Lola
Further Update from Lola’s Forever Home June 2015
We are so proud of our lovely Lola who passed the Good Citizen Dog Scheme Bronze Award. As you can see from the pictures it’s not all hard work here in the Highlands!
UPDATE FROM HER FOREVER HOME 17.5.2015
Lorna tells us she can’t believe she’s already lived with them for a month and has sent us a brief update on their lovely Lola.
She says “Obviously, as she’s on heat, our training classes have had to be abandoned but we are continuing with training at home and in the garden. She can do a mean sit, down, stay, and wait when there are no distractions! Her lead walking is improving and, depending on how excitable any dog we meet is, she can be quite calm.
She’s become much calmer in the house with a lot less jumpy humpy and, even when she starts it , it’s a bit half hearted. It’s almost possible to make a bit of a fuss of her without it getting out of hand.
I think she’ll always be a “ mouthy” dog in that she likes to have something in her mouth but the mouthing is now very gentle, more just taking your fingers in her mouth. She loves my gardening gloves so weeding is quite tricky when she helps!
Up until this week, when we’ve had to resort to sneaking about at strange hours of the day and night to avoid other dogs, we’ve been visiting favourite “dog” spots including the pub.
She’s a quite different dog now from the one we met at Carol’s”.
They love her to bits and she has definitely found her forever home.
HISTORY
Loka is a young, copper coloured, fine boned and very pretty Golden Retriever who is about 2 years old.
She was living in the UK and was surrendered to IRR when her owners could no longer give her as much time as she deserves and needs.
PERSONALITY
Loka is a strong, fairly dominant dog. She is overly boisterous in her attempts at play with dogs and humans and she is oblivious to the feedback being given by her fosterer’s or any other dog she has met. Having just moved from her home, it is likely there is some anxiety underpinning her outwardly confident behaviour which is to be expected at this early stage.
SOCIAL LEARNING
Travel: Loka travelled extremely well in the back of an estate car. She jumped in herself and settled immediately. She didn’t even lift her head during a stop to get diesel on the way home.
Housetrained: She is housetrained and has had no accidents in the house.
Leadtraining: She has not been lead trained and pulls like a train. Whilst out, her fosterer is stopping to talk to sympathetic dog walking friends with calm dogs who will ignore her over excited behaviour.
Possession: She is not toy possessive but she can be a bit food possessive and does seem to have a personal attachment to her bed. She has attempted to jump on to the human bed/sofa but now understands that this is not acceptable and that dogs are “down”. She does not like the hoover, but neither does her fosterer so that’s not a problem.
Separation anxiety: She does not suffer from separation anxiety. She has now been left for 2 hours but has to be kept in an area away from a 12 year old female dog who she “bothers”.
Basic training: She sits when asked. At times she needs to be calmed before she acts on a sit command.
Children: She is unused to children
Dogs: Due to obvious lack of socialisation, she is having to learn how to behave properly around other dogs.
Cats: She is untested with cats
General training: Currently she is reactive to even small changes, for example if someone comes to the door or if one of us visits the loo! Outside it could be a bird flying by, an approaching dog or being still for too long instigates similar behaviour.
While in this reactive state she “play bullies” my old dog (and would do the same to any other dog when outside) and jumps at and strongly mouths anyone who is dissuading her from doing so. We are addressing these issues by asking Loka to come and sit calmly, by stepping back when she jumps and “ouching” when she mouths.
Four days in, it appears that she has not been socialised as a pup, has not spent much time with other dogs and perhaps has been allowed to have her own way for the sake of peace and quiet.
GENERAL HEALTH
Loka appears to be in good health and has not suffered from any tummy upsets. She is being weaned off her low quality kibble and wet diet and being changed to a better quality dry dog food.
She has had her vet check and is a normal, young, fit and healthy dog. Her weight is just right. She shows no signs of having been spayed so she will have to have a
season to determine when she can be safely spayed. Her ears are fine and show no sign of irritation or infection and her joints seem fine and are as flexible as you would expect for a dog of her age. She is already microchipped.
April 2015
Lola has gone to her Forever Home