Luca (who became) Dray

IT WAS BAD NEWS THEN GOOD

Unfortunately, poor Luca needed a new home again after the unexpected arrival of a human baby but he fell firmly on all four paws when he went to live with Val, John and Chance who all love him to bits

EARLY HISTORY

In 2008, LUCA, a Golden Retriever Cross, was about 18-months-old and neutered. We called him “Fluffy Boy”.

He had an overnight stop with Denise and another with Jon, both in the Midlands, before completing his journey to Jackie’s in Norfolk.

FIRST DAY AT JACKIE’S

Jackie, his fosterer, says, “Luca arrived about 2hrs ago, via Jon one of our transporters (Thank you once again Jon). As you can see Luca is a very fluffy boy and will need grooming very regularly.

“As it’s only been a couple of hours, I can’t really tell you much yet, except that he seems a lovely friendly boy, who took to my Golden Retriever, Bridie, very quickly lol. He hasn’t really taken that much notice of my male Shih Tzu, Gizmo. He loves to play with toys and likes a game of fetch.”

2ND FOSTER REPORT

Luca has been with me for 2 weeks now, and he is certainly a very lively boy, He just loves his walks but still needs more training on a lead, as he so wants to get to wherever he is going and fast lol.

I have found that he does walk a lot better if you use a halti on him. Training sessions are advised for Luca

He is crate trained and sleeps all night in it with no problems, as long as you make sure he has done his business and give him his bonio and 2 gravy bones he is fine. He will moan a few times though just to see if you are gullible enough to let him out again lol. He is a very clever dog!!!!!!

Luca gets on very very very well with my female dog Bridie as you can see from the pic below where they are playing tug of war.

Luca still has a lot of puppy traits, eg chewing etc, and will need firm but kind handling and a lot of patience. Luca is not a fussy eater at all. He isn’t really keen at being left on his own.

He will need a secure garden, and I do suggest that he is rehomed with a confident & patient dog only preferably a female, as he doesn’t know when to stop playing. He does need to be taught a few doggy manners!!!

He is very good at travelling in the car and will settle down and go to sleep. As far as children are concerned I would suggest over the age of 10, as he is lively and does jump up.

3rd FOSTER UPDATE 15.6.2008

Luca lost his trust in men somewhere along the way, and it has taken some time to get it back again but I have been working with my son and his friends to help me in this matter. He is coming along in leaps and bounds. He has progressed even more on the men front, he is getting there now, and we also left him for 3 hrs in his crate while we went to change over our motability car, and there wasn`t a peep out of him. So from not being like to be left, he can now be left for 3 hrs in his crate with something to keep him occupied.”

He is a very loving and loyal dog who will give the right family a lot of happiness and many fun times and I’m going to miss Luca lots when he goes to his new forever home

I would say that he does need an experienced handler, but he is very loving and affectionate and playful and all he wants out of life is to be loved and shown kindness and to be played fetch with, of course.

I find his recall on a longline is brilliant and, when he is in the garden,
he comes straight away, everytime.

LUCA FOUND A NEW MUMMY and DADDY

Jackie said “After 10wks of no-one being at all interested in my beautiful boy. We finally heard from a lovely couple who were interested in him. They drove over 4hrs to meet him with their gorgeous beardie X puppy, Jess.

When they arrived, yesterday, it was love at first sight. Luca, from a dog who was once very wary of men, actually made a big fuss of his new Daddy as well as his new Mummy. It was a great sight to see.

Initially Luca didn’t really take much notice of puppy Jess, as we took them up the woods to get aquainted, but when we got back and they all went out into my garden, well it was play play play!!!!!!

Luca was very happy, I could tell, so all were agreed that this was definitely the home for him. I am really pleased for him, although, of course, missing him, as all of us fosterers do when we have to say “goodbye” to our foster doggies. It is extremely rewarding to know that another lovely dog has found a great home”.

They were all running around after each other. I think Luca was a bit bewildered at first, as he has been used to doing all the chasing, now suddenly he has this puppy chasing him. It was so funny to watch lol. I think, after just a minute or two, Luca was enjoying being chased around the garden by 2 females aww. Unfortunately, as they were going sooo fast it was very difficult to get a good photo of them all.

A GOOD FIRST NIGHT

I got a phone message this morning from Luca’s Mummy saying that he had a good night and settled down really well, after playing with Jess that is lol. He has been to the park and loved it, and his Mummy Lauren says she is going to take him Jogging with her as well as enrolling him into training classes.

UPDATE FROM LAUREN

Luca and Jess get on so well. We really couldn’t have been any luckier in this department. I had a very strong feeling things would be OK and this is what enabled me to drive for five hours just to meet Luca.

Jackie had looked after him fantastically and we could tell right away that he was happy and healthy and ready for his new home in Liverpool. (Thank you Jackie)

Since we arrived back here, Luca is settling in very well. He is loving meeting lots of new dogs in the park and on the beach, as well as meeting all our friends too.

We feel that Jess is the perfect doggie friend to teach him to be more trusting of people he meets. He just needs some time to overcome some of his past in Ireland. Jess and Luca even sleep together sometimes and I have seen them grooming each other. It is so sweet.

I will soon be starting private dog training classes that Alex has arranged as a birthday present. So very soon I will have two very well behaved dogs that will be welcome to visit even more places with us. Luca is already pretty good at coming back to me whenever I call him (he could teach Jess a thing or two in that department!) She is getting there…

We love them both very much and feel that we are very lucky to have such lovely dogs with such fantastic temperaments. We are like a little family and even Antonio the cat is getting to grips slowly with having two dogs around the house. We think he likes to tease then both a little!

UPDATE JAN 2009

Well we are into our new year with Luca and we are looking forward to having a long and happy time with him. As his new Mummy, I have to say he holds a very special place in my heart. He is such a lovely dog and makes a big difference to our lives. We could never be without him.

We have not been to more than a couple of training classes with him because he is so good and 98% of the time he always does as he is told.

He and Jess get on so well and play together all the time.

One very funny thing he does is, whenever I sing and dance around the house, Luca seems to want to join in. he jumps up on his back legs and tries to dance too.

People also tell me he looks as if he is smiling. I think he can smile too and am glad he feels able to with us. We are devoted new owners. We wish him a long and happy fun filled life.

I feel very privileged that Luca took to Alex and I from the moment we met him. I truly believe that dogs chose their owners when given the chance and that they know when they have met the right people for them. He is such loving boy and I am shocked that anyone could have let him go in the first palace. Lucky for us!

What a dog! Thank you Irish Retriever Rescue UK, you have given us such a great opportunity to love a wonderful doggie.