Lulu Hunt

EARLY DAYS

BIANCA was an 18 month old small sized girl with a beautiful temperament. She is the sister of Peppy and Nadia who were rescued recently through Romanian Animal Aid.

The name Bianca (meaning white in Romanian ) had been vaccinated, spayed, microchipped and fully health checked to gain her Pet Passport before travelling.

UPDATE 3RD AUG 2009

Bianca has now arrived in the UK and is currently in foster in Wiltshire. She is very timid and shy, as Peppy was, but with the help of her fosterer’s dogs and children, she is coming out of herself already. She will need to be rehomed with other dogs to continue this process of rehabilitation.

FIRST REPORT FROM HER FOSTER HOME

“I just thought you’d like to know that little Bianca has already started to come out of her shell, she’s quite funny really, she’s progressed from the bottom of the bed to sleeping next to me and licking my hand when she wants more fuss. She’s stopped trembling when we all stroke her although any noise still makes her jump. She loves having her tummy rubbed and has started really playing with Annie (elderly Lab) in the garden & with toys.

She brought my travel alarm clock downstairs for me this morning! (think I got to it before she could chew it :-)) It’s a real shame we can’t foster her for longer as I think, given 6-8 weeks, she would be much less timid. Her pooh is very loose, no doubt down to a change in diet, but, even so she will go downstairs & leave any little packages by the patio doors, bless her. All in all, given an experienced owner she’ll blossom. We’ve all fallen in love with her, even Chris (my 17 year old) said he’d love to keep her – one look at her little face and you can’t help but melt.”

UPDATE 8.8.09

Hayley says “Little Bianca is settling in, still very unsure of her surroundings, so we are taking it day by day.

She is completely at ease with having dogs around and isn’t nervous around them. She is very nervous of people but not in a nasty way, just very timid. That having been said, she actually went over to my friend today for a sniff and she only met her yesterday.

She is such a sweet girl and I am sure she will soon settle. She has been to the park today and got on well with all the dogs she met.”

UPDATE 15.08.09

Bianca is starting to settle a little, small steps I think. She is definitely more timid than Peppy. But she loves the dogs, especially my male lab Dexter. I would say, like Peppy, she definitely needs to be rehomed with other dogs.

UPDATE FROM HAYLEY 21.8.09

Bianca is starting to come out of her shell, she is actually asleep by my feet now!! She wags her tail on my arrival in the morning, she absolutely loves the dogs and loves running on a long lead with them in the fields, her mad five minutes are sooooo funny to watch!!

She is very nervous with traffic and wheelie bins etc but is getting better slowly. She has also learnt sit!! and comes to her name almost every time, especially if there is a tasty titbit in my hand! She is very clean in the house.

Bianca truly is a little sweetheart 😉

FURTHER UPDATE 25.8.09

Bianca has really started to settle, mad as a brush!! struts around in the house now and off the long lead in the back garden 😉 onwards and upwards.

BIANCA IN HER FOREVER HOME

Bianca has gone to live with Jan and George just outside Bath. She has Rosie, the dog and 2 cats as companions. Having already had a little Spanish rescue dog called Bianca, they have renamed her Lulu, which she seems to be taking to well.

Jan says “Lulu is doing brilliantly (especially considering we’ve not had her 24 hours yet). A couple of mishaps of course, and she’s not doing all things we’d expected her to do (i.e. she hates the crate we thought was going to be her own private luxury hideaway!). But so what? It’s all part of taking on a little stray. She curled up in her bed in the lounge last night with all of us as we watched TV, and was very relaxed. She’s met the cats – the especially timid one has moved out, the other one (who’d been so close to the cat who died) is intrigued and following her about, stiff legged and ready to run, but wanting to be friends. Maybe one day Lulu will be brave enough to get to know him better!”

“She definitely likes dogs – if she hears one barking in the distance her ears go up, if she thinks she sees one she’s all excited. “

FOUR DAYS ON

“Lulu is doing amazingly well. She races around the house like a mad thing, is getting on so well with the one cat (they are both brave now about touching noses), and behaves absolutely as she should with Rosie if she’s to win her over. Rosie, too, is being very good – better than we’d thought, at least in such a short time.”

“She’s certainly very timid. Had a walk this morning past a friend’s smallholding where Lulu had the most terrifying experience – she came face to face with a chicken! THEN a pig grunted at her!! She got over it all eventually, no doubt helped by discovering just how tasty rabbit droppings are……….”

” We’re thinking that Lulu could benefit from going to a very basic training class. She’s learning well, but extra advice would be useful – AND she’ll get a chance to meet more dogs, which in her book counts as A BIG PLUS, I think.”

LULU 3 WEEKS ON

Jan says “Lulu is madly in love with George (and he’s madly in love with her) so things are going well even though she has eyes only for her dad and no time for her mum at the moment. She rushes to him if she hears his voice, is glued to his leg and gazes up adoringly, will let him feed her and dry her muddy paws, and cuddle up in front of the TV. He took her to training classes on Tuesday and (though it was all a bit overwhelming for her) she did OK, and he’s now trying to teach her to come when called, etc. Obviously he’s giving her what she needs and you can see how she’s blossoming. I think poor Rosie (once a daddy’s girl) is a bit put out so she comes to me for cuddles instead, which is nice.”

“When I’m alone I often watch TV sitting on the floor by the radiator, with Rosie cuddled up. Lulu won’t join us of course and stays in her bed across the room. Last night I put the bed on my other side and made her come and sit on it. After a bit she relaxed and eventually let me stroke her and then she nudged my hand whenever I stopped. This morning I got up first and she was much calmer with me, let me put her on the lead for her early morning trip to the garden, etc. Of course, when George appeared she immediately went to him and, when I called her, she got behind his legs and stared at me defiantly but, instead of letting him feed her, I quietly put her on a lead and encouraged her into her room, shut the door, gave her a little stroke and then put down her food and left her to eat it. This is definite progresss.”

“Lulu and Whisky the cat are fine together but Belle, the very timid grey cat, wasn’t seen for over a week although, as far as I know Lulu behaved perfectly with her. Fortunately we have now glimpsed Belle, very soggy and refusing to come in, but at least she’s not forgotten where she lives”

“I’m amazed at how good Rosie is with her. They’re not great chums and don’t stay close all day but when they do meet both tails wag and they touch mouths etc. Rosie is calm and gentle, and perfect for introducing Lulu to new things – Lulu even ran away from the frozen yogurt treat I’d prepared until Rosie said it looked wonderful, then Lulu wanted it. (which of course meant poor Rosie didn’t have it! A bit unfair. I gave her a different treat but she’s definitely puttng on weight so I don’t want her to have too many extras. Rosie and Lulu don’t really play with each other as Rosie will chase after balls and things which Lulu won’t and Lulu just wants them to chase around after each other which Rosie thinks is pointless.”

“Lulu is not into toys of any kind, which isn’t surprising as she’s probably never had any. The wonderful idea of an activity ball is a joy for Rosie who’s never had one before and empties it in minutes but Lulu won’t have it near her no matter how gently I roll it along (she’ll rush and snatch up any treat that falls out, then scuttle away as quickly as she can).”

ROMMIE REUNION

Despite the miserable weather (literally raining cats and dogs) with a combination of chats whilst sheltering under Phil’s tailgate and doggy runs when the rain passed over, both people and the dogs enjoyed themselves.

Lulu and Peppy soon rekindled their friendship and played a wonderful game of “I’ll chase you……no, it’s me to chase you” taking it in turns to be the front runner. The other 3 older dogs mingled well but didn’t play with each other or them. Lulu and Peppy were both a bit reluctant to stop their fun and games but, once their respective sisters and brother were dried and back in their vehicles, they called it a day.