| Archive for Rescue Remedies.myfastforum.org Rescue Remedies Forum |
| EmmaSemple |
Rolo - Springer Spaniel (Furry Friends)Rolo is a Springer Spaniel who is the last dog to come out of an Irish rescue (where Boots and Judy came from) who is currently living in a run and has been for four years.He is due to be euthanased, but I am currently in talks at the moment to try and save him, so I thought that, to drum up some interest I should get his details out there, in case they change their minds. Rolo is not an easy dog apparently. He was taken in as an abuse case by the rescue four years ago. The man that owned him wanted him as a working dog and as is the practice in Ireland, if they don't do as they are told...beat them. 
He endured this for four years before finally being handed over to rescue as useless. The rescue did home him to a place where he lived a couple of months tied up on a chain in a back yard, but then after he snapped at the owner and got beaten for it, they handed him back. The rescue decided that as he had snapped out that he was not rehomable, but being a Springer Spaniel incarcerated in a run with just a kennel, no toys, no exercise and no stimulation, he is going pretty stir crazy in there. Two people have assessed him. One was a gundog type lady and she went into the run and interacted with him. She said that he was a bright and intelligent dog and very willing to learn. That was three years ago. The second was a lady who tried to say hello through the kennel bars and he growled at her, so the rescue owners would not let her in with him. That was about three months ago. He is a damaged soul and I would imagine would love to know kindness. The rescue are not cruel to him, but have little time to ndividually give each dog attention and he has now lost his companion who lived in the run (a bald collie who is now in a new home over here) and the two Collies who shared a run next to him (who are now also placed in a rescue over here). He also knew Boots well as he also lived next door to him. Now he just sits in the run all day with nobody around and just looking forward to his dinner every day. Instead of labelling him as 'not homable' with no trial I think it fair that this dog be bought into a happy and relaxed environment, teach him some ground rules, see how he reacts in a home and kind treatment. He may be past the point of no return, but if that is the case then at least he will be with someone who actually cares for him as an individual. If he is copable but not homable then he will stay here for life as my boy Conker did. Rolo is now about 8 years old. He is good with other dogs and cats. He cannot be homed with children and must go to a home where the owners have experienced abuse cases before. He will need lots of time and understanding and probably little interaction for the first week or so. A dog that needs to come to you to search out approval. Rolo will be fully vaxed, neutered, chipped, wormed, defleaed and bathed before leaving rescue. I am not looking for any foster home for Rolo as he will be looking for a permanent environement once assessment has happened. Wish me luck!!!!! Emma (020 8407 1080/0797 356 9371) Surrey |
| Paulak |
Good luck Emma and well done for trying to give this lad a chance x |
| CloClo |
Good luck. Thank God someone has given him a chance. |
| MBNAD woman |
Fingers crossed for poor old Rolo. Abused dogs can still make good family pets, if you take it gently and give them the space they need to come to you. But once you've got over that, they love and trust you for ever. There must be someone special out there for Rolo... |
| Jilly Allen |
Yet again Emma to the rescue. I know you are not looking for a foster but if there is anything else I can do just give us a shout. We are all rooting for you.
Jill |
| EmmaSemple |
I haven't heard back yet from the rescue if they are going to release him.
I know that he has spent many years being beaten black and blue and that with a kind word and a gentle touch that even the naughtiest of dogs can be bought round. When I got Conker in and after he had bitten my thigh leaving a HUGE black bruise and a bit of a scar not one person agreed with me that he should carry on. They said that he was far too mentally scarred to ever be able to be trusted and that nobody would ever want him. Maybe it was because I am a stubborn mare, but going against all advice (friends, family, vets, behaviourists and the authorities) I carried on and now he is my angel. I have had him for a year next month. Conker came from a farmer who had beaten him for 10 years. He was a dominant dog and many over there the believe that if you beat a dog to the point of death then they will be too scared to retaliate. Conker fought back time and time again and his beatings got worse. The farmer would kick, punch and whip him to try and 'bring him round'. In the end the aggression got so bad that the farmer dumped him. When he arrived he was so scared of me that even stroking his back resulted in him attacking me at one point! In fact touching anywhere below his neck turned him into a frenzy. I can now sit on the floor with him and he will rub his head all around me. I can tickle his back and he is crazy with happiness when I come through the door! He can now be walked safely in public and strangers can stroke his head. He goes to the vets unmuzzled now and follows me about like a shadow. Time and effort make huge differences to these dogs. Sticking a dog in a run and waiting for a miracle just doesn't work! Here is a pic of Conker. I could ramble for hours about him! Although this is Rolo's thread I thought it important to show that just because one human has crushed, tortured and degraded the spirit of a dog, does not mean that another cannot make the dog whole, happy and feel wanted again. 
I truely hope that they agree to at least give Rolo a chance. A foster home is not out of the question. It is dependant on the severity of his problems. Emma |
| EmmaSemple |
They have agreed to hand Rolo over to me. 
Emma |
| ali12345 |
Great news Emma. Hope you can bring this boy around.
Alison |
| CloClo |
That's great. Good luck! |
| EmmaSemple |
Reading between the lines it sounds like possession issues. He has got hold of dog food tins and chews ad won't give them up. The rescue has said that in the time he has been with them he has never bitten anyone, only nipped but that is hearsay.
If it is food/toy possession then I am pretty sure that we can deal with it. Nervous aggression is far worse! Emma |
| EmmaSemple |
Rolo is enroute to me now and will arrive at 5am tomorrow morning.
Along with an EXTREMELY matted Cavalier who has not been brushed out in 12 YEARS! Busy weekend ahead I think.
Emma |
| Jilly Allen |
Well done Emma yet again. Photos as soon as possible please.
What a lucky pair of dogs they are to have you. |
| EmmaSemple |
Rolo - so far so good!
And Teagan - little whinger!!!
Emma |
| EmmaSemple |
Rolo has spent all day with my gang (Conker, Annie, Monty and Harry), Boysie, Charlie, Stan and Teagan at the kennels. We also had to pick Scamp up from the vets after his castration and he has mixed fine with him in the house.
He is a puller on the lead, but this is down to him never being trained otherwise. He has settled in quite well and there has been the expected snarls to people that he has only just met. He is a confused boy really. 
He likes to jump up for a fuss, but when the fuss comes he becomes instantly unsure. Gentle strokes on the head is fine. At the moment he is being ignored most of the time. I know that sounds so mean! But it is all for good reason. Because he doesn't know us yet I want him to become relaxed in each of the family members company and realise that when his head is near to us it won't get punched! This method seems to be working because he is running about waggling his tail and relishes running up the garden in front of me looking back to see if I am behind him. He is licking hands and nuzzling which is a good sign as it shows that he is wanting attention, but its not yet time to fuss him properly. Poor messed up soul.
Emma |
| Sharonr - Admin |
Very handsome boy and so sad he is so mixed up. Bet your fingers are itching for a cuddle Emma, but boy will it be worth the wait. Some lucky family that homes him. |
| Jilly Allen |
Great photos and oh how settled they both look. They are a couple of very lucky dogs. Life must have been so unsettling in the past to say the least. So a build up of confidence love and trust and they will be new dogs. Well done Emma a million times |
| EmmaSemple |
Due to our Rolo having dreadlocks and smelling like a ses pit, I have decided that the kindest thing to do is to have him lightly sedated on Wednesday and get him groomed, bathed, microchipped, second vaxed and flea treated whilst under.
I COULD tether him, muzzle him and pin him down to groom him, but why put his behaviour back when it could be done with no stress to him? He is showing signs of improvement already I am glad to say. He comes running up to greet me with his whole body wagging rather than just his tail. Unfortunately he still is unsure about the whole fussing thing, but I have got some excellent advie from NESSR (Springer Rescue) and it seems, as everyubody knows already that it is just a long slog of time and patience. Ignoring him is the main key as if you shower him with love he gets scared.
Time will tell if this boy can be bought round. Emma |
| EmmaSemple |
Well, it is all little steps I guess.
Rolo has now worked the stairs out and slept last night in my room on his bed on the floor. He isn't allowed on the furniture. He eats in his crate and also has treats in his crate. When he first arrived he would go pretty mental if you even walked past him but now he is starting to see the crate as his safe spot and somewhere to chill out. He has got to the point so far that you can talk to him whilst he is in there and he is quite relaxed. He shows good body language. Ears back and relaxed and happy to watch you. If you go and sit near to the crate and talk to him then he gets the hump, but I am teaching him through treat and reward that if I am sitting outside the crate and he is quiet then he gets a small biccy! He takes these very gently too. He was introduced to a Bulls Pizzle today. He spent about 5 minutes just licking it as he didn't have a clue what it was and then worked out that he could eat it. He continues to greet me like a long lost friend and accepts a pat on the head now with no animosity. He is also a shadow and insists on accompanying me all round the house. I would like to think it is through loyalty but it is more likely to be in case a bit of food is on offer! Emma |
| Jilly Allen |
Don't kid yourself he loooooooooooooooooooooooooooves you. You saved his life. I think it is like the little fosters they know I am sure that you have saved their lives. Well done Emma |
| EmmaSemple |
Rolo is now back from the vets.
He looks great! He was very pleased to see me when he came out of the vets and jumped up gently and allowed me to stroke his head with no funny looks, no wariness and he seemed genuinely happy to be coming home. They have done a great job with him and he seems far more comfortable. After shaving him off they found a bit of a nasty skin infection due to some sort of irritation (not fleas or mange) that he had bothered but because his skin was so filthy (he had never had a bath in his life) the filth had infected his skin. He is now smelling llovely and is on a course of antibiotics to try and clear his skin up. He was also jabbed and chipped. He came into the house and was doing lots of play bows and wagging his now dreadlock-free tail. Dinner didn't touch the sides and he has spent most of the evening scratching his backend on the outside of his dog crate and groaning in pleasure! Emma |
| EmmaSemple |
Today Rolo has turned a corner.
Here he is with Rachel. He is a new dawg as you can see... 
Emma |
| ali12345 |
So happy for him! Well done Emma for giving him a chance.
Alison |
| MBNAD woman |
The lovely fragrant RoloWhat a lovely clip! With the beautiful Conker and Stan in attendance. Loved the bit where Stan shoved his nose under Rachel's elbow so he could get a cuddle too.
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| Jilly Allen |
Amazing footage Emma you must be so proud of him.
He is a beauty just desperate to be loved. It brings tears to your eyes when you know how he has been treated in the past and yet all he wants is human love and attention. Well done all of you for giving him a new start. |
| EmmaSemple |
Gah! He won't leave me alone!!! Since he has realised that life is good in a home, he has turned into a complete pain in the bum!!! 
Daily routine goes something like this... Get up in the morning and let him out of his crate (he still sleeps in the crate because otherwise he tends to stare at you all night from the floor!) Breakfast time whilst trying to step over him whilst he is jumping into every spot that you try to put your feet. Back in the crate briefly to have his food and first lot of pills for his skin infection and out he hops again. I have a shower and get dressed with Rolo waiting outside the door desperate to get in, so when it comes to putting socks and shoes on he is allowed into the bedroom and presses himself against me the whole time trying to get a fuss, licking me and expecting a head stroke the whole time. Finally manage to peel him off of me and try lamely to get down the stairs without tripping over him although he happens to be walking wherever I do. A few bounces too and fro in play bows and into the car and ready for work. Up he hops into the car in his designated place and sits firmly down and now has no problem with me tethering him safely in the back of the car for the journey. To begin with he was very suspicious about the whole thing! Off we go to work and then he gets an hour to frolick, run off some energy in a large enclosed field and socialise with up to 9 dogs at a time at the moment (my four, my work colleagues Collie and all my current rescue dogs looking for homes at the moment.) Quiet time for a couple of hours and then out for another run for an hour or so and finally he gets his lunch. He has a great appetite and loves Naturediet, so that is what he has.
At 5pm we all go home and stop enroute for a quick run in the woods. He is very good off lead and his recall is great. He is too busy watching me to run off anyway! Home time and he gets his second lot of pills in a chunk of Sheba cat food. This is when he should relax and chill out? Nope! He insists on doing the feeding rounds for all the animals. He is confident that I may drop a smidgeon of food and of course he is more than happy to clear it up. Finally bedtime and he has trained me well really. He will go into the dog crate IF there is a handful of biscuits in there! Then he sleeps like a baby, waiting for it to happen all over again! Emma |
| ali12345 |
Sounds idyllic for him. You'll never get him to leave!
Alison |
| Sharonr - Admin |
Your thread made me laugh - I have a springer/collie cross - wants to please and be praised all the time and very food focused. Will even eat seed off the bird table!
One advantage of that though is they are so easily trained. She has been the most obedient and loyal dog we have ever had
Someone is going to be very lucky to have Rolo in their home. PS Can tell you just love it too!
|
| EmmaSemple |
I was told when I first got Rolo that he was trialled as a sniffer dog and although he was great, he failed because he couldn't be trusted with people (how wrong were they???) I have started a new game with him and he has to work a bit for his treats now. I hide them all over the garden and when you say find them he roots out every single one. His mind is ticking away all the time and lspending his whole life in a kennel/on a chain must have sent him slightly crazy! He really is an intelligent lad and has had much of his precious life wasted.
I have had a few enquiries for Rolo but from people who have never had an abused dog and dearly wanted to love him but didn't quite have what I was looking for. One of the enquiries was a definate possibility, but it is down to the 'Ok' from hubbie! Emma |
| EmmaSemple |
Rolo has been reserved to go to a new home. 
Emma |
| Sharonr - Admin |
Wow, fast work Emma, thrilled for him
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| xxlynne |
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| Jilly Allen |
Everything crossed. What a change to this little chaps life, he can stalk someone else now.
Lovely boy. Again well done Emma and team. |
| EmmaSemple |
Rolo has now gone to his new home.
Emma |
| CloClo |
Well done Emma! |
| xxlynne |
Wonderful news. |
| Sharonr - Admin |
He so deserved it
|
| EmmaSemple |
Back you go Rolo-boy!
Rolo has been a bit naughty and decided that the female Springer of the family is there to be mounted. He is not letting off and the new owner feels that this isn't fair on her. It has been agreed to bring him back into my care and we will carry on working with him.
Emma |
| EmmaSemple |
Due to Rolo's little habits and him being a very hard dog to rehome, he has been lucky enough to be offered a space here...
http://www.retreatanimalrescue.org.uk/animals/dogs/index.html It is an animal sanctuary and is run by people who are very experienced with dogs like Rolo. These people have the same views as me on 'the law of the dog'. I have said for years that people make the rules, dogs act on instinct. They don't know that it is wrong to bite or nip and in Rolo's case people have pushed him to the brink. However, I have not forgotten him and he is going there on the understanding that if it does not work out that he must come back here. He will always be safe for life no matter what. Emma |
| reclaimingrebus |
thats good news Emma. it looks a good place |
| Sharonr - Admin |
What a fantastic place and dog ethos. You are giving him the best chance of rehab, the potential to undo all the bad stuff that humans have done to him. Well done for finding them.
Will you get reports/feedback on him? Keep us posted if you do. |
| EmmaSemple |
I am hoping to. I have known them for a couple of years now and they are excellent with abused dogs.
Emma |
| Jilly Allen |
Well done you Emma this place looks fantastic I want to go and live there. You have made Rolo's life so possible and saved him from goodness knows what. This retreat looks fantastic and I am sure they will continue the great work you have done with Rolo. If Rolo good speak he would say a very BIG thank you - so we will say it on his behalf - Thank you Emma for giving me a chance in life.
Beautiful new home, great doggy friends all due to you - Well done again. |