Adorable 3 year old, medium-size family dog, free to good home

[Gulli]

Playful and gentle, very cute and good-looking, smooth short-haired, doesn't moult much at all, black and tan. Domed forehead, huge amber eyes and short floppy ears. Looks like a Beagle crossed with a German Shepherd.  Weight 25kg. Castrated, vaccinated with pet passport (valid to 13 April 2013) and micro-chipped (250 269 201 037 488).

He's healthy, intelligent and responds well to consistent commands and easily learns new ones. Very good in the house and can be left without problem. He enjoys rides in the car, is good with all humans, excellent with other dogs and children love him and he them. However, he does chase cats.

I'm moving abroad where dogs are not tolerated and I will not be able to keep him safe, even in our own garden.  He merits better than such a horrible end so, with regret and some urgency I hope to find him a family who will love him as he deserves and where he will thrive.  

We are midway between Saintes and Royan in Charente-Maritime, not far from the N150 main road linking the two towns, easy to find.

[Chrissie]

Hi

I can't adopt your dog, but a photo of him might help his chances - have pm'd you about this.

Chrissie (81)

[Chrissie]

And here he is - what a lovely calm-looking boy:

[IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/chrissie_081/009.jpg[/IMG]

Chrissie (81)

[Chrissie]

Gulli has given me a bit more info on ELMO - that's his name, and a new pic which I shall add at the bottom. 

It is such a moving story.  Can no-one offer this amazing dog a new home after his early sad start in life?  This is what Gulli told me:

His first owner was French, in Vendée, and kept him on a chain with shelter and food but no company at all, human or animal, until he was 17 months old.  I've heard of people doing this kind of thing to make a dog aggressive, when they want a guard dog.  Obviously, this was a total non-starter with Elmo who just loves everybody.  Then, he was abandoned, his owner denying that Elmo was his dog, although he had already been to the vet with him for his vaccinations!  After 2 weeks in the fourrière he was taken to the vets for euthanasia.  The vet refused to put him to sleep, saying he was healthy, very good-natured and, despite being chained 24/7 until then, very well-balanced.  He called NALA, a newly-formed association who brought him to me.

You can imagine, when he arrived Elmo was like a giant puppy, flying around, chewing everything, never had any cuddles before, never been inside a house before so the first few weeks were difficult.  All worth it, seeing him now.  Let's hope a lovely family/person who can keep him safe come forward.

 

[IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/chrissie_081/002a.jpg[/IMG]

 

Chrissie (81)

[Gulli]

Yes, he has an excellent home with me but it's important that I find a good home for him before the end of October when I'll be moving near a pueblo in Andalucia where the local shepherds have had dreadful problems with stray and escaped dogs (usually from ex-pat British) and that is why they are routinely poisoned.

I don't actually want to give him away, just doing what I can to find a family who can care for him, love him and keep him safe. If no takers, he'll be coming with me and I'll do all I can to protect him. It won't be much of a life for him. I'm moving to be with my partner and know many people there with dogs and have been horrified to hear how many they have lost. I know that Elmo will be in serious danger there. So, if you're thinking about getting a friendly, family dog, then contact me. His welfare is paramount, so I'll need to satisfy myself that you can give him a good home and that he will be appropriate for you. If he is rehomed and it doesn't work out, for whatever reason and whenever that may be, I'll take him back.

He spent his first 17 months of life attached to a chain without company of any kind. Never walked, never even spoken to. I guess his owner wanted him to become a mean guard dog. But that is just not in his nature. So his owner abandoned him and denied that he was his dog, the neighbours said otherwise! After 15 days in the Fourrière he was taken to the vet to be put to sleep. The vet refused to do this to a young dog in good health and very well-balanced and friendly, despite the deprivations of his early life. The vet knew who he belonged to, as the owner had taken him to the vet for his vaccinations but the owner denied it was his dog. In desperation, the vet called NALA, an animal rescue association in the Vendée. They immediately placed Elmo with me.

Despite never having been in a house before, he was clean from the start. OK, he chewed everything - books, DVDs (très croquants!), rubber gloves, etc:, but now is older, calmer and good as gold and can be left in the house for hours without any damage whatsoever. He walks to heel, sits on command and takes titbits very gently. Visiting children, and my dog-sitters' grandson, love him and he has a special relationship with children. I couldn't afford many dog-training sessions but the dog trainer said he would be excellent for agility - he certainly seemed to take to it. Any takers for the cute, affectionate, intelligent (loves TV), playful and (generally) obedient Elmo?

For his future life and well-being, I certainly hope so! If you do contact me, there will be no hard sell. It's all about finding a home where Elmo will be happy and well-cared for and where his new owners will be very content with him.