09/03/2024 – Little Jay has gone off to his lovely new home!
Jay is an adorable 12-year-old Terrier X who came into rescue as his owner was very ill. Jay is in an Oldies Club foster home in South Gloucestershire, waiting for someone to offer him a lovely new home. Sizewise, he is 16 inches tall and weighs 10kg.
Jay’s history: We were told that Jay was found a long time ago by his person in Cyprus, and so his age is a guess. He is quite energetic so could be a little younger than 12, or just an energetic oldie.
Settled well in foster care: It took Jay about a week to settle. He was a good boy from the start, followed his foster carer around quite a bit, and even though it was fairly busy over Christmas he just fitted in and enjoyed lots of cuddles. When he first arrived, at night Jay wanted to sleep on his fosterer’s bed, so she set up a bed for him in the guest room. Now when she goes to bed, Jay happily makes his way to his own place. If left for a couple of hours he takes himself to his bed too. He doesn’t sleep in any of the dog beds in his foster home, but there is a dog cushion that he likes to sleep on when on the sofa.
Can be left: Jay is fine about being left on his own for a few hours and he is always very excited to see you when you return. He would be fine to live with someone who goes out to work part-time, either morning or afternoon, but he wouldn’t want to be left on his own all day. It wouldn’t be fair on him as he does enjoy being with his person.
Very good with dogs: Jay came from a household with two dogs, and was looked after by his person’s daughter who also had a Labrador. He is absolutely fine about sharing his home with other dogs. In fact, if he is rehomed to a home where he is going to be left on his own while his person goes out to work (part-time only), he would be better with another dog for company.
May be OK with cats: Jay’s foster carer told us “I have taken Jay to my daughters and he wagged his tail and didn’t growl or chase the cat. The cat however had other ideas. I will try him again for a visit, to see what his reaction is now that he is more himself with me and can update on that. He was fine with a cat in the vets surgery that roamed freely; Jay didn’t react at all.”
Good with sensible older children: Jay has spent time around children previously and been good with them. He has met his foster carer’s grandchildren and he let them pet and cuddle him, under supervision. If they run past him he likes to try to run and keep up with them! We think that Jay might enjoy living with kind, sensible children, aged 10+, who will understand that, being an older boy, Jay needs plenty of time to rest quietly on his own. Alternatively, he would be happy to welcome well-supervised visiting grandchildren.
Loves long walks: Jay is very good on the lead. He does try to chase pigeons and squirrels for as long as the lead allows though! He listens to commands when approaching roads and is very good near traffic. He wags his tail at every dog he meets, and at a few distant cats too. He just wants to play. When taken to a field with off-lead dogs, even on a lead he tries to play and run with them. In all of his walks with his foster carer, he has only growled at one dog. Jay likes a walk pre-breakfast for wees and poos: this walk is between 30-50 mins. In the afternoon he likes a longer walk of about and hour to an hour and a half, for him to have plenty of time to sniff around. He didn’t like the garden when he first arrived and so he was having another short walk in the evening, but now he uses the garden to go out before bed. He enjoys the scents in the garden and is very curious: he found a mouse last week and was very keen to hunt it, until he got bored. He had a trip to the beach recently and he seemed like he would love to have a good run, as though he remembered the look and feel of a beach. He has also run with his fosterer’s daughter and did about 6km without any issue. He is a very active boy.
OK in the car: Jay gets into the car with no issue. On a long journey he whimpers, which could be due to excitement or stress. On a long car journery (2 hours) his foster carer stopped for a stretch of legs and water and then Jay was fine. On a short car journey to various walking locations, Jay is fine. He wont lie down in the car, and insists on standing when in his car seatbelt, but he’s better travelling like this as he seems to be more stressed if he’s in the boot behind a dog guard.
Jay’s favourite pastimes: He doesn’t really play, despite encouragement by his foster carer. The only thing he has fun with is chasing treats so that he can catch and win – he is very happy bouncing around after them! He is uninterested in balls and squeaky toys. It seems that in the past his playtime has been with his person walking and other dogs. He doesn’t respond to any commands (sit, lie down, paw etc.) so his foster carer has been teaching him. With the aid of some tiny pieces of cheese he wll now sit and attempt at the paw. He is a clever boy.
Jay’s dislikes: He slept through bonfire night! He growls and barks if anyone approaches the front door, but that doesn’t last long at all. If you go to stroke him with your hand above his head he sometimes cowers, so it’s kindest to not approach him in that way.
Jay’s ideal home: He would like a home with active people who will walk him as often as he likes. It may be that when he can safely be allowed to run off lead that he will become more tired than he is doing with on-lead walks. He loves attention, strokes and cuddles on the sofa, so his new people will need to be home for a good part of the day. He is a really affectionate boy.
Health notes: Jay is neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and flea treated. At his vet check there were no health issues found and he isn’t taking any medication.
More from Jay’s foster carer: “Jay is loving, gentle and cuddly. He is a beautiful 12 year old. He was found a long time ago by his person in Cyprus and I think his age is a guess. Everyone I meet thinks he is adorable and he may be younger than his stated years. I have had guests to visit and he is good around strangers, he gravitates to the male visitors (perhaps because his person was a man? ). He sniffs around the table but isn’t fed scraps so he wanders off and has a snooze and occupies himself. I have taken him into dog friendly pubs and he is very well behaved. He handled the vets very well and has had a groom session at which he was very well behaved too.”
If you would like to offer Jay a permanent home, please read our Adoption Procedures for information about the adoption process. You can then contact an Oldies Club Rehoming Coordinator as follows:
Email: rehome@oldies.org.uk
Telephone: 0844 586 8656
He can be rehomed anywhere on the UK mainland – the closer to his foster home the better – subject to a satisfactory home visit. Note that you will be required to travel to the foster home to collect him.
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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.