To see more videos of Albert, please visit their playlist on YouTube by clicking below:
History:
Albert came to us after a change in his previous owner’s circumstances.
Current:
Our Adorable Albert has been with us for some time now and so our Stoke kennel manager, who knows him best, is very happy to have a no obligation chat about Albert before applying. Please email stokekennels@seniorstaffyclub.co.uk with your contact details and she will be in touch as soon as possible. She has also written a bit about him to help highlight his needs and why he’s looking for such a specific home:
I should start this off by saying how much I love spending time with Albert! I’ve spent time with him nearly every day since he arrived and enjoyed every minute of it. He really does have the most loving, affectionate nature once he trusts you and all he wants is to love and be loved back. There’s part of me that will be a little bit heartbroken when he does leave kennels, but an even bigger part of me will be so happy for him - he deserves to find someone that can be a better best friend to him than I can be at kennels.
Albert came to us over a year ago as a very stressed, scared and sad little lad. He was very different to the happy, smiley Albert that you all see in his pictures now. It’s taken time and understanding to have Albert in a place where he feels safe and secure and not stressed all the time.
His stress is not just a result of being in kennels. He was a very anxious boy in his previous home – his behaviour was part of the reason that he was given up and was on medication because of this.
Albert does have a bite history (I will happily go into detail with anyone who wants to adopt Albert) and it’s happened at a time when he’s been very stressed and felt restrained. I have never felt threatened by Albert or at any time concerned by his behaviour towards me. He has shown me in subtle ways if he’s unhappy with things (we went through a stage where he wasn’t always happy having his harness put on for example) and by watching his body language and listening to him and giving him a choice, it's kept Albert happy and feeling secure.
Albert can sometimes feel worried by new people. This has improved hugely during his time with us, and he rarely reacts to anyone whilst he’s on his walks – we do give him plenty of space from people and don’t allow anyone to interact with him, so he knows he’s safe. He can still react to people around kennels, especially in enclosed spaces and he may grumble/bark at them to keep them away. Generally, he finds men harder to cope with, but this is not always the case and doesn’t mean he loves all women! We introduce him to new people very slowly and in a set way (going for a walk and not interacting with him at first) so this helps to feel more comfortable around them.
Walking:
Albert enjoys going for walks and generally walks well without any pulling.
He enjoys his walks and still has plenty of energy - he is not a slow older boy! Walks are in a rural environment, and this really suits him. He does not enjoy walks in busier places and can become stressed in built up areas.
He's not walked by all our volunteers and spends the majority of his time with our Stoke kennel manager and he also has a local trainer that spends some time with him. Albert doesn’t need training but he needs someone experienced to read his body language and help him feel secure. He would struggle to be walked by lots of different people as he doesn’t like change and he also feels very secure in the company of the people he now knows well, which helps him to feel less anxious.
Travelling:
He is not a keen traveller and this is something we are working on to try and help him feel more comfortable in the car.
Vets:
Albert is not a big fan of veterinary procedures! We have a vet that visits kennels to see him and Albert absolutely adores her!
Whilst he is happy to have a basic examination, he is not happy being restrained or having ‘things’ done to him, we have not managed to do a blood draw for example, though we have checked his liver/kidneys with a urine sample.
We are muzzle training to help with this, but another vet that is fear free would be a great help for Albert in the future. We would also recommend further training for Albert in cooperative care.
He’s not a fan of things being done to him, but we have now managed to get a blood sample off him, and this came back with all his levels being within the normal range. Any veterinary procedures with Albert would require him to be sedated as he can become very stressed with any restraint or as soon as he suspects you’re about to ‘do something’ to him.
Health issues:
Albert's generally in good health, though he does have some arthritis in his back legs - he takes gabapentin for this and his anxiety. He has had some stomach issues, but this is under control now by giving him a novel protein (insect based) diet. SSC can help towards the costs of this and his medication if needed.
Ideal home:
Albert is looking for a very specific type of home, but this is so we can keep Albert as stress free as possible and prevent his anxieties causing him to feel scared or possibly defensive:
· He needs a home without children or any visiting children.
· He can’t live with any other pets – he generally walks past other dogs OK, but when he is stressed about something, he can become a bit more worried by them.
· He needs someone around for the majority of the time as he suffered with separation anxiety.
· He needs a quiet, calm home with experienced owners who will help him settle and to feel secure.
· He needs a secure, private garden so that he has somewhere to decompress and be able to spend time outside without anything that may worry him.
· Ideally, we’d like a home within an hour’s distance away from where he is now in Stoke-on-Trent – he isn’t a fan of travelling but this is also so someone can viably build a relationship with Albert before they adopt him. Any potential adopter needs to be prepared to visit him more than our usual 2 times and we may also bring him to your house for a visit/visits to help him make the transition to his new home easier.
· As he generally is warier of men, we would prefer a home with a female presence. We will consider male only homes, but you would need to be aware it may take more work for Albert to feel comfortable.
· You would need to be prepared/able to put management in place e.g. a baby gate for when you have visitors so that Albert can become comfortable in their presence before actually meeting them.
Albert is not a boy that will enjoy trips to the pub, holidays, large family gatherings etc. but he is a boy that will be a loyal best friend to someone who accepts that he just wants a quiet life and has no expectations of him.
He’s not a dog to adopt because you feel sorry for him, he needs a home that can genuinely fulfil all his needs and keep him feeling safe and secure.
He just needs a chance and a loving home where he can truly relax and shake off all his stress and previous trauma.
He’s the most loving, affectionate boy who’s a joy to spend time with - I think he’s a little superstar and in the right home environment, he could shine even brighter.
Standard information:
Albert is fully vaccinated, neutered and microchipped.
He is currently in Stoke-on-Trent and we would ideally be looking for a home within approximately an hour's travel distance from kennels. Any adopter should be willing to visit Albert several times - more than twice - in order to build up a relationship with him and help his transition into a new home
There is a non-refundable adoption donation of £120 for Albert and all money donated goes directly to helping all the Senior Staffies in our care.
We aim to acknowledge your application within 48 hours.