Potato and Angel

Due to arrive in the next week. Potato and Angel. A bonded pair of Old English Mastiffs. Potato is male and around 7 yrs old. Angel is younger although until she arrives & sees our Vet for a check up we are unable to give an estimated age. They are good all rounders in temperament. They have been first vaccinated. At first glance Potato has hearing issues, and some sign of arthritis so will need medication which our Vet has estimated to cost around £76 per month. We are looking for sponsors to help cover this cost and if anyone can help with his first months medication we would kindly ask you to contact our Vet: Vets4Pets Maidstone and make a donation towards our bill. Card payments accepted by phone, Tel no: 01622 686 817 or via paypal TracyLBDR@gmail.com and a huge thank you if you are able to help us to help this boy - we really appreciate it. They will be fully assessed once they have arrived and we will update with more info once we have it. Application Form to apply to adopt can be found on the website here: http://largebreeddogrescue.co.uk/downloads/

Information we have so far

They were picked up wondering in a busy park and served their time in a pound, another rescue was at the pound seeing another dog and met them would have loved to have taken them home but were not able too

Potato was due to be put to sleep but the rescue contacted the dog warden we deal with on a regular basis and he managed to get them out, Potato has arthritis /stiffness in back end he also had sticky eyes

In the pound they were described as being a couple of softies, very laid back and chilled, they showed no problems around other dogs that were out being seen by the other rescue

The only time Angel got anxious was when Potato was taken to the vets to be checked over and she was left on her own

Although it would be nice if they were homed together we also have to be sensible, Potato is a lot older than Angel so she will loose him in the future, by what we have heard we think it might be an idea for her to live with another dog that will bring out her confidence

But you never know there maybe someone out there that already has a dog and would be willing to give them both a chance

We will try and get Potato sponsorship so whoever takes him on will not be faced with huge bills for his arthritis

They are both beautiful!

I recognise that well dressed man! The dog warden who Sharon cannot say no too!

oh i wish i wish i wish what a gorgeous pair

Yes lovely bless them just wondering how I can fit them and Jessie in !!! Need a bigger house.

They have now arrived with us and they are super friendly and affectionate dogs

Potato has been given light exercise whilst he has been in kennels and his stiffness is greatly improved, they are both in good condition and I think in the past have been very much loved, how they ended up as strays is a mystery as first impressions of them is that they are super dogs

Loving these two!

UPDATE - Today these two went to our vets for a good check up this is their opinion
Angel - 18 month to 2 years of age if good condition, with good muscle tone, no issues found

Potato - 4 to 5 years of age condition pretty good but not much muscle on rear end needs muscle building exercise to help him he does not feel that he needs to be on constant medication but for there always to be metacam in the house for if he should need it and use as and when

This is a lot better than we could have hoped for so we have metacam for when he needs it, thank you every one that donated so we could get this

We have them both on a good quality food so this will also help Potato and his legs, and they both have nice thick beds to keep them warm and to take the pressure off the bones, it is thought that they could have been sleeping on a hard floor before

Today Potato has shown a very playful side having a good chew on a kong and a little chase after it

We are hopeful that once he has built up some muscle he will hardly need the medication

A few more pictures taken on Saturday,
ANGEL

PATATO

ANGEL

PATATO

PATATO

They are so beautiful!

They look huge!

Yes Wade they are a little on the large size,

Both have a great personality which is just starting to come through.

Although as Sharon can testify Patato has not been blessed with too much grey matter.

He tried to get out of the van via the front seat when I got out, then after a lot of wiggling and a struggle got on the drivers seat, I have now shut the door to let them out the side door he tries to get through the gap by the passenger door and the seat. The gap is about 4 inches his head is about 12 inches.

While all this is going on Angel and Sharon are looking at me with a swaying van and a huge lump stuck in it.

The help I recived from Sharon will always be remembered and paid back with the laughter

We think these two could live apart from each other should the right homes come along, they are very people friendly and love the attention of humans

If anyone is interested in giving either of these beauties a home then please let us know

13/3/13
Angel
Introduction to strangers;
Initially Angel was greeted in the presence of a long term bonded male, she approached me with wagging tail and greeted me with care given her size. She was comfortable when putting on the lead she did not become over stimulated and
Handling and lead work; Angel was highly interested in her surroundings once out on a lead, she showed little to some attention to the handler whilst walking and pulled slightly on the lead throughout. Angel became stiff during handling and health checks and displayed a variety of stress signals including lip licking, yawning and avoiding eye contact. However she did not directly react to any part of her body being touched. During rough play Angel did not become over excited, she remained on the ground. She displayed small avoidance behaviours and appeared disinterested throughout.
Dog introductions; Angel was introduced to an off lead bitch within separate, adjoining enclosures. Angel at first became tense and Approached the other dog slowly she cautiously remained stiff and tense whilst giving a distant sniff. She expressed a few low growls before looking away. Angel then sat facing head on to the other dog, holding eye contact at all times. With the introduction of a well-known handler Angel re approached the dog with a stiff wagging tail, lowered head.
When introduced to a playful male dog in the same set up, Angel appeared to be slightly more relaxed, although she became stiff and gave low growls when the other dog displayed highly motivated play behaviours.
Food; Angel displayed no significant behaviours during all food tests
Summary; Angel appears to have lived a sheltered life, with the guidance of an older male dog. This has given her some issues surrounding her socialising skills amongst other dogs. Angel will need work with building her confidence in most areas. She would benefit from living as a single dog predominantly until she is able to relax in the presence of strange dogs. Due to Angels size it would be a priority that potential adoptees are willing to work on her basic obedience and lead work skills to ensure she remains safe in public. They must be able to identify when Angel is becoming stressed and act accordingly. Once settled in a now home Angel will be a soft and loving dog, willing to please her owners.

13/3/13
Potato
Introduction to strangers;
On first entering the room, where Potato was housed with his female partner, he got up from his bed with a wagging tail and was pleased to meet me, he remained calm but friendly, rubbing himself gentle against me in a friendly manner. Potato displayed lots of welcoming signals; his eyes were soft and eye contact minimal.
Handling and lead work; Potato pulled a little when approaching the door but responded well when asked to wait. Given his size, Potato had good lead work but would need to improve this as his condition improves and he becomes more accustomed to being out on walks. Due to his size Potato will need continued controlled training as he was very interested in other smells and stimuli; this could cause problems on lead in public if not managed as soon as he is placed into a home.
Conscious of any pain he may have in his hips, as reported by his Vet assessment, Potato remained tolerant of rough and excitable handling, he gave clear indications that he was unsure of what was happening to him during the handling process but did not display any behaviour to prevent me from touching him all over his body.
Dog introductions; Initially Potato seemed unsure and defensive in close proximity to another dog but soon became relaxed and approached, he froze until he was sure the other dog was of no threat. He displayed many stress signals that reduce on the arrival of a well-known handler. Once in the company of humans, Potato relaxed and began to interact with the other dog.
Food; Potato displayed no significant behaviours during handling whilst eating from a bowl or having the bowl removed
Summary; Potato is a soft, sweet natured dog that thrives on human attention and guidance; he would benefit living with another dog to learn some independence. Potential new owners will need to be breed experienced or fully understanding that due to his size, they need to reinforce his basic obedience and socialising skills to ensure his safety in public areas.

Angel Assessment

LARGE BREED DOG RESCUE
Behavioural Assessment Form

Dogs assessed by LARGE BREED DOG RESCUE are done so by qualified / experienced volunteers and wherever possible, two volunteers will be present at the time of assessment.
The welfare & the safety of all dogs & volunteers is of top priority at all times and therefore the assessments may be stopped at any time before being completed.
The behaviours shown in this assessment were seen on the date shown below but can change at any time (i.e. if a dog has been in kennels for a long period or once a dog is placed in a home)

Assessors:

1) Tracy Buckingham 2) Sharon Farrington


Date of assessment: 4th May 2013 Dogs name: Angel

Breed: Mastiff Sex: Female

Age: 16 month/2 years Neutered: Yes

History: Stray Any other history: No history



Any medical conditions: None known


How did the dog travel in the car:



SITUATION DOGS REACTION
Person approaches dog in kennel Very friendly & welcoming, wants to say ‘hello’ and have fuss
Person enters kennel to put leash on Very excited & accepting
Person takes dog out for a walk Can pull on lead – excited, after a while settles into the walk
Person walks past while dog is eating food She will want to be told she can eat. If you walk near food she stops eating and walks away
Person tries to pick up / take high value food Nuzzles your hand but lets you take it

SITUATION
DOGS REACTION
Person tries to touch toy that dog is playing with Angel drops toy and lets you take it
Person reaches hand out towards dog Angel can be submissive to an unknown person, lies down and rolls over. Unsure of strangers
Person reaches over dogs head Quite accepting of this
Person grabs at dogs collar / neck As above
Person hugs dog around the neck Sees this as affection, no unwanted behaviour
Person pushes down on dogs back Goes straight into down, wanting affection
Person pushes down on dogs rump Goes into sit then on to her back
Person tries to get dog to lay down by voice command
Person tries to get dog to lay by physically pushing Does this unwillingly, but knows command
Person tries to groom dog (head, body)
Very accepting and sees as affection
Person touches dogs feet As above
Person clips dogs toenails
As above, no issues
Person tries to bathe dog including towelling off Not tested

SITUATION DOGS REACTION
Person tries to open dogs mouth Allows you to do this but submissive
Person holds eye contact with dog Looks away
Person shouts loudly near dog No response
Person threatens dog with an object Flinches
Person drops an object near dog Flinches and moves away
Stranger knocks on the door Barks, stops when told
Strangers enters the room All over people wanting to say ‘hello’ and have a fuss
Stranger tries to pet the dog in the room Very accepting, no issues, loves the attention
Stranger pets the dog outside Very accepting, no issues
Stranger approaches dog in car Takes no notice
Stranger shouts loudly in dog presence Looks and walks away
Dog walks past familiar, non reactive dog No issues
Dog walks past unfamiliar non reactive dog No issues shown. Showed no interest
Dog walks past familiar reactive dog Not tested
SITUATION DOGS REACTION
Dog walks past unfamiliar reactive dog Showed avoidance
Dog sees cat outside

Shows signs of wanting to chase but stops when told
Person holds cat in close proximity of the dog





Can the dog live with children (if so, which age): Yes, as no history older children only.

Assessors overall general opinion of the dog: Perfect girl – would benefit with more socialisation with other dogs but could live with another dog.

What type of home will the dog need: Large breed experience preferred. 1 ½ hours excercise per day. Active home.


What type of home would not suit the dog: No young children due to size and the fact we have no history


Needs more basic training and lead training.

Very human friendly, loveable dog.

Angel has been homed good luck girl be happy:love1: 

Potato though is still looking for the perfect home  

The homechecker went to check on Angel this is what she had to say

Hi Sharon.

I went round to see Heidi, Will and Molly last night. Only meant to pop in for 20 minutes but suddenly realized I'd been there over an hour and a half. Woops.

Molly was an absolute delight. What a lovely lovely dog. She had had a bath earlier in the day and was still a little damp but her coat looked beautiful. She is eating a bit now, although they are still having to hand feed her to start, but then she will eat on her own. They have discovered she likes chicken, steak - and tripe from Pets at Home. We laughed that, if she carries on having expensive tastes like steak, their original estimated budget for feeding her might be rather optimistic.

Heidi said she was so proud Molly won Prettiest Bitch at the show, she nearly cried. Bless.

With the hot weather, they are walking Molly at the cool ends of the day (Will walks her at 5am as he starts work very early). Because of this, they have not had chance to meet many other dogs while out and about but hope this will change once the weather cools down.

They enjoyed their training class on Friday and plan to go regularly. Will proudly told me Molly had gone through a tunnel - after he had crawled through to show her the way! I now have a visual in my head, lol.

They had a trainer come to the house during the first week as they were worried about Molly settling. Luckily she was able to give them lots of good advice they have tried and which has helped a lot. She was also able to reassure them that Molly was unlikely to slip into depression because they had removed her from Potato. Bless.

They were having difficulties getting Molly to settle the first few nights. She was crying and Will was ending up sleeping downstairs with her. The trainer who came to the house suggested not confining Molly at night, as they are actually happy for her to have the run of the whole house, and this made an instant difference. Molly seems to not like being confined, even if it is to the whole downstairs of the house. She adopted the spare room as her own and happily sleeps in there every night. This room is now "Molly's room" and Heidi and Will have relatively peaceful nights (apart from the obligatory Mastiff snoring). They also give Molly free range of the house when they go out, as this seems to be what she needs to settle.

They are building up leaving Molly on her own very gradually. Heidi went shopping yesterday and left Molly for 40 minutes and said, all the way round Sainsbury's, she was panicking when people got in her way, worried she had to get back for Molly. When she got home, Molly was (predictably) fast asleep upstairs and hadn't moved at all. When I said, "so you can leave her for an hour now", Heidi looked horrified and said "Oh, I'm not sure we are ready for an hour yet!" The dog can cope with the separation but Heidi can't yet, ha ha.

They are eventually hoping to do the Good Citizen classes with Molly and, if she is suitable, look at training her as a PAT dog because she loves people and they feel she could have a lot to offer AND enjoy herself at the same time.

They took Molly to the vet's for a check-up the other day and the vet found some moles on her belly. Although they don't look sinister, the vet has recommended a biopsy just to be sure as they lost their last mastiff to cancer. Hopefully there will be no problem and the moles will be harmless.




They take Molly with them to the allotment they have and there they have discovered she likes to chase small furries, like cats and foxes. She has seen the horses and cattle on the farm where I keep my horses but has shown no interest in them at all.

What else can I say? Lovely dog, lovely people, lovely home.

With living round the corner from them, I will hopefully bump into them when the weather cools down so will update as and when.

Thank you for rehoming Molly to them. It looks like a brilliant match and I feel confident they will be very happy together.

ANGEL NOW MOLLY UPDATE


Hi!

Molly has now been with us just over a month, and she has brought so
much happiness in our lives. I think we kind of stopped living after
we lost Homer last October, but thanks to Molly we are “back to
normal” again :) So thanks ever so much for letting us have her! She
has such a great energy and is always smiling. Everyone loves her!

I think we are all still getting to know each other, but this is what
we know so far:

- She likes to eat lying down

- She gets on with other dogs but doesn’t always know how to meet and
greet properly - she gets a little nervous, but once she knows it’s
all good she quickly relaxes. We are thinking of taking her to doggy
daycare few times a week to practice her meet and greet skills.

- She is fabulous off lead and obeys really well (knock wood!!!)

- She finds being on her own a little challenging and there is quite a
bit of work to be done on this. Though she is not the only one
suffering from separation anxiety, Heidi also finds being apart from
her intolerable!

- She doesn’t like training school that much – she is very clever and
finds the repetitive exercises boring. But we want her to get the
Kennel Club certificate so that she could start the therapy dog
training (and she also needs to learn to be more patient :)

- She has really come out of her shell. At first she was always
panicking that someone is going to hit her, but now she is a lot more
relaxed and doesn’t do that “roll on the floor in fear” thing anymore
– which we are really pleased about.

- She is a proper only child and gets very jealous if we give
attention to other dogs in the park

- Everyone thinks she's a boy so we bought her a pink collar to make
her gender more obvious :)

Attached are few pics of our recent trip to Formby beach. She
absolutely loves water so we are trying to find her a canine swimming
pool where she could practice her swimming skills.

Hope Mr. Potato is well!

Heidi, Wills and Molly

LARGE BREED DOG RESCUE
Behavioural Assessment Form

Dogs assessed by LARGE BREED DOG RESCUE are done so by qualified / experienced volunteers and wherever possible, two volunteers will be present at the time of assessment.
The welfare & the safety of all dogs & volunteers is of top priority at all times and therefore the assessments may be stopped at any time before being completed.
The behaviours shown in this assessment were seen on the date shown below but can change at any time (i.e. if a dog has been in kennels for a long period or once a dog is placed in a home)

Assessors:

1) .......Tracy Buckingham........................... 2) ..........Sharon Farrington...

Date of assessment: ..25/5/13............................ Dogs name:....Potato..................................................

Breed: ......Mastiff........................................... Sex: ..........Male.......................................................

Age: .......about 5..................................................... Neutered: Yes.................................................

History: Stray / Any other history: ..........NO HISTORY.............................

Any medical conditions: .....WEAK BACK LEGS.................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................................

How did the dog travel in the car: ........Fine, quite and lays down.
SITUATION DOGS REACTION
Person approaches dog in kennel Potato is very welcoming and friendly
Person enters kennel to put leash on No issues, shows excitement at going out
Person takes dog out for a walk Potato pulls a little on the lead but is getting better, this is now very manageable
Person walks past while dog is eating high value food No issues shown, Potato just shows excitement
Person tries to pick up / take high value food Potato shows no issues, is happy for you to take it from him

Person tries to touch toy that dog is playing with Potato can be possessive of toys around other dogs but shows no issues with people
Person reaches hand out towards dog Potato sees this as affection and loves it
Person reaches over dogs head Potato sees this as a fuss
Person grabs at dogs collar / neck No issues
Person hugs dog around the neck Potato loves a hug and gives kisses
Person pushes down on dogs back Potato takes no notice
Person pushes down on dogs rump Potato takes no notice sees it as a fuss
Person tries to get dog to lay down by voice command Potato does this “appears” to know this command
Person tries to get dog to lay by physically pushing Potato shows reluctance but will allow without issue which may be to do with his size and legs
Person tries to groom dog (head, body)
Potato loves a groom gets his back leg going
Person touches dogs feet Potato has no issues with his feet being touched when you stop he asks you to do it again
Person clips dogs toenails
Potato has no issues with this
Person tries to bathe dog including towelling off Potato has been bathes many times at the Brooke he seems to enjoy it and even likes the hairdryer

SITUATION DOGS REACTION
Person tries to open dogs mouth Potato allows you to do this without issue
Person holds eye contact with dog Potato does not mind this not fazed looks for a fuss
Person shouts loudly near dog Potato wags his tail and then comes for a fuss but without a care
Person threatens dog with an object Potato takes no notice, then takes the object, not bothered at all
Person drops an object near dog Looks at object then goes back to snoozing
Stranger knocks on the door Barks – in an excited to see you kind of way
Strangers enters the room As above
Stranger tries to pet the dog in the room As above
Stranger pets the dog outside As above
Stranger approaches dog in car No issues at all unless he has Angel in the car then he will bark to protect her
Stranger shouts loudly in dog presence Not tested
Dog walks past familiar, non reactive dog Walks past without interest
Dog walks past unfamiliar non reactive dog Potato ignored but if we allowed it to continue we think he would tell dog off
Dog walks past familiar reactive dog Takes no notice
SITUATION DOGS REACTION
Dog walks past unfamiliar reactive dog Ignores but if pushed would defend himself
Dog sees cat outside

Saw cat through window looked then looked away did not appear to show any interest
Person holds cat in close proximity of the dog As above





Can the dog live with children (if so, which age) .......Yes can go with children, people have to be aware he was a stray with no history and because of his size could knock younger children over .

Assessors overall general opinion of the dog: .very people friendly may need more work around other dogs ..........

..............................................................................................................................................................

What type of home will the dog need: ......A quite home, that offers short walks, he loves a walk but is not a hiker.....................................

...............................................................................................................................................................

What type of home would not suit the dog: ....An over active home ..................................................

...............................................................................................................................................................




All these behaviours were shown at the time of this however these behaviours may change in different circumstances.

His assessment looks really good, he seems like a gentle giant, hope he gets a home soon!