Urgent rehoming appeal for precious puppy Ronnie

As you'll easily see in the video below, Ronnie is a gorgeous 7 month old puppy. He has been at the centre for about a month and although he is your normal playful puppy, he has a condition called megaesophagus that means feeding and drinking is more difficult.

Megaesophagus is a condition where the muscles in the oesophagus aren’t working properly. Normally, the muscles would expand and contract to push the food down while eating, but having this condition means that as Ronnie eats, the food and drink he takes in doesn’t move down into his stomach and instead stays in his oesophagus. The longer the food stays there, the higher the volume and this in turn can trigger the regurgitation reflex. This means Ronnie isn’t getting any of the food and not putting on any weight.

Having this condition means Ronnie needs some special attention during feeding times. As shown in the video, he eats up in the chair and is left for a while afterwards because gravity helps to slide the food down and settle in his stomach. Having feeding time in this way stops aspiration pneumonia – when food or drink could go down into the trachea and into the lungs.



Ronnie needs regular feeding and in the centre, they are currently doing this four times a day: at 8am, midday, 4pm and finally, those who live on site come in at 8pm to give him his last feed. This attention means Ronnie needs a very special home to give him all of the care that he needs.

Despite his condition, Ronnie is still your average loveable pup – he likes the company of people, enjoys being with other dogs and loves his toys. He doesn’t require any special food, but the food does need to be ‘mushed up’ to help it go down better. Ronnie also can’t have normal water; it has to be in jelly form.

Because of his feeding routine, Ronnie needs to be the only dog in the home. He also needs an active family and would be more suitable with older children. Due to his condition, Ronnie will be a part of our foster scheme and his new owners will receive financial support for any veterinary treatment required throughout his life.

If you are interested in rehoming Ronnie, please contact our Leeds centre on 0113 281 4920.

For more information about any of the dogs currently in our care, please visit our website.

Dog of the Week: Ernie @ Dogs Trust Newbury

Introducing... Ernie!

Age: 6

Breed: Crossbreed

Likes: Other dogs, playing and especially fetch! I'm full of beans, so I need an active family to help wear me out.

Dislikes: Not keen on being left on my own, and I will vocally let you know about it, but I'm fine if I've got another canine pal for company.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust Newbury on 01488 658391 or see more dogs needing homes online.

Dog of the Week: Buster @ West Calder

Introducing... Buster!

There are so many deserving dogs of the week, that blog editor Alex had to ask our Twitter followers which one she should choose! @jrJuliejr chose me because her kids 'love my smile' and she enjoyed visiting me recently! Thanks, Julie.

Age: 10

Breed: Large Crossbreed

Likes and Dislikes: I'm a friendly, eager fellow who is a great favourite with walkers and volunteers who reward me with the biscuits I love! I'm housetrained and not destructive, but I do get a little anxious being left for long, so I'd need some work on that once I was securely settled in.

My favourite thing is getting off the lead to play football or dog tug-of-war! Don't be fooled by my age - there's plenty of life and enthusiasm in this slightly-older dog yet.

I'm fine with kids, but not cats. I'm sociable and happy to share my kennel with both male and female dogs.

Needs: I was well cared for in my last home, but developed a very strong bond with my owner to the point that I have a few anxieties and nervous behaviours. My carers say my new owner needs to be experienced and confident to help me get along and gently work on my fears without accidentally reinforcing them.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust West Calder on 01506 873459 or look online for more of my friends who need homes.

Dog of the Week: Robbie @ Dogs Trust West Calder

Introducing... Robbie!

Age: 2

Breed: Crossbreed

Likes: I had a pretty rough start in life, being alternately mistreated and neglected, so my favourite thing is being treated really gently and lovingly. Once you've gained my trust, my favourite thing is curling up on your lap and getting a lovely cuddle! Long walks and fetch / tug games are also high on my list of fun things to do. I'm currently living with a foster family and getting on well with them and their three friendly dogs, and I'm gaining confidence gradually.

Dislikes: I find it hard to trust people, and men in particular, though I've come a long way in the foster programme, Home from Home.

Needs: I'll need patient adult owners, preferably who don't have any other pets although I could benefit from a calm, older female who'll help me keep making progress. I'm very clean in the house but couldn't be left alone much. Dogs Trust have said they'll be there to help my new owners every step of the way, and they know from experience that when I feel happier I'm the most playful and affectionate friend you could have.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust West Calder on 01506 873459 or see more dogs seeking homes online.

Previous Dog(s) of the Week: Carna @ Dogs Trust Snetterton | Cloud @ Dogs Trust Bridgend

Dog of the Week: Holly @ Dogs Trust Canterbury

Introducing... Holly!

Breed: Chocolate Crossbreed

Age: 2

Likes: I can be a bit nervous, so I like a calm, quiet atmosphere with gentle people around. I'm pretty good with other dogs, too. I've never met a cat, so I might like them - I'm not sure!

Dislikes: Noise and stressful situations make me scared.

Needs: I would love calm, experienced and understanding adult owners to make a fuss of me and help me get used to a forever home.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust Canterbury on 01227 792505 or see more dogs needing homes online.

Previous Dogs of the Week: Lurchers @ Dogs Trust Evesham (Jasmine, Nigella and River still available on day of posting!)

Dog of the Week: Dougie @ Dogs Trust Salisbury

Introducing... Dougie!

Breed: Dalmatian Crossbreed

Age: 7

Likes: I'm a big fan of the common cuddle! Company is a big bonus for me, so I'd love a home with people who are at home much of the day. I'm very happy playing with other dogs and could share a house.
Dislikes: Nothing much! Sometimes people complain I'm over friendly but I can't see how you could be!

Needs: Although I love small kids they are a bit overwhelmed by my size and bouncy demeanour, so I should really live with adults / teenagers.
Contact: Call Dogs Trust Salisbury on 01980 629634 or see other dogs for rehoming online.

Happy Dog Stories: Chris and 'oldies' Dixie and Missy

Chris McGrath had vowed not to get another dog after the last one died at the end of 2007. Here she explains how she broke that vow to get two 'oldies' who have filled the house with love:

"When our last dog died at the end of last year we said ‘no more dogs’. We are both now pensioners so have to think about our life span as well as that of a dog*. Morbid? Maybe, but necessary!

"But … the house seemed very empty - we had had at least one dog around for the last 35 years - and there wasn’t any real reason to ‘just go for a walk’. Our daughter, who works in Dogs Trust HQ, finally persuaded us that we needed a dog!

"I first saw Dixie, a crossbreed, on the Oldies website, where Dogs Trust Merseyside had posted details of her. She was 13 years old, which was possibly the reason why she was overlooked, so we travelled down to the Centre to meet her. It didn’t take very long to decide that she was The One and a couple of days later we brought her home. She settled in very well. Poppy The Cat looked a bit confused when they first met but there were no problems at all.

"A couple of weeks later we heard about another old lady, a 14 year old Labrador, who needed a new home. However she was very poorly and we had to wait until we could meet her. A week later we travelled back down to Merseyside to introduce Dixie to Missy. They took no notice of each other! Missy had a very bad skin condition which had made her tummy hairless and very very smelly. Previously she had been living in a garage because of her bad smell. She was also scratching a lot.

"We took her home (with the car windows open because she really was smelly) and it was her turn to meet Poppy The Cat. Again, no problems. In fact the cat didn’t seem at all surprised that another dog had suddenly appeared. With ongoing monthly injections and medicated baths Missy is now a lovely sweet smelling dog and her skin condition is improving. She actually runs (she wasn’t very keen on walking, let alone running and playing ball when we first had her), and both dogs enjoy the beach and going for a swim. We discovered that Missy is also deaf, but she has learnt a bit of very basic sign language.

"We don’t know how long Dixie and Missy will be around, hopefully for a while yet, but they’ve brought so much pleasure to us. Another plus for us personally – Poppy The Cat has stopped waking us up by letting out blood curdling yowls in the middle of the night because she was pining for our previous dog. Her life must have seemed to missing something as well as ours as she had lived all of her 16 years with a dog around.

"So – if anyone is thinking of adopting an Oldie – do it!"

If you have a happy story about your rescue dogs (whether they came from Dogs Trust or not), please email me with a photo and your tale and it could appear here soon! If you're interested in adopting a dog, please visit our website for more information.

Previous Happy Dog Stories: Jo and Daisy| Kim and Jake

*The Dogs Trust Canine Care Card scheme is a special FREE service that give you peace of mind, knowing that Dogs Trust will look after your dog in the event of your death.

Dog of the Week: Honey @ Dogs Trust Ballymena

Introducing... Honey!

Breed: Labrador Retriever Crossbreed

Age: 4

Likes: I am a bright girl, so I enjoy training. I've already learned basic commands and am hungry to learn more. I like children of all ages and enjoy being with a family.

Dislikes: I get stressed if I'm left alone.

Needs: I'm easy going and friendly; all I need is a house where I have company most of the day.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust Ballymena on 028 2565 2977 or visit the centre's online gallery.

Dog(s) of the Week: Jess and Brinkley @ Dogs Trust Shoreham

Introducing... Jess & Brinkley!

Breed: Golden Retriever Cross (Brinkley) and Crossbreed (Jess)

Age: Jess is 5 and Brinkey is 2

Likes: Both of us are shy and nervous types, so what we like best are patient people who will take the time to get to know us and wait until we trust them at which point we hugely enjoy cuddles.

Dislikes:

Jess - I am not keen on cats and although I can get on with other dogs I am very nervous so I need time to get used to the idea.

Brinkley - I haven't tried hanging out with cats yet, but Dogs Trust say they'll introduce me if a new owner really needs me to. I've had a rough start in life so I am not keen on too much pressure but will show a lot of love if I'm given time to adjust.

Needs: Both of us need houses with children over 12 where we are preferably the only dogs.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust Shoreham on 01273 452576 or visit Shoreham's rehoming gallery on Dogs Trust's website.