New Friends!

Posted on by Ark

So, after a round trip on Wednesday of nearly 900 kilometres our new friends, Boxers, Baxter, 5 and Ella, 2 arrived, having spent nearly four months in what was effectively a cage at the SPCA in Howick near Durban, .

After securing the cats, we allowed the dogs to climb out of the car to see their new home.

See is hardly an accurate description as it was dark by the time they arrived and as Covid Curfew is at 21:00 over here at the moment it was a bit of a dash once the home stretch had been reached.

It is going to be an interesting period of adjustment for all of us. Not least as this is the first male dog we have welcomed into the family.

They are both brindles, somewhat underweight, but otherwise seem healthy, and chock full of puppy- like energy so typical of the breed. Ella is a little skittish and I wonder what her history is like? They are not quite sure what to make of all the cats, and the cats, in turn, are for now, keeping their distance. Our labrador, Cindy, seems pretty chilled with them.

For now, we are keeping them firmly on their leads while out in the garden until they are completely used to the cats, and chickens.

Here’s Ella. Baxter was asleep under my desk and did not seem in the least interested in having his picture taken.

And a very grateful nod to John Z and what he does for animals on his home turf. If it were not for him, it would never have occurred to us to even consider adopting.

Ark.

34 thoughts on “New Friends!”

    1. They are truly adorable, and the place has not been quite the same since Bella and Bobbi passed.
      We are privileged to be able to provide a home for them, and I’m not sure who’s the happier?
      🙂

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      1. We’re still getting soaked too. There was a heron standing in the field yesterday. I’ve never seen one there before. I think it mistook it for a lake.

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  7. Nice one(s) Mr A. Not really a dog person but can see the attraction. The Lemming adopted one last spring and I must say it’s pretty cute. She keeps telling us to get one but Mrs H wants a kitten and I reluctantly agreed. We lost our last cat to a tumor many years ago and I really didn’t fancy going through that trauma again.

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    1. I know the feeling. Every one we’ve lost has slayed me, and every time I vowed, Never again! The idea of adoption never crossed my mind until I became blog mates with John Z.
      Then a chance Facebook encounter about boxers and before long …. , the rest, as they say, is history.

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    1. Their photos were posted on a National Facebook Boxer Rescue Site via the Howick SPCA in Natal.
      We had applied for a couple of other dogs closer to home but they were adopted by others.
      There were one or two inquiries for one of the dogs but nobody seemed prepared to adopt both, which is a shame as they were left at the SPCA as a pair. The staff had tried to separate them but they went into depression, apparently.
      We put our name down, said we would love to adopt both of them, and after a home inspection by a JHB branch of the SPCA, we were informed they were ours.

      Once again, obrigado, John. If it weren’t for you, I very much doubt we would ever had an inkling to adopt. And just look at the treasure we have now!

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        1. They were walked I believe but it’s not the same by a long chalk.
          I once spent a whole day in a holding cell and it nearly drove me insane. I couldn’t imagine what four months would be like!

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          2. There was something about the docket being misplaced. That’s her story anyway!
            Was an interesting experience and all for a 20rand parking meter fine she forgot to pay and the subsequent summons she put in the draw and also forgot about.
            That’ll teach me to put the car in my name!

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  9. Wonderful post Ark! ❤️ I totally understand about male dogs—they are rough, dirty, stinky, SO LOUD, looking for trouble around fire-hydrants, drink too much, etc, etc. 🙄

    But canines are so much better, more civilized, great entertainment, and many other stellar qualities! Don’t you agree? 😉🤭

    Btw, is that a semblance of a Manchester United badge I see in Ella’s coat? 😳

    😋

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      1. 🤣

        On a slightly different note, I am SO PISSED Ark that once again I cannot watch the big game, your boys beat Man U. 🤬 In “the Land of the Free, home of the Brave, and the defense against Trumpanzees,” I must subscribe to watch all the best, most exciting football matches. 😔

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        1. I can hear the final comments from the TV in the lounge behind me before the game starts.
          It will be a draw or United will win. Bruno Fernandes is on top form and we have no Van Dyz or Djota.
          This is one of those fixtures and the hype is way too much.
          Catch you later … kick off is about to happen.

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  10. Good on you, mate! (I was a boxer once but didn’t like getting hit in the face.)

    Our dog was born shortly after his mother was “rescued” from a facility in which she was scheduled to be executed. Leave to Americans to kill off their unwanted pets.

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    1. Sorry, Steve, missed your comment.
      Yes, it is tragic what happens to so many pets.
      The SPCA over here do a wonderful job under such difficult situations.
      The chap who came to do the house inspection began telling me of some of the situations he goes to to collect animals in distress.
      I stopped him halfway through his story.
      He nodded and agreed.
      How they cope is beyond me. I could not do their job.

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  11. I’m grinning from ear to ear! What a handsome boy. We’re still looking for a rescue boxer, confident we’ll find our pup when the time is right. Sidebar – cropping tales is now banned in B.C. (ears have been banned for several years)

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    1. This is Ella, the girl. Baxter was under the desk fast asleep.
      It’s been ten days already – time flies – and we can now let them off the leads to run around the garden . Providing the cats are inside.
      The getting-used-to-cats thing was not an issue with the other boxers as we got them as pups.
      I’m pretty sure these two wouldn’t hurt the cats on purpose, you know what they are like, bouncy bouncy boing boing jack-in-a-boxes!
      Most of the cats are still wary. Except Benji, our rescue kitten, who couldn’t care a hoot and just moves through life as if he expects everything else will revolve around him.
      A more chilled animal I have never encountered. Completely fearless.

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      1. Oops, sorry Ella. My bad. Pretty amazing they tolerate the cats. We,ve never had a male boxer, correction – my husband grew up with a male boxer, together we’ve always had little females. Truth is I’ve never had anything but a female dog. Grew up with a Saint Bernard and Spaniel, my husband introduced me to boxers – I’ll never look back. You’ve inspired me to ramp up my search for a rescue boxer. Hugs.

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