Jolly finds her forever home

Now who is this happy cutie? Surely it cannot be Jolly, the depressed shih tzu who seemed to pass her days in a daze when we first rescued her? But it is! And the reason for the happy aura surrounding Jolly these days is that she has been adopted!

Doesn't she look so cute?

When we first rescued Jolly, she would constantly walk into things and fall over. She also did not seem to react to any verbal cues. We had thought that she was blind and deaf but it turned out that she had some vision and hearing. But Jolly just seemed like she did not even know she was alive. She spent most of the time just lying in the corner of her foster's room and stared blankly into space. She was very quiet. Too quiet. We did not know if she was just a very docile dog by nature, or if something happened to make her feel or want to be invisible.

Feeling so much more confident 

It has been 2 months since Jolly was rescued. On that fateful day, we did not even know if the dirty and matted dog we found would survive the night.

Jolly loves the sunshine on her back

She was listless and her breathing was shallow. On top of that, she had a host of issues from a mildly collapsed trachea and conjunctivitis, to masses in her mammary glands and bladder. Yet now, 2 months on, the dog that we thought would not make it loves running, playing hide and seek in the house, basking in the sun and running on grassy patches. 

It is almost like she just discovered the joy in living and is fully appreciating all the small blessings. And she is also enjoying the finer things in life, like meat in her diet. Jolly sure loves her beef, chicken and salmon! That's what having a loving forever family can do for a dog! Jolly's new mom had previously adopted another dog from us who was rescued from very similar circumstances, so Jolly's new family includes 2 other senior dog siblings who she can play with. And Jolly's mom can stay home to give Jolly all the TLC she needs, and is also financially able to support her medical needs. We could not ask for a better home for Jolly to be adopted into!

o this day, we still do not know what actually happened to Jolly before she was abandoned outside a HDB apartment, but it seems that it was fate that led Fiona to Jolly and we know that Jolly's life is only going to be more amazing and fruitful from now on. We would like to thank Fabian, the one who found Jolly at his doorstep, for helping Jolly and not ignoring her plight, and her new mama, Melissa, for giving her a chance at happiness.

Also a big thank you to everyone who had helped out with Jolly's vet bills.

Read Jolly's story here: http://hopedogrescue.blogspot.com/2020/07/animal-cruelty-jolly-shihtzu.html

Written by: Samantha

Understanding Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Is your dog just super affectionate and loves being around you, or  does he have separation anxiety and cannot be away from you? How do you tell the difference? Separation anxiety happens when a dog is  overly attached to their human and exhibits distress and other destructive behaviour due to stress when separated from their human. Such behaviour includes excessive barking and howling, and scratching at doors and walls trying to escape and reunite with their human, and usually manifests within a few minutes of their human leaving the house.

Just like people, each dog is an individual with their own personality and quirks that is a result of both nature and nurture. It is not known why some dogs have separation anxiety and others do not.  

Separation anxiety is neither breed-specific nor age-specific and has been seen across dogs of all breeds and ages.

With patience and the right methods - it can be cured.
Donut no longer has separation anxiety.

Separation anxiety not only increases stress levels in dogs, but also in their humans. We all know how difficult it is to leave even our well-adapted pets at home when we have to leave the house for work or  other essential needs. Throw in the heartbreak of watching your dog freak out as you leave and you can imagine the herculean effort to not turn back and comfort your dog in his distress. Not to mention the  stress at coming home after a long day of work to find your home in a mess as your dog tried to claw or shred her way out of the home while you were away. It is even worse if you have set up a petcam to monitor your dogs while you are away and can see the meltdown as it happens but there is nothing that you can do about it. It is no wonder that many dogs have been given up just because their humans could not cope with their separation anxiety.

Scratched the door till paws bleed

Blood stair near the main door

So what do you do if your dog has separation anxiety? Never leave your home again without your pet? While that may be feasible in these COVID times, it is not practical in the long run, nor is it healthy for our own mental health. One way to help your dogs overcome their anxiety at being left alone is to wean them off their over-dependency on you. It may surprise some to hear that it is our own behaviour that sometimes causes or amplifies a dog's separation anxiety. Do you make a big affair out of leaving the house? Do you find yourself seeking out your dog to kiss and hug them goodbye and whisper reassurances that you will see them when you get home? 

It is understandable that we do not like leaving our dogs at home alone any more than they like to be away from us. However, making a big deal out of the separation may cause them anxiety as they do not understand that you are only leaving for work, or popping down to the convenience store to get groceries. They may think that because you are making such a big deal of leaving that you may not be coming back and that is what gets them all riled up. Or you kiss and hug them, get them all hyped up and then you leave. The anticlimax would stress them out. 

So one way to help a dog with separation anxiety is to make leaving the house seem like a common thing to them (which it is unless you are a shut-in). For a start, try ignoring your dog for half an hour before you have to depart. And when it comes time to leave, just take your things and go without saying anything to or making eye contact with your dog. As if you were just taking a trip to the bathroom and  nothing more. Over time, your dog will learn that you leaving the house is not a big deal. That you are not going to disappear from their lives forever. That you will always come home to them.

It will take time, but in most cases, just changing your departure routine and helping your dog be confident in your return is enough to help a dog overcome his separation anxiety. In the rare situation, the anxiety may be attributed to other neurological or psychological  problems that may require professional help. However, know that a dog has separation anxiety because they love you so much and do not want to be apart from you. So just as they love you, we hope that you love them that much in return and never give up on them as you work to overcome their separation anxiety together.

Written by: Samantha Yap

Healing through the strays

I lost my dad in September 2019. Its almost a year since he had been gone, and for me to come to terms with it. I recalled the morning he passed on, I saw him for the last time and naively thought he will make it out of the hospital in the coming days and I could have dinner with him again.

I was so distraught I couldn’t bear to attend his cremation. I huddled outside the temple I had been praying fervently for his recovery for weeks and couldn’t stop my tears for ages. The grief was acute, raw and it swallowed me whole.

I believed what the soul needed, the heart beckons, and so almost a month after his passing, I found myself volunteering for stray feeding. I recalled the last time I went, which was months ago, the feeling of peace and tranquility I had experienced from the session. 

It was something I needed desperately to refuel my empty spirit. I think some dog angels saw a soul hey needed to save and led me to it again.

I stepped into the crisp night air and for the first time, allowed myself to take in the surroundings slowly. I had been on auto-pilot for weeks and the numbness helped got me through the days and the long nights.

The air was fresh and there was a light breeze accompanying us that night. Every breath I took thawed me a little inside. My fellow volunteers and me set to work quickly, scooping the food and kibbles into different containers for the different routes we will be taking to feed the stray dogs. The aching deep loss in my heart which I had carried for weeks lifted momentarily while the sound of food sloshing and light-hearted chatter filled the otherwise silent night.

Once the food containers were filled, we spilt into 3 teams, with each car taking a different route. Our team drove up to a deserted factory and started calling out familiar names the volunteers gave to the stray dogs. Some of the friendlier ones came bounding excitedly out, some shy ones stood nearby, hungry for the food we were holding yet too afraid to venture closer.

I spotted a brown and white one near the edge of the road. What drawn me to her was her demeanor, she looked unsure of herself and seemed to be as lost as I felt. I slowly went to her and held out some food. She took a step back and I looked into her eyes. Eyes that spoke volumes of constant thirst, hunger, rough living and danger. Eyes that still bore hope when she noticed the food in my hands. She came gingerly towards me and I squatted down to appear less intimidating. She came nearer and nearer to me and quickly took a bite of the food I laid on the ground. 

My heart leapt for joy at her trust in me. That momentary spark of joy I felt rekindled a light inside me which I thought will never shine again. While she ate hungrily, I came closer to pat her, she froze a second at my touch and continued gobbling up the rest of the food. Her fur felt wet and rough, fur that hadn’t ever experienced a bath and weathered the scorching sun and relentless rain. There we were in the middle of the night, 2 sentient beings seeking comfort in each other through different ways.

I bade farewell to her when we were about to leave and wished for her to stay safe. With a full belly, she ran off happily and went on to seek out her pack.

That night, I started to heal inside. Those few hours of being together with such carefree and contented creatures lifted me out of the darkness I was trapped in. It seemed to the world like we were the ones saving them, but in actual fact, they are the ones that saved us.

Written by: Jamie Faith