Abbey Whitehouse

SO HAPPY IN HER FOREVER HOME (14.5.2015)   

Alan & Kim tell us Abbey seems to be very settled now and is very quick to learn. Her basic commands … sit, wait and down … are now done perfectly at home but, unsurprisingly, it is still work in progress outside the home where there are too many distractions for her to concentrate.  

She is extremely clean in the house with not one accident and Yvonne’s ‘get busy’ training for late night toileting has been very much appreciated.  

After her initial overnight problems, when the security provided by her crate made an enormous difference, Abbey has now chosen her own sleeping arrangements (a duvet laid inside the front entrance door) where she, obviously, intends to guard her humans from intruders!   

She has met several local dogs and socialises well but does understand when a dog doesn’t want to play with her. Abbey discovered where the local foxes go so a bath was in order and, although she wasn’t too happy, she was quite stoical about it and enjoyed being dried off afterwards.  

Abbey has now found the potato patch…. so she just needs to learn it is OK to dig weeds but not potatoes!! but, for a just nine month old puppy, they believe that they are very fortunate.

HISTORY       

Abbey, once called Nana, is a cute, small Golden Retriever Cross who was 8 months old and had already been spayed when she went into IRR’s care.     

She had recently arrived from a rescue centre but we understand she had been fostered in a home environment for the last three months.  

UK FOSTER REPORT

Abbey was fostered in Suffolk.  
         
CHARACTER & TEMPERAMENT: Abbey in many respects is still very much a puppy. She is friendly and well behaved with people and other animals. 

Abbey was a little nervous when she first arrived but is now coming out of her shell.  She is calm about the house and will amuse herself with toys. She will come and find you and quietly curl up next to you. In the garden, she wanders around keeping to the paths, or else will try and start a play fight with Sandy (my GR). Abbey does have a timid nature and can back away from you or walk away when called. However, once she has settled in, and has had some basic training, we feel this will disappear. These are early days and each day she seems more confident.    

GENERAL HEALTH: Abbey seems to be in good health. She weighs 10 kg which is about right for her age. Whilst she will probably grow a little more, we think she will be a small dog.                       

SOCIAL LEARNING

She can be a fussy with her food and eats a little at a time. She is not food or toy possessive.               

Travel:  Abbey travelled well in a cage in the car. 

Housetraining:  Abbey is house trained but other basic training is very much lacking.  

Leadwalking:  Whilst Abbey walks nicely without pulling, she does tend to wander away from you.

Separation:  At night, she is currently sleeping in a crate with no problem other than some whimpering when first left but, by ignoring it, she soon settles.

Children: She has met adults out on walks with no issue but she has not been tested with children although there is unlikely to be a problem.

Dogs:     She gets on well with her fosterer’s GR Sandy and they have a good rough and tumble play together.  When she sees other dogs out, she gives a nervous bark.  Work is needed in this area but bearing in mind her temperament and the improvements seen in just a few days, Abbey should be easy to train.

Cats and other animals: Abbey has come face to face with the cat with no problems.  Chickens and horses are of no concern to Abbey.  

ABBEY’S DREAM HOME  
Abbey will make an affectionate pet but she does need some basic training. She would suitable for a small home as well as a large one. She would live happily with another dog or other pets but, equally, she would be happy on her own as long as her adopters were around most of the time.                                       

THE BEST NEWS May 2015

Abbey has gone to live in her Forever Home with Kim and Alan