A Patterdale terrier and Labrador retriever mixed breed pup named Marcus had lived with his new owners for only five weeks when the dog’s owner asked Lucie Holmes, owner of Lucie’s Animal Rescue if she would take the two-year-old dog Marcus into her rescue. The dog’s owner told Holmes, Marcus “barked at other dogs and people when out and that he needed to go.”
Marcus is a 2 year old patterdale x Labrador.
He had been owned by said owner for… 5 weeks.
He’s just settling in, learning his new environment and family, and at only 2 years old he will be rather overwhelmed as well as adjusting to everything new.
Barking is how dogs communicate, and express their fears, and also excitement.
When I asked his owner what training she had been doing with Marcus to help him overcome his possible nervous behaviour, the answer was ‘he’s had none’
Lucie Holmes on Facebook
The rescue organization, located in northern England, had received the call when they were full caring for stray cats, dogs and injured wildlife, but told the dog’s owner she would be in touch as soon as there was room for Marcus. Obviously, that wasn’t the answer the woman wanted.
Two and a half hours later i received a call from the local vets. The dog’s owner had taken Marcus to her vet and demanded the dog be euthanized. The vet refused, and Lucie made emergency arrangements to take the dog so his life could be spared.
When Marcus arrived, he was scared and didn’t know what to expect, but it didn’t take long before he came out of his shell and started playing with the other dogs and settling into Lucie’s home with her children.
And get this – Marcus had been at the shelter for a week and didn’t display any of the barking behavior that almost cost him his life. So far, there have been numerous offers to adopt him.
Lucie had decided to share the story of Marcus on social media hoping to make people more aware that dogs, just like children, don’t just miraculously grow up without nurturing, instruction and attention. In addition, dogs just should not be expected to be adopted from a shelter one day and to have perfect manners the next day. All this, takes time, patience and consistent, positive training.
Too many people are getting pets without any consideration to the time they need to adjust, and expecting them to be ‘perfect companions’ without actually putting anything into them.
Take some responsibility and invest the time into them, you chose them to be part of your family. Stop destroying them just because you cannot be bothered to help them.
It’s not their fault.
You are safe Marcus, and loved.
You will never be treated so badly again, and that I can promise.
Lucie
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