I first heard about the PDWRA when I went to a nail salon and we all got talking about our dogs! One of the members of staff mentioned her mum fosters pugs for the charity, and without a second thought I applied to adopt!
Having a 7 year old puggle at home I knew I would have to wait a while before finding the perfect pug to suit us, and a few months later I got a call from the PDWRA about a little lad named Teddy who was in need of his forever home.
Teddy was only 11 months old when I adopted him, but had already been moved from four different homes, with his 5th being with his wonderful foster mum Rebecca and her family. After two days of hearing about Teddy I was on my way to London to meet Rebecca and bring him to his new home.
Whilst waiting for Teddy, I started my research on the best ways to introduce another dog to Molly the puggle, and the PDWRA said that if I needed help or guidance, they would be there for me as Teddy settled in. Some of the best practices included:
- Introduce the dogs outside where they can sniff, play, and get to know each other on neutral ground
- Praise positive behaviours
- Make sure you enter the home first, don’t let the dogs go in first as they may become territorial
- Watch for signs of stress in the home, recognize when the dogs might need their own space
- Establish a safe space for the new dog
I was really lucky with Teddy that he was already crate trained so it didn’t take long for him to realise where his bed and safe space was, but the other advice really helped me get him settled in with his new grumble.
When he arrived, we went straight into the garden for him to see that was where he would go to the bathroom, amongst other things, although not unexpectedly we had a couple of rug poop mishaps in the first couple of days, which is to be expected when the dog is getting over the stress of settling into a new environment.
The introduction between him and my dog Molly went really well and I’m so pleased I looked into the best practices!
Molly certainly tells him who is boss when he gets too excitable, but has welcomed Teddy into our home brilliantly. He is definitely part goat, I often find him sat on my work desk, on the dining table and even sat on the toilet seat (yes there has been an open toilet incident…he was fine, and hasn’t learnt his lesson).
I can’t thank his foster mum Rebecca enough for getting my boy ready for his forever home and for doing such a great job taking care of him. He’s stolen my heart, and the hearts of my family and friends! He’s such a great character and keeps me entertained, on my toes, and full of joy!
3 months later, since Teddy came into our lives, it’s June and it’s like he’s been here forever!
He has discovered his love for the garden and has claimed the comfy chair as his own! Teddy loves to play with his big sister Molly, and he has brought back her puppy energy; they love chasing each other around the house (often when I am on a work call!) and they bolt around the common on our walks.
Teddy loves every dog and person he meets, and he’s made some friends in the local park. His recall is fantastic, and he is often by Molly’s side. Adopting Teddy was definitely one of the best things I have done and I couldn’t be happier with my little family!
