Willow Berwick
A VERY SAD LOSS (22.10.2024)
On Friday 25/10/2024, Rebecca kindly contacted us to pass on the very sad news that Willow, adopted by Mollie Berwick in October 2018, had been put to sleep on the previous Tuesday.
Willow was going off his back legs and had become incontinent. It seems the vet was also very concerned about his breathing so Mollie made the heartbreaking decision to say “goodbye” and he was put to sleep peacefully at home. Willow is now buried in Mollie’s field where he used to roam on his afternoon walks, often joined by his pal Paddy the Springer Spaniel.
Becky had done the homecheck for Willow and she has seen a lot of him over the years as they only live down the road. She told us Willow has had a wonderful life of love and devotion with Mollie.
Apparently, there was a suspected cruciate issue when he was first adopted but Mollie took him for hydro sessions and thankfully the leg continued to improve without resorting to surgery. He also had a tumour removed from his paw in 2022 and was on Librela for arthritis but otherwise he enjoyed good health throughout.
Willow had a wonderful gentle nature and made a fabulous companion for Mollie. Becky went to see her and made the offer to contact IRR on her behalf. She wanted to thank us for rescuing him and finding him his forever home but the thanks should be from us for giving Willow such a wonderful life and ensuring his gentle, peaceful passing.
HISTORY
OCTOBER 2018
Willow has gone to live in his Forever Home.
Willow is an 8yr old male Golden Retriever who was vet checked and obtained his Pet Passport in Ireland before travelling to the UK where he has been fostered by Sara.
Very little was known of his history except that he was rescued from Wexford Pound.
FIRST DAYS IN FOSTER
Sara said “Willow has settled in very well.
On the first night, I left the kitchen and my bedroom doors open and he slept in the hall on a rug. He was not interested in his bed but it was when it had been very hot.
During the day, he will settle on that rug and I can leave the lounge and kitchen doors open so he can have access to the back garden.
He was obsessed with the fish pond on days 1 and 2 but that lessened on day 3 and he just looked. In the garden, he will lay on the lawn and watch me garden!
He is very thin and very hungry so his meals were disappearing in 30 secs but, when I was eating, he would look at mine but, if I didn’t say anything, he would lie on the carpet near me very quietly.
He met my neighbours and my sister and brother in law at their home and was a bit anxious initially but, after 5 to 10 minutes, he settled down on the lawn, just occasionally needing me to stroke and re assure him. On the whole, our visit went very well”.
AFTER A FEW MORE DAYS
Sara gave Willow a thorough assessment and, on the whole, he passed with flying colours.
PERSONALITY
Willow is a beautiful, calm and gentle dog who loves nothing more than to be made a fuss of. He is content to lie and be in the same space as you but does not demand to be sitting on your lap. He checks to see if you are around but he is content to spend time on his own in the garden or on the patio as long as it is not too hot.
He is alert and inquisitive and usually quite confident. He can be slightly fearful and anxious in new circumstances but he is mostly playful and happy, calm and laid back. He is not a dribbly dog and the only time I hear him bark is when he is frustrated that he cannot reach the fish !!!
Willow sleeps well and seems contented. He soon learnt where his bed is!
He is such a lovely dog that I am very tempted to change my mind and become one of your failed fosterers!!!!!
HEALTH
He is very thin along the spine and over his hips but he is beginning to eat more slowly now. He weighed 27kgs at vets after having put on some weight and muscle. The vet said short walks were OK.
Although his teeth are dirty with dental plaque, his gums are not sore. Willow’s nose and hearing are very good and he does not miss a thing . His ears looks grubby and slightly waxy ears but he is, generally, in good health except for his left hind leg which is sore and swollen.He has been given metacam as a pain killer. His back hind left left is not always placed flat on the ground although he will stand on it to get to the counter !!!!! Sometimes it looks like it is stiff and arthritic but it comes into use correctly after a few steps. When lying down he always turns that leg under him first. An Xray showed that Willow needed a cruciate operation.
SOCIAL LEARNING
Willow seems to be very laid back and willing to accept many new experiences.
He is learning quickly and accepts guidance with reward. He has no idea how to play but I have been trying to get him to fetch .
He loves the garden and enjoys being outside the back door while I am pottering around in doors. He is not a gardener so thinks the whole area is for him to walk on so I am trying to teach him to stay on lawns, patio and paths but he is very gentle when he is walking in the garden beds !!!
TRAVEL: He is happy and content travelling in a vehicle and travelled very well in the boot of the vehicle with a dog guard. Willow didn’t jump out of the vehicle but waited to come out of the car when the boot was opened.
He loves to travel in the car and lies down without any barking. Willow loves to come with me when I go out and he shows excitement when I pick up harness and leads.
HOUSETRAINING: He is housetrained and will even call you by prancing around when he needs to go out. He knows where his bed is and we have an established routine which he responds to very well. He wakes me in the morning when he needs to go out and depending whether it is sunshine or cloudy will lie outside in the cool of the day while I am inside the house . He is quiet and contented.
BASIC TRAINING: He has been well socialized and trained in some basic commands eg: sit, he responds to his name and understands in and no.
He barked at the fish to-day ! but is not worried by the hoover, washing machine, dishwasher or door bell. He needs to be trained to sit when the door is opened but sure that will come!
GROOMING: He loves to be brushed and combed so his coat is becoming fluffier. He is even becoming more tolerant of having feathers and tail combed. He just lies down for you to tickle his tummy!
LEAD WALKING: When we first walked on the main road for 20 minutes, he was in a hurry for the first 200 yards but soon calmed down as he was near the houses so he was happy. On the way home , he was anxious about cars whooshing past if they were travelling past. I made a note to see what his response is to emergency vehicles and fast motorbikes. He was walking loose lead with a body harness after about 10 minutes and was rewarded with good waking !
RESOURCE GUARDING: He shows no evidence of resource guarding. On arrival, he was very thin and very hungry so he was looking for food and would counter surf if the smell was attractive. He has a fantastic nose !!!!!! and loves anything in a plastic bag !!!!
He is very well behaved within the house except for the counter surfing, taking advantage when possible, although, when I was baking, he laid on the kitchen floor just waiting !!!!
I have been trying to extend the wait at feeding time and you can put his dish down without him pushing to get it which is a good improvement.
SEPARATION ANXIETY: He shows no signs of separation anxiety. Willow has been left for up to three hours and is now greeting me on my retrun
ADULTS: Willow is a very calm and laid back, very friendly dog with a lovely temperament. He greets everybody with a tail that constantly wags! He is very happy when he is with people and loves the fuss they make of him. He seems quite confident with adults and seeks attention.
I have taken him into a community cafe and, after the initial 5 minutes, he was very well behaved and, of course, loved and fussed by the people in the café.
CHILDREN: Willow has met a 17 month old child who is used to dogs He greeted him with a look and waited for him to approach and took the stroke on the nose which was gentle. We have a friend with 4 boys of various ages so I will see if he can meet them soon.
DOGS: He is very friendly and not at all bothered by dogs on other side of road when he is on a short lead. At the vets, he met three dogs and was very good. He just wanted to say “hello” to them all but in an appropriate way. I tried to get him to sit and wait but there were too many smells.
CATS: He has not properly met any cats but he was not disturbed by the cat that was meowing in the vets
FISH: Willow has accepted that he cannot have the fish !!! but he will bark at them. It is, now, the only time I hear him bark !!!
WILLOW’S DREAM HOME
Although Willow seems to be a true family dog, given his mobility problem, he would probably be best avoiding boisterous children in an adult only home where he can be loved to bits and spoilt rotten as the centre of someone’s world. For sure, he is going to be a devoted and loving companion to his lucky adopter.