AJ is transformed into the best Buddy
“Nose to the ground, tail in the air, he checks the village perimeter for drugs and illegal fruit. So far, we’re all good.”
After staying with us for a whopping eight months, Beagle-Foxhound x AJ was adopted from our Devonport Home at the end of October. His new human, Kathryn, had sadly lost three rescued German Shepherds to old age in just 12 months and was ready to take on a different breed.
After spotting AJ on our Facebook page, and noting our story about how Hounds tend to be the dogs that stay with us the longest, Kathryn booked an appointment to see him the next day. She takes up the story:
“As I walked up the path towards the office, I noticed AJ in an exercise pen, playing with a doggy friend. Walking over to the fence to say hello, AJ came towards me and let me kiss him on the nose through the fence. I whispered to him, ‘you’re coming home with me’, and I’m sure he understood.
“We hung out in the intro pen for a while and had a proper talk. He sat and listened while I told him about his new home and all the games he would be able to play. I also told him that his name, from now on, would be Buddy — he thought about that for a moment, then he nodded and smiled.
“Money changed hands and we were ready to go home. The 60-minute car ride was not enjoyed by Buddy, who spent the whole time with his tail between his legs looking forlorn. Not even me providing him with excerpts of my life story cheered him up.
“At home, everything changed. Once he was inside the gate, he took off to sniff everything. Nose to the ground, running flat out, zigzagging around the yard, barking down rabbit holes, howling at the wood ducks on the dam and generally being a Beagle.
“Then he found the door to the house. At breakneck speed he ran inside, skidding on the floorboards as he sniffed every inch of the home. He was like a drug dog on the scent of cocaine.
“Stunned at the sight before me, I poured a rather generous glass of pinot and sat down to watch what would happen next. I wondered if he would slow down before I finished the glass — he didn’t.
“After about 40 minutes, like an Eveready bunny with a flat battery, Buddy stopped, jumped onto the nearest lounge, curled up on a blanket and fell into a deep sleep.
“Once he woke, I was able to sit with him and have a cuddle. His dinner was eaten in about 30 seconds. Then we watched television for a few hours and went to bed. That first night, Buddy tried to sleep with his chin on top of my face, a position that prevents me from being able to breathe. After much arguing we compromised with him sleeping with his head under my chin.
“Just a few weeks in, we have come a long way. Buddy no longer buries all his toys, bones, food bowls and even the sticks he finds. He is starting to understand that his toys are his toys, his home is forever, and he is loved unconditionally.
“He is highly intelligent and has boundless energy but he does also love to sleep in late in the mornings and enjoys a nanna nap every afternoon. Walks are about an hour long. Buddy loves his walks — nose to the ground, tail in the air, he checks the village perimeter for drugs and illegal fruit. So far, we’re all good.
“While having Buddy is certainly an adventure, I wouldn’t change it for the world. When Buddy and I come up against a challenge, I tell him that we’ll sort it out together, and he’s okay with that. He is loyal and loving and funny and energetic and cuddly and stubborn, and I am so blessed to have him as my Buddy.”
Click below to see the dogs available for adoption around the state.
