Claire is a 5 year old female Sheltie Cross. She is fostered in Mattishall Norfolk. Claire has come to us recently from the Botosani public shelter in Romania.
The conditions in this shelter have been particularly horrific in the last couple of years and every single one of the 900 dogs in there is at serious risk of being attacked due to severe overcrowding.
We get out as many as we can as often as we can but obviously cannot even hope to make a dent in those kinds of numbers. It just means that every life we save from there is extra precious.
Claire is indeed extremely precious. Not only is she stunning underneath all the matts she arrived with but she’s already showing signs of being an absolute sweetheart.
Claire is cautious with strangers but once she knows you she is cuddly and affectionate. Claire learnt very quickly how to walk on a lead but will need to continue with practice and gain confidence.
Claire mixes beautifully with other dogs but would be ok in a home as an only dog with a kind and patient adopter.
Claire is not currently cat tested but is very mild-mannered so could be tested for a home-checked home. A quiet environment would best suit her needs with children no younger than ten years old. When you adopt a Safe Rescue dog, you MUST use a slip lead.
This will keep your dog safe: your new dog will be nervous and will not trust you, and you will not know which situations might upset your dog.
If your dog panics, then a slip lead is the only way to prevent your dog from escaping (many dogs can escape from a collar and/or harness). It will take AT LEAST 3-6 months for your dog to settle in and for you to know your dog fully (longer for nervous dogs).
The slip lead must ALWAYS be used during this settling-in period. Even after your dog is settled, it is safest to use the slip lead in situations where your dog may become scared (e.g. visiting new places, around unfamiliar people, at the vet), and in situations where unexpected triggers might happen (e.g. around bonfire night).
Nervous dogs may always need to wear a slip-lead as a backup safety measure. The slip lead is a safety device and must NEVER be used as a training tool.
Using the lead to apply pressure to the dog’s neck is damaging. If your dog pulls on the lead, then we can advise you on training methods that avoid harm. Once your dog is settled, you may want to consider using a harness (together with the slip lead) if your dog is comfortable with being handled when it is fitted.
Most harnesses are not escape-proof, but harnesses with a strap behind the ribcage (e.g. Ruffwear Webmaster or Perfect Fit Harnesses) are safer. Retractable/extendable leads must never be used on our dogs. Adopted dogs must be collected from the rescue and transported straight home in a crate.
