Kim Sparrow

WINNER OF THE BELINDA McAVOY MEMORIAL AWARD

At the 2019 Irish Retriever Rescue Annual Reunion, held on Saturday, 31st August, a very special award was presented in memory of Belinda.

Belinda was courageous and determined and it was decided to create an Annual Memorial Award which would celebrate Belinda’s life and honour the indomitable spirit of a very special lady.

We needed to choose a very special dog who encapsulated Belinda’s determination and fighting spirit. There was really only one choice for the 2019 inaugural award and that had to be KIM SPARROW.

HISTORY

Kim is a golden coloured Labrador who was 10 months old when she came to IRR’s attention. She had already been neutered and since received all the necessary inoculations and veterinary treatment to travel to the UK. As usual, she was groomed by Kathryn.

Although IRR is a Golden Retriever charity, sometimes a smashing girl like Kim cannot be overlooked. Paddy and Evelyn, from P and E Kennels, contacted Kathryn to see if IRR could help rehome her.

Kim’s name was chosen by Evelyn. Little is known of her background except that she was no longer wanted and P and E Kennels were contacted to see if they could help. It is hard to understand why no one would want her as she is full of life just how a young dog is meant to be.  Whilst in kennels she was hyper but in a home environment she is totally different and chills out quite quickly.

This is not a dog to be placed on her own. Having travelled across the Irish, Kim went into foster with Louise and her family  who was ably assisted by Barnaby, her “right paw man”.

KIM’S FIRST DAYS IN FOSTER

Louise said “Kim is delightful. She arrived on Saturday, completely traumatised and overwhelmed. She wouldn’t even stand let alone move when she was lifted out of the car. It took meeting Delilah to get her showing any signs of life. Then she became a whirlwind! Her energy was off the scale and she woke up every hour her first night here.

By Sunday afternoon, she had calmed down and started to show her true colours which are stunning. She is incredibly affectionate with humans, not pushy or demanding just there. She is hand shy but is fine to be approached with a lowered hand. She’s worried by brushes, mops and loud banging noises but, other than that, she is confident and well adjusted. She loves other dogs and, though she was initially over the top when she greeted them, that soon passed and she has fitted into my pack without any issues. 

She loves children and will happily lie on her back for a tummy rub. She is at home already whether our house is full and noisy or it is just me here alone.

We are doing basic training with her and she’s as bright as a button. She is picking up things really quickly and, from what appears to be no training, she can, already, sit on command and has excellent recall in the house, garden and even on the field.

Kim has a beautiful temperament. She is a typical puppy and is into everything. She is alert and inquisitive, fairly confident, playful and happy but can also be quite calm and laid back.

She has explored the house and garden thoroughly and is happy to occupy herself with dog toys and chews. She likes cardboard and paper but hasn’t been destructive. She can open my rubbish bin but just takes cardboard to play with rather than looking for food.

She sleeps and plays happily with my dogs so it feels very much like she’s been here a lot longer than just a few days. I feed her in the kitchen with my dogs with no problems. I do believe she is a ‘pack animal’ and will need to be homed with another dog or dogs unless her human is with her constantly”.                                                

HEALTH

Kim  has dry flaky skin which I have a wash for. She’s not keen on the process but she tolerates it.

Kim is very thin – her rib and hip bones show through her fur so I’m feeding her 3 times a day. She weighs 20.5 kg so I imagine she is going to be quite a large Labrador once she has put weight on and grown to her full potential.

After a couple of weeks, although Kim is still quite thin, she is the picture of health. She has a glossy coat and very bright eyes.

KIM’S TWO WEEK ASSESSMENT (21.3.2018)

Louise says ”Kim has picked up the routines of our home very quickly. She’s really eager to please and within 24 hours had become part of the pack and human family.  She still needs socialising with other dogs as she is very excited and exuberant when she meets them. She tries to lick/chew their mouths which doesn’t always go down well! If she’s ‘told’ she cowers and rolls on to her back in submission but she bounces back almost immediately to try with another dog. She has joined Barnaby and Delilah as the ‘young ones’ here, though she has instigated many a game of zoomies and had Bill and Ben, and even Millie join in!

PERSONALITY

Kim has a beautiful temperament. She is a happy inquisitive puppy with few issues. She is a typical pup and is into everything. She is always ‘happy’ and anxious to please. Her tail doesn’t stop wagging – often while she’s asleep.

Kim loves toys and takes them (and anything else she fancies) to her bed. She doesn’t chew or destroy them. Strangely, she likes my handbag and will search it out at every opportunity, she carries it to her bed and she chews the handles!

SOCIAL LEARNING

TRAVEL: She is now happy and content travelling in a vehicle

HOUSETRAINING: She was not house trained but is learning fast and is almost housetrained now. We don’t have accidents overnight, she sleeps through the night and only wakes when my dogs do, so I think the rare occasions we do have a puddle is likely me forgetting to let her out.

BASIC TRAINING: She appeared to have no basic training on arrival but she is a very quick learner. We have been doing some individual puppy training and she is out performing the others already! She can sit, wait, stand and is learning stay

LEAD WALKING and RECALL: Kim can walk well on a lead (using a front leading harness) and doesn’t pull at all. Occasionally, she jerks when she is on a long line but that is due to excitement. I don’t imagine she will need lining for long as her recall is excellent (although mainly to the Barnaby name).

She is worried by approaching traffic and bicycles but is learning they are no threat.

RESOURCE GUARDING: She shows no evidence of resource guarding. I feed her in the kitchen with my dogs with no problems. She has no food or toy possession and happily plays alongside my younger dogs.

SEPARATION ANXIETY:   Kim has only been left with my dogs so I have no idea how she would be if she was truly alone. She shows signs of separation anxiety only when one of the dogs (or a visiting dog) leaves the house.

ADULTS: She is very friendly with adults and continues to delight everyone she meets. She is quite happy to be alone with a human companion.  

CHILDREN: Kim is very friendly with children.

DOGS: She is very friendly with other dogs She sleeps/plays happily with my dogs and has fitted in seamlessly into our routines. Kim ‘identifies’ with other Labradors so I think her dream home would probably contain at least one.

Kim gets on particularly well with young male dogs though she is fine with females too.

She is still learning manners round new dogs as she can be over excited when greeting them. We have had several occasions when usually ‘ok’ dogs have shown their displeasure towards her. Kim cowers and rolls on her back, showing no aggressive reaction at all. This is only when on lead as off lead she takes herself away.

CATS: Kim showed no reaction on seeing our cat

KIM’S DREAM HOME

She needs lots of exercise and would be best suited to a home with a lot going on. This girl is not for lazing around and would be perfect for an active family who are home or would be with her almost constantly. Kim would be perfect for someone who is committed to taking her to training classes that use positive methods and, better still, to agility classes or similar. She is really eager to please and very quick to learn so such classes will be very beneficial to her. She would love a home with, at least, one other dog as she loves to be with other dogs, the more the merrier. She would be especially happy if one was a Labrador like her.  Kathryn said” She is a blank canvas so if a new owner can show her, with kindness, how a dog is expected to behave then Kim will respond in leaps and bounds and whirls in her fizzy dizzy way. She will ‘jump the moon’ for owners who are worthy of this fantastic girl”.

THE START OF AN ADVENTURE (June 2018)

Kim went to live in what we thought would be her Forever Home