I would really appreciate some advice.........I don't quite know how to tell this story, so please bare with me!!
First of all, I have always had dogs - owned and shown Cockers and Weimarners, the latter have judged at Open Show Level and bred a litter. I hope I have a bit of knowledge!!
I have a Blue Roan bitch called Rio, and have been thinking about another. I do a lot of work for Weimaraner Rescue, also the RSPCA doing Home Checks and stuff. From a 'friend of a friend' I heard about a 13 week old red dog puppy with "problems".
I telephoned the breeder, who says she has 15 Dobermans, Rotties and one Cocker Spaniel bitch, who she had a litter from. The red dog was the last of the litter left. She has had to move towns very quickly, something to do with her partner, so she has had a lot of trauma. Although she says she has all these dogs, she seemed to know nothing at all and some of the things shes saying just don't fit.
Anyhow, she brought the puppy over a week ago. He arrived a very scared, smelly, thin little thing - she picked him up and he wee'd all over her - he was that terrified.
Immediately my Rio started mothering him and playing - he wanted to respond but was very unsure. She asked me what I thought and not mincing my words, I told her that if I had seen this pup at someone elses house I would say he had been thoroughly thrashed. She swears this is not the case?
He has papers by the way, and some of his breeding is from very well known kennels.
It just broke my heart to look at him - and so hes staying. I went over him very gently when she left and he had ear mites so badly that it was like concrete, and also the runs. He had had no injections at all. Gave him a bath and some food, he was very hungry.
Took him to my Vet the next day, who said he is very small for his age, bad ear infection, also some sort of other infection as some of his lymph nodes are enlarged. Had his first innoculation also. That was more than enough trauma for one day, so we came home.
Over the last few days, he has started to come out of himself a bit - will come to me when called now (his name is Denby) and is no longer cowering when approached. He actually ripped some wallpaper off yesterday and I was pleased!! hes acting like a puppy should. I am taking him out in the car for little journeys and socialising him with lots of gentle doggy people.
Is there anymore I can do here? Its going to take me a lot of time, patience and effort to get him right I know - all advice would be very appreciated.......thanks to all the Cocker people out there. Julie, Rio and Denby.
