“I want my mum.”
We’ve all uttered that line once or twice in our lives, though few of us would care to admit it. But for little Pippy, a 4-year-old Chihuahua mix, that’s all she wants – her mum, Lola, by her side.
The two girls were brought into The Lost Dogs’ Home very nervous, timid and frightened little dogs. Greatly undersocialised around people and other animals, it took a while for our team to earn the trust of the girls, who had clearly been shut in their whole lives.
”Lola and Pippen – who we call Pippy – were in a very sad state when they were first brought into our care,” said Nicole Beasley from Planet K9, who heads up the Home’s Behaviour Modification Program. “They have both had at least one litter of pups, had little experience interacting with humans, seemed to have never walked on a leash before and were just completely overwhelmed by their surroundings.”
Nicole and her team worked closely with the girls for some time, trying to establish positive associations with people, other dogs and going for walks. Slowly they started to see results and the team decided to see how the two girls would go on their own.
”Two dogs are always harder to find homes for than one, so we wanted to see how Lola and Pippy would cope being away from each other,” Nicole said. “However, while Lola did quite well, Pippy was a little distressed without her mum and started going off her food.
“We knew then that it would be in their best interest to stay together.”
After a rapturous reunion – Nicole said Lola licked Pippy from head to tail when she saw her again – the two girls have continued their training and are now ready to find a new home. Given their circumstances, the Home is looking for a special owner who will take things slow with the two shy little dogs.
“They are finally starting to show normal dog behaviour but it’s an ongoing process and whoever adopts them will need to be committed to helping them build their confidence,” Nicole said. “With the right care, we know these gorgeous girls will become brave, happy, loving dogs and wonderful pets.”
If you think you can offer Lola and Pippy the loving home they deserve together, please call the North Melbourne shelter on 9329 2755 or come in to the Home to meet then. Please note that given their size and background, Lola and Pippy should only go to a home with older children or adults only.
