30/4/18 – Gorgeous Merlin has gone off to his new home – have fun Merlin, boy!
——————-
Merlin is an 8 year old Weimaraner boy who came into the Oldies Club dog rescue because he was being left for long hours in his previous home. Merlin is in an Oldies Club foster home in Norfolk. See how lovely he is in this short video:
A good boy in foster care: Merlin settled very quickly in foster and immediately made himself at home. He loves long walks, a spot of gardening and then a lovely cuddle on the sofa.
Likes to have company: Merlin gets anxious when left on his own and will need a home with people there most of the time. His foster carers are trying an Adaptil calming diffuser for him, as recommended by the vet. When his humans are with him, he’s very relaxed!
Good with dogs: Merlin is good with other dogs and he seems to make friends easily. It’s thought he’d be happy living with a canine buddy.
Could possibly live with a cat: Merlin hasn’t lived with cats before but he’s been cat tested recently and passed with flying colours! With a confident cat and careful introduction, he might be OK to live with one. He’s proven to be fine with rabbits!
Very good with children: Merlin is good with children of all ages. He is generally calm and gentle but of course he is a big dog and could potentially knock a child over when excited.
Loves long walks: Merlin is a fit and healthy lad who loves a long walk. He is strong on the lead at first, even with a Halti, and will need a strong owner. Some reward based training should help as he always wants to be a good boy! He is very good off lead away from roads; he generally keeps you in sight and will come to find you if he loses sight of you. His recall is good, especially when a treat is on offer. Merlin will walk as long and far as you can! His fosterer is walking him between 1 and 3 hours (2-5 miles) once a day, although Merlin will willingly do this twice a day. He will also happily stay out in the garden with his fosterer for hours. He then, unsurprisingly, he spends the rest of the time sleeping!
Good in the car: Merlin is generally good in the car but he will bark at pedestrians.
Merlin’s favourite pastimes: Cuddles, sleeping, walking, raw beef bones and any other food on offer. Best of all, he loves to cuddle with you on the sofa while suckling his teddy. Not that he’s at all soppy or anything ;)
Merlin’s dislikes: Fireworks make him jumpy.
Merlin’s ideal home: His ideal owners would be an active retired couple or single person, preferably in a rural location or within reach of rural walks. Alternatively, he would be fine with a home worker or someone who could take him with them to their office.
Health notes: Merlin is neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and flea treated. He has a skin allergy which is being treated with Apoquel 16mg. This will be on-going and the frequency with which he takes it is gradually being reduced to find the minimum effective dose. He is currently on one a day and this will soon be reduced to one every other day. Merlin had a very brief epileptic type fit a couple of days after he arrived in foster. He’s not had another since, but Merlin’s vet history revealed that he has had them intermittently for the last four years. Our vet said that no treatment would be recommended unless the fits occurred more often than 6-week intervals or if each fit became a much longer duration.
Merlin’s foster carer told us: “Friendly, affectionate, gentle and inquisitive, Merlin is a pleasure to foster. He’s a good ‘guard dog’ with a lovely big dog bark. He loves a cuddle on the sofa and will try to sneak onto your bed during the night.”
——————————
If you would like to offer Merlin a permanent home, please read our Adoption Procedures for information about the adoption process. You can then contact an Oldies Club rehoming co-ordinator as follows:
Email: rehome@oldies.org.uk
Telephone: 0844 586 8656
Merlin can be rehomed anywhere on the UK mainland, subject to a satisfactory home visit, but note that you will be required to travel to the foster home to meet him.
——————————
If you would love to offer a home to an oldie but your circumstances aren’t suitable, perhaps you would be kind enough to sponsor one of the special oldies we are caring for that, due to health problems, are unlikely to be offered a permanent home.
