Many were surprised when Carly and Dominik adopted pointer mix Troy from The Lost Dogs’ Home in October last year and then – just eight weeks later – adopt again, this time taking home whippet type Faith.
As Carly explains: “Troy settled in really well with our family… [but] after a while we realised that he was getting a bit sad and lonely and in need of a canine friend!”
Troy was adopted from the Home’s North Melbourne shelter but this time the couple decided to take a look at the Echuca shelter too. Clicking on the online adoption pages, they found themselves staring into a pair of the biggest, saddest brown eyes they’d ever seen.
“She looked like she’d been through a lot in her lifetime,” Carly said of Faith. “She’s obviously been a breeder and had heaps of puppies. I don’t know what it was, we both just felt really compelled to adopt her. She looked like she needed a good, supportive, stable home, where she could just chill out and relax. And we could provide that for her.”
Faith had had trouble finding a home for quite a while, possibly due to her age (seven) and her sagging underbelly from birthing so many pups. However her sweet and gentle nature made her a staff favourite at the shelter.
“She was there for a while but they didn’t give up on her because her disposition was just so nice; they knew the right family would come along,” Carly said. “And we did!”
Faith was given the royal send off from Echuca, joining her new best buddy Troy in the car journey home. Carly said the two hit it off straight away and Troy seems overjoyed by the family’s newest addition.
“We took him up to Echuca with us, to make sure he and Faith got along, and they bonded right away,” she said. “They have very similar dispositions, very easy-going. They adore each other.”
One of their biggest common interests is sleeping. Carly said despite being breeds renowned for their athleticism and stamina, both Faith and Troy are very lazy dogs that enjoy nothing more than curling up next to each other for a snooze. However when it’s time to go to the enclosed dog beach in Brighton, Faith loves to expend all the energy saved up from sleeping!
“I’ve never seen a dog run so fast!” Carly laughed. “Those legs leave all the other dogs eating her dust (or sand in this case). Luckily she knows her name and always comes back when called.”
Faith has also proven to be quite the smarty pants in obedience training, showing up poor Troy at every opportunity. In a classic case of boys versus girls, Carly and Faith have paired up for obedience, while Dominik and Troy make up the other team. Carly gleefully admitted that the ladies are kicking butt (or tail, as the case may be).
“We go to dog training once a week and Faith is actually very smart and motivated to learn. Troy, on the other hand, is a happy boy but not so smart,” she chucked. “He just stands there in class and looks at birds, at planes. He’s not naughty; he just doesn’t really know how to do anything!”
The couple’s son, six-year-old Jordan, is smitten with both his new playmates, although Carly said he shares a particularly strong bond with Faith.
“Jordan loves sitting with her and stroking her ears and Faith loves the attention!” she said. “When he goes to school, she sits at the door and waits for him. They’ve got a very special bond. He likes to walk her around the park – he feels very grown-up getting to do that! She’s been a real asset to our family.”
It is obvious speaking to Carly how important adoption is to her family, with their last few dogs all from The Lost Dogs’ Home. She said seeing how happy Faith and Troy are today is mutually beneficial for all involved.
“I actually think it’s really good for the soul to adopt!” she said. “I don’t think I could bring myself to get a dog any other way. They desperately need homes and they deserve homes. They deserve to be happy and loved.”
