CREAMY and her sister SANDY are aged between 4yrs and 5yrs and are ex-breeding bitches from Wales. They are in foster together and at the moment they are inseparabl but we are working towards gradually cutting their ties with each other to allow them to develop their individual personalities. They are doing this in sunny Somerset with the help of Connie and Millie (both IRR rescues themselves) and their mum and dad, Belinda and Terry. After only a few days, they are coming on in leaps and bounds.

FIRST REPORT

Belinda says "Creamy and Sandy - what little darlings they are. Sandy refused food and water until we took them both out into the garden this afternoon and they ate a good meal (about half what Connie usually has) and both drank lots of water - so progress there. I gently brushed both of them which they enjoyed and moved towards me for more when I stopped. They wag their tails at us now and while Sandy is keen to go into her cage when she comes into the house, Creamy would happily stay out! Haven't shampooed them yet as it seemed rather a drastic action so early on - but hope to do so in the next couple of days. Flower essences seem to be doing their work. Will take some photos of the four of them in the garden and send them to you. Connie and Millie behave as if they have been here all the time. Creamy and Sandy love the little bone biscuit treats and Sandy sat in the garden instead of trying to get behind the garden seat and hide! Creamy gets very agitated when we take Sandy out without her but she is also the one who seems to be more outgoing. Sandy seems to be more withdrawn."

SECOND REPORT FROM BELINDA
Creamy has really begun to come out – this morning she came up to us at the kitchen table and walked past Millie several times, something she has avoided until now as Millie gives her a forbidding look when she comes near us, but this morning Creamy decided that enough was enough and just ignored her. At least the cat is getting a break! Connie just treats them as part of the family! They are both eating well, having their salts and essences and they go off into the garden to do their business and come in when called. As they showed great reluctance to go into their cages last night, we made up their beds on the floor and put the cages in another room and they all slept peacefully together.

Creamy & Connie

Creamy

Sandy and Creamy are certainly getting less timid now, but still painfully shy and keep very much to themselves. I'm not sure if they are housetrained or not, we let them out first thing in the morning, last thing at night and after every meal and of course with the weather being fine, they are outside a lot of the time. We have had a couple of accidents with Creamy in the house when she went into the living room and had a wee, but generally they are very good.

Creamy is more outgoing than Sandy and approaches us quite a lot, but gets very upset when our Connie and Millie play together. It is obviously something quite new to her and she barks and backs away, which sets them off barking - poor neighbours!! They have both been very good with children (our grandchildren have been here quite a lot recently) and although Sandy didn't take any notice of our cat, Creamy barked at her. They are both eating well. I don't think they have ever had collars on, we use a slip lead if we need to. Pauline has given them lovely new collars so we are going to put them on every day for a bit to get them used to it.

VISIT FROM CREAMY’S NEW MUM

Creamy's prospective new mum, Barbara, came to see her and brought her neighbour with her, who looks after her dog Micha - a 6 year old spayed bitch, when she is out for more than 2 hours, or away on holiday. She fell in love with Creamy (now called Heidi) and was very good with her. Her previous dog was a rescue which had been thrown from a car on the motorway, and took many months of tlc to even walk down the road.

We brought Micha into the house to meet Heidi and Abigail (ex Sandy) without our dogs and at first Heidi mumbled and barked at Micha who is a lovely, friendly bumbly golden. After a bit she quietened down and eventually, although Heidi and Abigail stayed on their beds together, they accepted Micha and Barbara was on her knees with all three while they scoffed bits of sausage! Barbara had brought a towel with Micha's scent on it to leave with us, and Heidi is now lying on it.

HEIDI IN HER FOREVER HOME

Barbara says: “Heidi is settling in very well. She has taken to Micha very well and likes to be close by her whether for sleeping arrangements or to explore the house and garden, though she is beginning to go from room to room on her own, and even upstairs! She will usually come when called in the house, even if it is just to pop her head round the door to see who called but is still very shy about being approached. She walks quite well on the slip lead, certainly doesn't pull but drops to the ground if there is a noise or something/someone she is unsure about, though soon starts off again. We have had a few walks along the canal towpath and she has met other dogs, cycles, pushchairs etc and coped extremely well. This afternoon we were in the meadow when the Red Arrows flew over. Heidi dropped to the ground, ears back, looked and was then happy to revert to smelling and following Micha.

Heidi doesn't quite know what to make of Micha's soft toys which she likes to carry around the house, or what to do with a stuffed kong but I am sure Micha will initiate her into those joys before too long. She has enjoyed all the fuss from doting visitors and is very good with children”.

It will take time before she gains all her confidence in this new world but it will come with lots of patience and tlc. She is a real delight.

UPDATE FROM HER FOREVER HOME

“Heidi is making great strides in the confidence stakes. She will happily enjoy the attention of anyone we meet when she is on the lead but at home, off lead she is more cautious with strangers and backs away initially. She now enjoys chasing a ball when we are out in the fields or in the garden, though hasn't got the 'retrieve' idea yet
(I haven't met many retrievers who have!!!), more 'you threw it so you pick it up, I'll just show you where it is!'

At home she has taken to her first soft toy, a small penguin and loves throwing it up in the air and pouncing on it, now she needs to learn to guard it from Micha who thinks all soft toys should be hers.

Heidi is greatly admired by everyone we meet and is a good ambassador for IRR. She walks very well on a lead and has responded better to a harness rather than a collar and lead as she doesn't like any tension around her neck, the harness gives her more freedom.”

UPDATE MAY 09

Barbara said, “I thought it was time to update you with Heidi's progress and add a couple of photos of her and Micha. Heidi has gained so much confidence now, even pushing Micha off the settee most evenings. She loves her walks, off lead now and has a real passion for a very handsome black lab called Dexter! If he is around she is off like lightening to enjoy a romp and flirt with him!



Her coat has darkened and from the back it is quite difficult to tell her apart from Micha. She still only eats her meal with her two front legs through the door ready for a quick get away. Yesterday the clock struck as she was eating and that was it - she left her meal.”

©2008 Irish Retriever Rescue UK