Evie

EVIE’S HISTORY

Evie was surrendered to IRR

Fosterer’s 1st report – UK: 31st October 2012

Evie is settling slowly, although it’s very much “one step forward two steps back” at the moment.

The first couple of days she slept for long periods and seemed exhausted. She only seems to relax when she is on the sofa, where she spends the majority of her time when she is in the house. She does not like to go outside, especially at night, and runs to hide when I pick up the lead. This makes house training more difficult as she is in a state of panic when she’s outside so isn’t interested in treats or bribes to help with her toilet training. She walks reasonably well on the lead, although the slightest tension causes her to sit down or flatten, so I try to make the lead as loose as possible. At the end of the walk she rushes to get into the house and back on the sofa.

Evie is happy with the company of my dogs (who have all been very good with her) but friends’ dogs or dogs she has met on walks she has no interest in. She’s also shown no interest in the cats or the parrot.

As she is not yet clean in the house I have put a crate in the lounge which she sleeps in overnight with one of the other dogs downstairs with her and she seems quite happy until morning.

She doesn’t like to get in the car, but once in sits quietly on the seat although on longer journeys she has been travel sick.

Outside of the house she has a slightly depressed look about her and doesn’t respond to people when they make a fuss, but I suppose this is only to be expected as it’s still early days.

Health wise she is underweight with very little muscle but this will come with good nutrition and regular exercise.

On a positive note she comes for a cuddle as soon as I sit down, and everyone who meets her thinks she’s adorable. Hopefully in another few days she will begin to feel more confident and we will begin to see more of her personality coming through.

Fosterer’s 2nd report: 6th November 2012

What a difference in the last few days. Evie has really come out of her shell. She still sleeps in the crate at night and is fine. When I let her out in the morning she runs around so happy and excited kissing all the dogs and humans she can find.

The house training had become a problem, she was so terrified of going outside especially at night we were getting nowhere so we decided to take her up to the caravan for a few days; it has a small secure garden and of course the caravan is much smaller than a house so we could watch her all the time. She was absolutely brilliant. We opened the door every hour and all the dogs went in the garden and eventually she followed. After a couple of days she was going to the door to go out. She has still had the odd accident since we arrived back home but we’re getting there.

Evie knows her name and comes when she is called, I walk her on a long line and she is getting better every day. She is taking more interest when out on a walk and today had a play in the water (paddling) while the other dogs had a swim. Although she wants to stay close when out on a walk she can still be easily frightened so must not be let off the lead in case she panics and runs off.

Today we met a group of walkers; she wanted to be petted by everyone (she was a big hit with them all). A week ago she wouldn’t have looked them in the eye. She is now eating two meals a day although she has lots of treats in between to help with her training. She still eats her food like it’s her last meal with no chewing involved, the food just seems to be swallowed whole. She drinks in the same anxious way.

Evie has started to play with toys and behaves more like a 6 month old pup rather than a 2 year old; everyone who meets her loves her – she seems to have “puppy appeal”.

Today she discovered “stairs” so as I write this she is running up and down them at top speed; my three stretched out in front of the fire rolling their eyes!

Evie is going to her forever home: 24th November 2012

Although still a way to go Evie is now a much happier dog whose tail never stops wagging.

She loves her walks and running around with the other dogs in the field. Today we took her down to the river at the side of the house and she went in for a swim,

Although she can still be nervous when eating, she now eats her food at a much slower pace and finishes about the same time as the other dogs.

She no longer uses the crate to sleep in at night and has had no accidents in the house over the last few days. She has the run of the house at night and is usually curled up at the side of my bed by morning. She is now happy to greet people and dogs when out on a walk and is much more relaxed around strangers.

Evie is going to live with Nicola and her family who live nearby so hopefully I will hear a lot about her progress in the coming months. They have spent time getting to know her over the last few days and although I hate to admit it I think the time is right for Evie to move to her new home.

Although I will really miss her I think Nicola and Pauline will give her the kind of life she deserves and I couldn’t wish for a more perfect home.

Update from Evie’s forever home: February 2013

I am so pleased with Evie she’s is such an intelligent little sweetheart who would do no harm to anyone. She has really matured in her features and her personality; she is a lot more confident now with traffic and with other dogs.

Evie has experienced the snow, and I am going to guess for the first time, as she was eating it and struggling to walk in it. She was jumping in it to move; quite amusing poor little thing!

She really is a pleasure to have around the house and she tends to nick my underwear thinking that we haven’t seen her, so her puppiness is coming out now! She loves to give loves and kisses and follows me everywhere, but I enjoy her company!

We are all very pleased with her and want to thank the Irish Retriever Rescue for letting me take home Evie 🙂