Progress Update on the Adorable 10 Year Old Girl Called Kerry

Carol Thorn

​The imaginatively named Kerry was in a rescue centre in Dorset when Mark found her for us. At over 10 years old she had already been rehomed once, hundreds of miles away, and sent (yes, sent not taken) back as ‘too aggressive at the vets, and unable to bond with a new owner’… and that was after just one week!! 

After some long conversations with the rescue centre, and with some sterling support from Mark, the rescue agreed that they would consider rehoming her to us if we went to visit several times to ensure compatibility before taking her. As the 6 hour round trip was physically difficult, they finally agreed that if we spent the day there, and Kerry and my existing dogs were ok together, then yes, they would let me take her home the same day… Phew!

So we set off down to Dorset with Moya the 13 year old Jack Russell and Freddie the 10 year old lurcher, still unsure how they would get on and if it would be a wasted journey, but absolutely committed that we wouldn’t take Kerry home if any of the three dogs were going to be too distressed after their introductions.

With some trepidation I went to meet Kerry alone at first, and was delighted to see such a waggy tail and happy little dog. Despite her age and health conditions (untreated Dry Eye means she has limited vision now, and cysts and lumps and bumps everywhere!). Introductions to Moya and Freddie (and of course Graham, my partner!) went better than expected and we all spent the rest of the afternoon in the Sensory garden, with all three dogs running around happily together. In true KBT style Kerry put Fred in his place when he got too boisterous, but he took it well considering.

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And so we travelled home with three dogs in the car, not a sound out of any of them all the way home! 
Kerry has now been here just over a month, and as with any rescue dog of her age, we didn’t expect plain sailing all the way. However, she has been and made friends with everyone at our local vets, and had her second injections without any issue, and with lots of tail wagging and making friends (we were told that she was so aggressive that she must be muzzled at the vets….), she has coped with the grandchildren visiting frequently, and knows that the three year old is a really good source of food. She has visited lots of new friends, and behaved impeccably with them all. We appreciate it is still early days, there have been a few face offs between Kerry and Freddie as Freddie doesn’t like her KBT demand barking, but we’re working on that (working on both of them!). They all sleep together, eat together and walk together as if they’ve been together for years, and are even learning to share toys nicely! We have some lovely walks over the local fields and towpaths, and then all three will settle for a nice quiet sleep once home (except when Kerry decides to play!)
 
Kerry still has a few issues, she doesn’t like sore patches being fussed over (although she will happily let Moya minister to them!) but she does at least grumble rather than snap so we get warning when we’re straying into difficult territory, and she is now comfortable enough to have her twice daily eye medication without being muzzled – success! Considering the vet report that came with her had suggested that euthanasia should be considered an option given her aggression, I think she feels secure and safe enough now not to need to be snappy. There is still some work to do with her, but we are already seeing her mischievous character emerging out of the sad little dog that had been described to us.