? Jerry had his knee pinned into place and all was looking good until he managed to remove a pin from his knee!
The vet did have good news though, despite Jerrys best efforts, his patella was still in place. He was still limping, but it was hopeful after a 4 week course of physiotherapy this would improve.
At the end of the 4 weeks the physio broke the news that Jerry was still in lots of pain and that amputation was the best course of action. Ann and her family were devasted by this news and felt they had failed Jerry, which they really had not.

After much deliberation, tears and sleepless nights the family agreed the only way Jerry would ever be pain free was to go ahead with the amputation. Poor Jerry had endured so much already, operations, medication and follow up treatment but could he ever be happy and adapt to being a tripaw?.....

Well, what a difference!! Jerry literally came running out of the vets after his amputation and is back to his old ways already; chasing his cat siblings, going for lovely walks and enjoying summer holidays. He is a bit of a celebrity in his area now, people stopping to ask about his story which Jerry is more than happy to oblige. His family are over the moon to have a pain free pup which is what any dog owner asks for.

Dogs have 3 legs and a spare and at Dogs Walk this Way Rescue we couldn’t agree more.

Jerry is now part of the exclusive DWTWR ‘Tripaw’ squad, joining Elsa, our founder Rachaels’ dog, and Angelo.

10 ideas to keep your dogs cool in the extreme heat.

1. Make sure your dog always has access to clean water.  If you are leaving the dog at home, make sure their bowl is filled right up and maybe leave a second bowl as well.  If you are going out on a walk, make sure you take water and a bowl for your dog.

2. On very hot days, try to walk your dog very early or very late when the temperatiure is cooler.  As well as the risk of heatstroke in the midday sun, your dog is also likely to find the pavements very warm which, at best is very uncomfortable for your dog and, at worst can burn your pooches pads.

3. If it is too hot to walk your dog, try some positive enrichment games.  There are some great ideas online, and we will be sharing some of our ideas in a blog very soon.

4. Never leave your dog alone in a car, even with water and the windows open – it is not safe for them.

5. Be very careful with short-nosed dogs like bull-breeds, older or very overweight dogs as heatstroke can be caused just by running around in the heat.

6. Grooming is very important all year round but more so in the hot months.  Groom your dog regularly and, if you can, take it to a professional groomer for a clip.   

7. Swimming is heaven for many dogs but please take the same precautions you would with children, be aware of currents etc and please ensure lakes, canals etc are clean enough for your dog to swim in.  For instance, some places, like Frensham Ponds, sometimes have blue algae, which can be deadly for dogs so keep your eye out for signage, and if an area is closed off, please don’t risk it.  If your dogs seems unwell after swimming, please contact your vet as water intoxication can be very dangerous

8. Try freezing your dogs favourite treats into ice-lollie moulds or popping some yummy treats into a Kong and freeze that.We would recommend staying with your dog while they enjoy these treats to ensure they don’t choke.

9. A doggie paddling pool can be enormous fun and a great way for your dog to cool down.Try to position this is a shady spot, or use an parasol to keep it nice and shady.If you use a paddling pool, clean and replace the water regularly
 10. Cooling mats are also great for dogs.  However, do avoid these if your dog is a “bed chewer” as they contain a gel to help keep them cool.
 

We hope you find this information useful, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
 
Enjoy the Summer and stay safe!

Did you know that separation anxiety is very common in dogs?   Most dogs are pretty social creatures and can get very lonely and distressed when they are left alone.

It’s also worth noting that any routine changes can affect your dog’s behaviour. During the lock-down, your dog is probably getting used to you being at home a lot more than normal and most dogs love it. However, what will happen when the restrictions on movement are lifted, and everything goes back normal, or “the new normal”?

An abrupt change in routine that may increase the time your dog is home alone can trigger the development of separation anxiety.
Your doggo probably won’t like it and will miss you a lot. He/she just got used to another routine, a much better one, so they won’t understand what has changed.

Dogs will show signs of separation anxiety in different ways but some of the signs are;

• Destructive behaviour
• Unwanted toileting
• Barking, Howling or whining
• Attempting to escape
• Repetitive behaviour or Pacing
• Excessive salivation or panting
• Loss of appetite

These behaviours do not usually occur in the presence of the owner and it is likely that they will probably happen within the first 30 minutes of being alone.

Even if you believe your dog is happy when left home alone you could always check for the hidden signs by filming your dog while you are away.

Ways to help your dog

It is really important that we never punish an anxious dog, even if the behaviour is annoying or frustrating (such as urinating in the house or chewing the furniture). It will not help and in fact, it will most likely make things worse as you raise the dogs anxiety and stress levels even more.
 

Here are some suggestions of ways to reduce their anxiety

Limited walks can be frustrating for your dog at this time and so one of our volunteers, Kate, has shared some ideas of ways to keep your dogs busy during lock-down and beyond!

Like most of us - humans and dogs - things have changed in our lives recently.  My dogs certainly are not getting the same interactions as before so I have tried different approaches to their normal feeding:

Firstly I have been scatter feeding - this isn't rocket science and basically entails putting their dry food/kibble around the garden to make them sniff it out and eat it.  

Any kind of game where your dog has to work for his/her food is good for their brain.  Filling the yellow/green game with different food - some kibble and some higher value treats is a good way for your dog to use their brain.  Even mine can use this so it really cant be that hard!

Give your dog/s time to be come adjusted to these tools and you'll understand which ones they are interested in, which ones they can be left with and which need supervision.  

Cleaning these are important, and I put each of these gadgets through the dishwasher to ensure high temperature cleaning.  Anything for an easy life!

Just some ideas to keep your dog happy and engaged during this quite bizarre time in our lives.

Have fun!

With the lock-down continuing, lots of people are spending their time taking up hobbies that they do not normally have the time for.  I’m sure you’ve all seen the shared baking successes (and failures) on social media, and the empty baking aisle in your supermarket!
We thought some of you lovely dog parents might enjoy a spot of baking for your dogs.  Your dog would be so grateful, and since they are not for human consumption, your waistline might thank you too!

In all seriousness, there are some really great, natural healthy treats on the market but a lot of commercial treats are packed with unhealthy additives such as chemical flavour or colour and not to mention, a more than healthy helping of sugar.

Here is one of our favourite recipies which makes around 20 natural, additive free treats which can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to two weeks… we hope you and your dogs enjoy it!

Ingredients
 
200 grams of minced meat (lamb is tasty but chicken or turkey is lower in fat)
100 grams of rice
1 small carrot
1 small potato
1 teaspoon of dried parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C
2. Fry the mince gently until cooked through, and boil and drain the rice according to the instructions on the packet.
3. Finely grate the potato and carrot
4. Mix all the ingredients together, and blend briefly in a blender to form a sticky dough.
5. Grease a large baking tray and, with wet hands, take small balls of the dough and form into biscuits (ideally bone shaped), around 5cm long.
6. Place on the baking tray and cook for 35-40 minutes, turning once, until brown and crispy
   
7. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool before feeding your dog – try to ignore the “wow that smells amazing, can I have one please eyes”
   
   

We really hope you enjoy making these, and that your dog enjoys chomping on them – we’d love to see photos of your creations, and your dogs getting stuck in so please share them with us on our Facebook page.

​Our founder, Rachael, often says “rescue has no boundaries” and this week, during the coronavirus pandemic, Rachael proved that to be true.
 
In a local chat group, we were made aware of a number of dogs being kept is awful conditions in a small back garden.  The weather at the time was really hot, and it was clear to see that these dogs needed help, fast.

The team turned up to collect the dogs, a female rottweiler (Skye), a male rottweiler (Zeus) and a bull mastiff cross (Fluffy). The two rotties were super friendly but the bully cross was very, very nervous.  We had been warned that he was aggressive but really only saw a very scared dog.  On top of this, it turned out that Skye was pregnant.

After a scan, the vet said that she could not hear any heartbeats and gave us two options… one, take her home with some antibiotics or two, perform a c-section and see if the puppies were alive.  We felt that the kindest, and safest option for Skye was to go ahead with the operation.  After a few nail-biting minutes, the vet informed us that she had 6 puppies.  Sadly, three had not survived but the other three were healthy, as was their mum.

To say we were delighted was an understatement, and we are so grateful that we were able to get her out of that terrible situation and into a safe loving environment, and more importantly, get her the veterinary care she needed so quickly.  Sadly, some tumours have also been found on Skye's spleen so we will be taking her back for some tests, once she has recovered from her c-section. 

Skye is now back at her foster home and happily feeding her three gorgeous male pups.  Both Zeus and Fluffy were entire (not neutered) and so we were unsure who the Daddy was, but it’s clear from the pictures, that the Daddy is in fact Fluffy, the bully cross. Skye's foster mum had the honour of naming these pups, and she has  called them Cash, Buddy and Junior.

​Zeus and Fluffy are settling into their foster homes too and we will be giving them time to settle in and be assessed before we decide on the next steps for them but, rest assured, they will be treated like kings and loved to bits.

We were not expecting the dogs to have to see a vet so quickly when we rescued them, which s is not to say that we wouldn’t have rescued them had we know,n. It does however mean that we now have a rather large vet bill to cover, as well as the ongoing care of the dogs and the puppies.

We have set up a Go Fund Me page to raise fund for this trio that turned into six! If you are able, please make a donation - no amount is too small. 

​Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with the stories of Zeus, Fluffy, Skye, Cash, Buddy and Junior.

We are now living in the big house ... which apparently is called “Turn Left”, which is a bit unusual isn't it? (Note from FM: You know how in an aircraft, the first class passengers turn left? Well the big house is first class for our rescues, most of whom have never lived in a home before).  

Anyway, we have been very, very good girls and only had a couple of accidents in the early days but that wasn't our fault was it? No. It’s not like we knew there was a special place for wees and poos and places they shouldn’t be done. For about the last week there have been no accidents at all ... our FB Steve and FB Ferdie are an odd couple though ... not very friendly with us yet ... FM calls them “The Twats” ... we think that she must mean their breed. (Note from FM: Steve and Ferdie are themselves Romanian rescues, who take their jobs of showing the newbies the rules in the big house very seriously indeed).

​These wonderful volunteers funded their own travel, accommodation and all expenses. In the run up to the trip, they filled 6 suitcases with donated treats, food, medication, wormers and flea-treatments.  Thank you to each and every one of you who donated.

​The plan for the trip was to visit one of our trusted shelters to help out by spending time with the 600+ dogs; treating them for worms and fleas and giving them some much-needed love.  In addition, the team planned to visit one of the horrific government run kill shelters to save as many dogs as possible.
 
Read more to find out how they got on, on their trip, in the words of Rachel Welch - our amazing Founder;

​“This trip has been extremely emotional for all of us. We started each morning by feeding the stray dogs and cats outside of our hotel before jumping into the mini-bus to arrive at the shelter by 7 am. 
 
Our main job was to get around as many of the dogs as possible to de-flea and worm them.  In addition to this, we treated any dogs that needed it with antibiotics and pain-relief.  We also tried to spend some time with each and every dog to show them some love, and even those that were too scared to interact with us were given treats.  We managed to get some of the dogs out for some exercise as well but there were over 500 dogs to get around to, so time was limited.