No-one really knows my background. Their best guess is that I was a failed hunting dog. I chase absolutely everything but am pretty awful at it, so that makes a lot of sense…..
Either way I wasn’t wanted, and in some ways was lucky to be left tied up at the shelter one cold night in January, rather than kicked out onto the streets. Fotini and Vaggelio looked after me and my friends wonderfully at the shelter, but it was cold, uncomfortable, pretty boring and the food wasn’t up to my now very exacting standards.
In February 2021 Fiona asked John and Emily if they would be interested in taking me on. She described me as happy, goofy, clumsy, energetic and sweet – I piled on the charm in the photos and videos to make sure they couldn’t say no.
I’d just missed the previous trip from Lemnos to the UK, so it was three long months at the shelter before I set off on 4th April on the long journey to Cumbria. It was miserable, but the guys at Animal Couriers took great care of us all and at lunchtime on 10th April I arrived in a little village outside Penrith in bright sunshine. Good job, because I hate the rain.
John met me as I got off the van – I was nervous, so we just sat on the driveway for a while until I’d taken in my surroundings, then went round the back for a look in the garden. After 30 minutes or so of exploring every nook and cranny, I set about discovering how much fun can be had with a tennis ball.
It took me a while to learn how to live comfortably in a house, and it didn’t help that the meds for a bladder infection I picked up on the long trip over had me peeing every 15 minutes for my first week here. Thankfully, I soon sorted my toilet training and now just do zoomies round the kitchen or yap loudly in the face of the nearest human if I need to go out. I couldn’t work out what to do in the evenings either. All I could think to do was pace the length of the house and bark, but Bernie soon showed me that evenings are for relaxing on the sofa and enjoying a nice head rub.
I wasn’t so good on walks to begin with – I want to go faster, that’s all – so I’m still working on my lead skills and thankfully they’re improving. However, it soon became clear that what I love doing most of all is running as quickly as I can for as long as I can. No stopping, no sniffing, just running and more running! John does a lot of running and Emily does a bit too, so I decided to give them a try. I got John a proper canicross belt to stop him escaping, and off we went. We run together about four times a week, and it turns out I’m pretty good at it…
We won a 10k Cani-X race on Cannock Chase in May, and a round of the National Cani-X Championships in October (two 5k races over two days). We also broke the WhinlatterParkrun record by 1 minute and 16 seconds, though the Parkrun people said I had a human with me so it didn’t count, haha.
I don’t like new people at all, especially tall men with a hat or a mask on. However, I do love my best pals Bernie (Springer), Missy (John’s parents’ rescue Labradoodle-X), and my humans. Just to let them know, I’ll jump up and wrap my paws around their neck for a hug as often as they’ll let me. When they forget to stop me I’ll stick my tongue in their ear, too. I’m a lucky boy, they tell me!
A quick word from the human…
Huge thanks Fotini, Vaggelio, Fiona, Wendy, Glenn, the Animal Couriers guys and everyone else involved for helping us to rescue an absolutely amazing dog who couldn’t be more suited to us if we’d picked out his characteristics ourselves. He is the most loving, happiest creature around and it’s one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever done.
It definitely hasn’t been an easy ride – if we aren’t able to exercise him first thing in the morning then he’ll be bouncing off the walls, and he and Bernie both love a bit of friendly rough and tumble which can sometimes escalate. His wariness of anyone outside his ‘inner circle’ makes things difficult if we have visitors, too, but the downfalls are far, far outweighed by the benefits.
If you’re in doubt about whether to adopt or not, and have the time, patience and willingness to commit – what are you waiting for!?