I’ve been meaning to write a post about Bella since she arrived last November but the weeks pass by!
We had about 18 months without a dog and decided it was time to get another one. My OH wanted another golden retriever, Rosie was gorgeous and was very much his dog, she would gaze adoring at him, I think he presumed all goldens would do the same! He happened to meet a breeder on a training course who mentioned that when dogs had had two or three litters they would find them a good home. They had one just about to have her last litter, she was four years old, this was in September. She sounded perfect for us, past the adolescent stage but plenty of life left ahead.
We arranged to go to see her in mid November, thinking that having agreed to take her, we could collect her straight after our big holiday in mid January. She was gorgeous and spent most of the time glued to my side having her ears rubbed. We said we would love to have her, take her now, they said. I explained that we couldn’t as we were going away for four weeks, try her out for 4 weeks, we’ll have her back over Christmas, then you can collect her afterwards…but we haven’t got anything, no bed, no food…she’ll be fine on a blanket, here’s a bag of food! Her name? we call them all Sandy! She’d probably earned them thousands of pounds and she didn’t even have her own name! So we came home with a dog!!
We realised very quickly that Bella (she deserved her own name!) had quite a few issues. She had clearly been kept in the barn most of the time, only allowed in the conservatory occasionally. It took us a week to get her to leave our conservatory. She had never been lead walked, traffic terrified her, infact most things scared her, she cowered alot, particularly round my OH. She had no idea of food treats, she wouldn’t eat in front of us, in fact in the first month she only ate at night time, she lost about 4kg in weight.
She was a nightmare to walk, I didn’t dare walk her with my balance issues, she pulled my OH over twice and slipped her collar and bolted a couple of times in the first week. We realised we needed help and got a dog trainer round. When he looked at her he said if a normal chilled out dog is 0 and a hyper dog is 10, Bella is about -8, she was just so shut down. He advised keeping her in the house for three weeks and literally take her round the house on a training lead. So that’s what we did, if I went to make a cup of tea, I took her on the lead into the kitchen, if I went to watch TV, I took her with me. She eventually got used to the idea that she could go round the house. She still doesn’t like going in the kitchen, but she has a bed in all the rooms we spend time in and she seems more comfortable following us round.
And then we went on holiday!! We had realised within 48 hours of getting her that there was no way we could take her back there for four weeks, she would have regressed so much. Luckily my daughter came to the rescue and looked after her. It wasn’t an ideal situation as Helen was here there and everywhere, but she did a brilliant job with her. She spent Christmas at her boyfriends mum’s house, which was quite good in some ways as his mum has two dogs, so Bella could see what a dog is meant to be like in a home! Helen took all three dogs up to the Lakes for New Year, then took Bella down to her home in Colchester. Eventually we came home and could settle Bella into a routine.
It’s now six months since we came back from holiday, so how is she doing…
She is great at being lead walked, it was about two months before I dared walk her on my own, now she’s mainly off the lead as her recall is so good. There’s still situations I avoid, she’s still a bit nervous with traffic so, for example, I don’t use the island in the middle of the road to cross, I wait until I can cross in one go. She’s still not keen on gates or doorways, but I can usually persuade her now. She travels on the bus with me fairly happily.
It’s lovely to see her run, what we call a freedom run, she loves deep puddles and prances through them. There were a several on our regular walks earlier in the year, she was so disappointed when they eventually dried up! She is still a different dog outside, a lot more relaxed and happy.
In the house she is still a little reserved, she will come into the lounge or my sewing room, but is obviously still a little unsure, as if she’s expecting to be told off. We’ve moved her food dish to next to her bed so it is away from the busy end of the hall, she will now eat when we are around, so long as we don’t get too near. She still rarely takes a treat from the hand, but if I put it on the floor next to me, she’ll take it. She’s a golden retriever and she’s not food orientated! It did make training a little tricky as so many trainers use food, she’s happy with a tickle behind her ear!
She’s very much my dog, dogs usually choose one person and she’s chosen me! She is much better than she was with my OH but she still occasionally cowers or skulks away. My OH was pretty disappointed at first, I think he wanted another Rosie, but of course dogs are all different, he has worked hard to gain her confidence but it’s obviously going to take a while. It does make us wonder what went on in her previous home.
She loves having visits from her big sister Helen! I think they will always have a special bond.
I saw a video on social media a while ago about someone who rescued a breeding dog, she was totally shut down too and it took about two years to really come out of her shell. One comment really rang home with me ‘she’s almost too good, she never barks, she doesn’t chew, she doesn’t jump up’. That’s Bella, I know just what he means. She’s come on so much in the last few months, it’s lovely when other regular dog walkers notice the difference in her too. Her tail is up high when she walks along and she has a lovely smile. She’s a different dog to the one we collected last November. She’s beautiful and gentle, she’s gorgeous!
thecraftycreek 
so glad a patient loving understanding couple adopted her. She sure is pretty. My standard poodle puppy wasn’t the biggest in the double litter and apparently had not fought for enough food. It took about 6 months where we fed him in the closed kennel so he could relax that no one would take his food. Now he won’t eat unless we’re holding the bowl!
best of luck, it will just take trust which is slow to learn. She’s so pretty! LeeAnna
LikeLiked by 1 person
She’s gorgeous, you’re right, it’s just going to take time and patience for her to learn to trust us.
LikeLike
That sounds as though she has come from an abusive breeder…. I would tell the authorities if I was you…you can’t treat a dog like that…how appalling not to be taken for a walk and scared of men…surely you can see this behaviour isn’t right..thank goodness you came to the rescue…maybe future owners won’t be so kind…report it before any more dogs are mistreated…
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a good girl!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bella is gorgeous!!! Thank you for saving her 🙂 ~ That smile says everything ~ ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
She’s a beautiful gentle soul.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I won’t say what I think about the “breeder” except that he should be struck off the list! Golden Retrievers are such joyful dogs. So sad her spirit was broken.
But so glad that you took Bella in and had the patience to bring her out of her shell and show her what a loving home is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
She’s improving by the day, still a long way to go but she’s on the right track.
LikeLike
Thank goodness it was you and your OH who took this beautiful girl on – not everybody would have worked so hard to bring her out of herself and give her the chance to live a normal life.
I have nothing but contempt for this sort of breeder and, if they are registered they should probably be reported but I’m guessing they probably aren’t.
We have only ever had rescue dogs but our daughter recently got a golden retriever puppy that came from a domestic breeder. She was very much against the idea as she feels the same as we do but her boyfriend had already made an appointment to go and see one and, of course, once seen she couldn’t leave him. I urged her to make sure she saw the mother and to make sure she was healthy and happy and part of the family and all seemed well.
We have already looked after him for a long weekend and he’s due back for 12 days next week while they go on a holiday they’d already booked. He is lovely but a typical puppy and quite a large one at that. Last time he kept jumping in our pond, practised teething on my leg and ‘helped’ in the garden by digging up plants. We lost our 14 year old dog, Stan, a couple of weeks ago and our remaining dog is quite old now but I realise that, when the time comes to get another, it certainly won’t be a puppy, they’re exhausting.
You have a lovely dog there Margaret and I’m sure she’ll continue to improve and gain in confidence to reward you for all the love and attention you are showing. Well done you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The sad thing is that to some people buying a puppy from them, they will see mum and pups together in a nice clean run in the conservatory, family home environment, they just won’t see what happens the rest of the time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As a Trustee of a rescue we see cases like this. What I don’t get is how people can call themselves human to treat another creature so badly. A breeder should have a litter every other year after the age of two and no more than three litters if they really have to, after all it’s a money making merry go round. Just makes me cross our laws are so slack but we do have some. Other countries dogs are just disposable tools or a nuisance.
Thank you for being there for her, she looks amazing. We too have serial rehomers who are kind and gentle enough to work with a troubled soul.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It certainly opens your eyes to the breeding industry when you see first hand the effect it has on the dogs.
LikeLike
oh Margaret this brought a tear to my eye. We just don’t deserve dogs. Or at least some people don’t ……….
She’s landed on her paws with you. She’s a very lucky dog and I know you will continue to give her all the love she needs xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, she’s gorgeous!
LikeLike
She’s a lucky girl. Not everyone understands that dogs from ‘non-domestic’ backgrounds have special needs and challenges, and given to the wrong people she could so easily have been dumped. She’s beautiful, and will reward your kindness and patience.
LikeLiked by 1 person
She’s gorgeous and she’s come on so much, I’ll know I’ve really cracked it when she lies on her back for a wriggle!
LikeLike
I have had dogs for the last 50 years but until my husband died we always got puppies and always border collies which were all HIS dogs – their choice not mine or his. When I was on my own I decided I wanted a dog of my own and a different breed so took on a rescued lurcher. She had been abused and was scared, untrained and if I left her in the house too long she had to kill something – usually a cushion. I had our old collie but she didn’t know what to make of him! When he died I got a puppy, a kelpie x collie who showed her how dogs behave and gave her more confidence. Sadly her hard life caught up with her and I had to have her put down when she was 10. I now have another rescue lurcher I adopted at 6 months or so – probably greyhound x labrador – who is much easier but still has issues – unused to being in a home, not trained at all but luckily quite confident and responding well. So I really understand the hard work you have had to put in with Bella. It is so sad that they have missed out on a loving start.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s certainly been a steep learning curve after our last three dogs, she has such different issues. Well done with the work you’ve done with your dogs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Margaret, you are in love, and rightly so! Bella is beautiful! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
oh my gosh, that is heartbreaking! And yet another reason why I would never get a dog from a breeder.
Thankyou for rescuing her and giving her so much love and attention.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bella is so lucky you gave her a wonderful new life…occasionally filled with fun puddles!
LikeLike
From timid to terrific! This heartwarming story follows Bella’s transformation from a shut-down rescue dog to a happy and confident companion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, it’s been lovely to see her come out of her shell 🙂
LikeLike
Pingback: Beautiful Bella | thecraftycreek