Fri 21st October: Strawberry’s jam

Having found myself with a spare puppy (Maggie, the daughter of springer spaniel Dot) and nowhere to put her, finding a home was a top priority, and  happily there was one waiting for a puppy just like her.  In fact there were quite a few offers, but one was enough (note: her two siblings are still in need!) and I was able to deliver Maggie to her new parents who were waiting at the Ap Lei Chau Homing Centre.  If only all adoption were so quick and easy!

Puddle on Lamma, pre-grooming

I also took poodle Puddle over from Lamma for a much-needed grooming with Iris, one of our two Co-Managers at Ap Lei Chau.  Being a trained dog groomer, Iris is skilled with the clippers and scissors, unlike my own method of haircuts which is more of an all-or-nothing style.  As for Puddle himself, he’s had a bit of a bad rap for being a difficult dog, but honestly he’s just a typical poodle who needs attention, exercise and mental stimulation.  He loved everything about his day out, from the sampan ride to the short walk from the waterfront to the Homing Centre, and even during his shampoo and trim he was very patient.  There are just two things about Puddle that we know: he hates being scolded (presumably from being smacked in the past) and he hates having his tummy touched.  If you don’t do either of those things, you’ll have a very sweet and loving friend.  I’ve had a lot of  enquiries about Puddle and he was even adopted for a while, but my warnings about his behaviour fell on deaf ears and he was threatened (for peeing somewhere) and growled back.  Now I am waiting for the right home, one that will understand and listen.  Just like Skittle, who is doing brilliantly in her new home,  with poodles in particular you have got to appreciate and fulfil their needs or you will have a problem on your hands.  And the Golden Rule always applies, and that is that a tired dog is a well behaved one. Exercise and more exercise is the key to almost all behaviour problems, and lack of it the reason for them.

I knew that the chihuahua that had been found beside its deceased owner a month ago was now ready to be released, so I went to AFCD Pokfulam to pick it up.  I discovered he’s one of those tiny-sized chihhuahuas, five years old and with hair colouring that makes him look as though he’s going grey, although it’s actually just white hair amongst the black.  He was a little bit scared to start with, but having got past the rabies injection (with lots of struggling and screaming), Gray (I just changed the spelling a bit), enjoyed the van ride to Acorn and was keen to explore once we were there.  I do feel a bit of a monster having the new dogs desexed before they even have time to blink, but it’s best to get it done and then they are ready for homing immediately.  Anyone interested in the tiny little guy, who weighs just over 2 kilos (about 5 lbs), let me know.  He’s not a dog for young children though, in fact chihuahuas almost never are.  They’re too fragile and can also bite if scared, so it should be am adults/older children home only please.

Gray wasn't too sure about having a needle stuck in him

There were several other dogs from Tai Po at Acorn that had to be seen by Dr Tony, so it was quite late when I left, and having to pass by the Ap Lei Chau Centre to pick Puddle up delayed my return to Lamma even more.  I got back home to find that baby Strawberry’s tiny little front paws looked as though they had been mangled, with all the hair gone and looking very red and sore. Of course I was upset, and also worried about what had caused the damage.  As much as I didn’t want to keep her on her own I had to move her away from her two much bigger siblings, and it was only during the night as I was giving her a feed that I realised what had happened.  It was her siblings who had been chewing her toes!  No wonder I often heard her squealing, but I thought it was just because she was being squashed.  She seems much happier now, and by this morning (Saturday) her toes are already looking much better.  My Facebook post for an urgent foster got a few responses, so she should be in a new home very soon.