Martha MacGregor

SHE WORKED HER MAGIC ON LORNA

Martha worked her magic on Lorna, her fosterer, who totally fell in love with her. In her fabulous Scottish Forever Home, little Martha also had a new sibling, Lola, to “show her the way”. 

HISTORY

When Martha came into IRR care in 2017, she was just 4 months old. She is a cream coloured Golden Retriever x Labrador.  This beautiful girl was groomed and would be neutered when she was a year old. She has had all the necessary inoculations and has her documentation to travel to the UK.

Martha and her brother Darcy were relinquished to Ennis Pound, in the hope of getting them a wonderful home, after they had been found tied in a bag by a member of the public when they were only a couple of months old.

We were told she had been socialised with cats, dogs and children. Martha is the more boisterous of the two. Apparently, she is the leader and Darcy follows. Without any strong bonds, the pups were separated to go into foster homes.

UK FOSTER ASSESSMENT

HEALTH

Although otherwise very healthy, Martha had a really bad worm infestation so she was wormed on 14/2/17 and now there are no further signs of worms. Currently, she is teething.

PERSONALITY

Lorna, her fosterer, says of her “Martha is a delightful little dog who is, after all, just a pup. She is a lovely, gentle affectionate girl who loves attention. She comes across as confident but she needs to be supported by a person or by another dog to become more independent.

While she is usually pretty calm and laid back, like most puppies, she has her mad moments when she is full of beans and really energetic. She is, generally, alert and inquisitive,  playful and happy.  She is becoming a very well rounded character and will make a wonderful pet”.

SOCIAL LEARNING

BASIC TRAINING: Like most puppies, she needed a little training like learning recall and how to walk on a lead. She is crate trained. 

She’s coming on in leaps and bounds . She has settled in well to the routine here and is becoming much more confident. She will need on-going training but likes treats and seems to be quick to learn. Whoever is fortunate enough to rehome her is going to have a wonderful wee dog.

She has now learned some basic commands. She’s beginning to sit ….. she sits to get her collar and lead on and to get treats or her dinner. She waits at the door, gate and at the kerb when we go out but waiting to eat her dinner is currently a step too far.

GROOMING: She wasn’t keen on being brushed but we have been doing a little each day and, now, she accepts a little gentle brushing.

HOUSETRAINING: She was not completely housetrained. She could last overnight but she doesn’t ask to go out so has had accidents in the house each day (and one in the car). Housetraining is still a work in progress and we had our first day of no accidents in the house yesterday but that involves me taking her out into the garden regularly as she still doesn’t ask to go out.

LEADWALKING: She pulled at first but is beginning to walk better on a slip lead since we’ve been working on it. We are trying walking with a harness and, if it’s just the 2 of us, she is beginning to learn not to pull. However, when we’re out with the “big dogs” she pulls like mad because she wants to be with them.

RESOURCE GUARDING: She shows no evidence of resource guarding.

SEPARATION ANXIETY:  Martha really suffered from separation anxiety and, initially, followed me wherever I went. She is beginning to be ok with us not being in the same room as long as she knows where I am. She is becoming less anxious when away from me but would benefit from a home where there is someone around most of the time as she doesn’t really like to be on her own. She is fine overnight with only a few token whimpers when she is left. Lola is in the same room as her and the crate door is left open.

Martha has become much more confident. She no longer needs me to be in sight and I can leave the house to get something from the garage without it being a major trauma! Apart from overnight, however, she still hasn’t been left for any length of time.

TRAVEL:  She has similar issues in the car as well. While the car is moving she is quite settled but as soon as it stops she barks and whines and she is not happy to be left in the car. Now, we are going out in the car with Lola so that she isn’t left alone in the car and that seems to be working.

ADULTS:   She is very friendly with adults and sociable with both people and dogs

CHILDREN: We haven’t met many children but she is quite friendly with them and is calm in their company

DOGS: Martha is happy to meet other people and dogs and greets them very calmly. She is very friendly with other dogs, She loves rough and tumble play with another dog but senses when a dog isn’t interested. Martha and Lola play fighty bite face for ages but she ignores Cass who doesn’t do play. Ideally the dog in her new home would be playful.

CATS:  We’ve not really met any cats but she did bark at one in the garden in the dark. She made no attempt to chase it.

MARTHA’S DREAM HOME

Martha would love a home with someone kind and gentle who is at home most of the time and who will be happy to spend time with her, playing, walking and continuing her training.

Another sweet-natured, playful dog would be absolutely perfect to complete her dream home.

A PERFECT FOREVER HOME (April 2017)

Nobody was surprised when little Lorna was adopted by Lorna.