Age – 2
Location – Oxfordshire
Sex – Male
Our boy Barney is still looking for his home; please read his blog following his further assessment in foster.
Barney is a beagle.. he does beagle things, he aroo’s at dogs he wants to say hi to but can’t.. he counter surfs with optimism, he barks at the wind, chases cats and drops his beagle glitter all over the house.. he takes things for attention, he takes things because he wants to keep them, he chews things he should.. he chews things he shouldn’t.. But.. Barney is also learning… learning to ignore dogs on a walk, learning to listen out for certain cues that tell him it’s ok, he can walk past this dog without getting excited, he’s learning that “find it” means there are treats falling from the sky and landing under his nose for him to sniff out.
The first time I walked Barney alone he screamed and lunged at every dog we met, I had no control and no idea of what to do .. he panicked, I panicked and we sat in a field and cried. We asked for help and we were given the tools to work together and become confident.. Barney will need his new human to have this confidence and be able to offer him the reassurance he needs to keep progressing.
Please don’t be put off by this small thing, if I can get him walking confidently past other dogs then anyone can… Barney is NOT aggressive, he’s reactive.. he has a desperate desire to say hello to every dog he sees, he doesn’t want to fight, bite or attack.. he wants to play. BRNGB will support you in his training.
All of the other things listed above can be avoided by training ourselves.. don’t leave things out on the worktops, put our shoes/remotes/phones away.. play with him, keep his brain busy and his physical needs met.
Having another dog of a similar age and energy level makes a huge difference, he definitely needs a playmate. If you don’t walk Barney he will probably become a little wired during the day and act like a lunatic in the evening so make sure he gets a decent walk every single day.
There are two types of Barney walk.. gentle walking with his halti on where he will walk by your side and make you feel incredibly smug; and longline Barney that pulls you across fields and through hedges because he can smell a vole 15 fields away… Barney needs a mix of both.. you will need running shoes.
If Barney steals something he shouldn’t have, then assess the situation.. will he swap it for a tasty snack? Mostly the answer will be yes.. but If the answer is no then ask yourself whether the object poses a danger to him or is so important that you absolutely must have it back in one piece (so why was it left out?) If he really can’t keep his treasure then back off and head to the fridge for something extra special. Barney doesn’t have human food as a rule so anything you offer will be like winning the lottery to him.
Never ignore a growl from any dog, it’s a clear warning., change tactics and proceed accordingly.
You don’t need to raise your voice to Barney, he responds to happy but firm voices. Feed Barney away from other dogs using his snuffle mat and treat dispenser ball, use these to reinforce the “find it” cue, he honestly loves it, half of his meal in each provided mental and physical stimulation for him. Barney will happily go into his crate if you want him to have a longer lasting chew.. there was a set-to over a strawberry on day one between Barney and my pup so there has been no opportunity since for anything more to happen, previously in foster homes he’s tried taking chews and been put in his place
Eat your meals in peace.. this boy shows zero interest in your plate at meal times.. he will happily sleep upside down on the sofa whilst you tuck into your roast dinner so definitely don’t ever be tempted to offer him something from your plate.. once you open that door there will be no going back.
Barney cannot live with a cat, a rabbit, a Guinea pig or any other pet that he might see as prey.. small dogs are fine, he currently has a tiny jack Russell friend who he plays with beautifully. Regardless of how tough or mean your cat is… Barney cannot live with it, his prey drive is very strong. For this reason, Barney cannot be walked off leash, if he picks up a scent, he loses all other senses other than smell, no amount of shouting or screaming will bring him back until he’s ready.
Barney has been left with my dogs for up to 2 hours without issue, I have watched them on the camera and whilst he keeps an eye on the door, he takes reassurance from the other dogs and is easily distracted into a game of Bitey face. If you needed to leave him for longer then you would need to gently build the time up, whilst he’s not been destructive with me, he’s a beagle and that’s what they do.
When Barney first arrived at BRNGB he was suffering with a skin condition, since then he has been fed a hypoallergenic diet, under close supervision of our vet we have introduced different treats and small amounts of normal dog food.. there has been no reaction so far. This could all change so please be prepared for Barney to require hypoallergenic food going forward.
Barney sits beautifully in the car, he has travelled in a crate in the boot, on a harness in the boot and on the back seat with a headrest harness.. he is calm and relaxed wherever he sits.
Overall Barney is a beautiful, happy, energetic beagle with lots and lots of love to give, he’s quick to learn when given the right tools and knows what is required of him when spoken to correctly.
Things Barney requires his new family to have:
Patience
A dog or dogs of a similar age and energy level
Time for lots and lots of cuddles
Firm but kind words so he knows what is expected of him
Dedication
Understanding of the beagle breed and preferably experience.
A garden to run and play in
An open mind and a willingness to learn and work with a trainer
Lots of reassuring words and body language
Experience with resource guarding and a positive approach to dealing with it.
Things Barney would not like:
Shouting
Cats, Birds and small furries
Being left alone for long times
Being left to his own devices, he needs mental stimulation and enrichment or he will get bored.
Small children that might try to take something off him even if it’s theirs.
Medium size children that might get accidentally knocked over when he’s having his evening zoomies. (Over 13 are his favourite children)
Confrontation… Barney doesn’t like a stand off, his teeth are sharper than yours and although he doesn’t want to use them, I have no doubt that if pushed and ignored, he will.
Do you tick Barney’s boxes?
If so we would love to hear from you if you fit his criteria
Barney needs someone who is at home more often than not and prepared to put in the time to help him settle and learn further
- Someone who is willing to work with Barney and be patient whilst she gets to know you and her new home
- A small furry pet free home, although Barney needs an active resident dog or two
- Barney loves and needs walking, and needs physical and mental stimulation, but needs someone who will build his confidence when meeting other dogs, which we will assist with and only use positive reinforcement
- Patience and time to spend with Barney in the crucial first few weeks as he adapts
- We do not adopt to households with children under the age of 5 but recommend Barney is only homed with children over the age of 13.
- Someone who understands all of Barney’s needs
- Applications close on the 16th August 2022 at 8pm.
Taking on a rescue dog is not the easy option. You need to be prepared to help a confused and troubled hound find their place in your family. They have been through a massive upheaval and will need time to settle into a new way of life, so please consider this BEFORE you fill in an application.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
Barney is subject to an adoption fee and a successful home check. If your home check is successful, your family will need to be able to travel to his foster home to meet him and his foster family.
You will also have a telephone call with a member of the team, plus Barney’s foster family, so that all of his history can be shared with you in person, and that we can be assured that you can fill all of his needs and requirements.
Barney comes with 5 weeks free insurance via our rehoming partner, Agria.
Barney as with all of our hounds will have full rescue back up for life.
Thank you for reading Barney’s blog. Please share where you are able
