History:
Bubbles came into SSC care from a dog pound. He had been removed from a home along with 4 other dogs. Bubbles had been kept in less than ideal conditions and when he arrived at the pound he had no fur on his back due to a severe flea allergy, weak back legs and was underweight. He was treated for the allergy and we were contacted to help him.
Current:
He is currently in foster in Stafford, Staffordshire.
Bubbles will give you the goofiest toothy smile as he comes towards you! He loves a squeaky toy and will carry it around with him - if he leaves it in the garden he will pop back out to fetch it in!
He can be left for a few hours and will just sleep in his basket whilst you are out. On a sunny day, he just loves to lay in the sun. He loves you to throw a ball - although he doesn't always bring it back! He is very inquisitive. His foster describes him as like a puppy - everything is new to him.
We were unsure if he was housetrained due to the conditions he was living in. He did initially have some accidents in the house, but these have now dwindled down to finding a little puddle first thing in the morning (Bubbles sleeps happily downstairs in the kitchen) so he is improving, but may need a little more work and patience with this.
Dogs / Cats:
We are told that Bubbles lived with four other dogs previously and he has no problems passing dogs on walks or saying hello to them. He could therefore live with another dog, a calm older one (a young boisterous dog would be too much for him with his wobbly legs). We would prefer just one other dog in the household as Bubbles came from an unsuitable multi-dog household and as an older boy, he now deserves a quieter life.
However, he would equally enjoy being an only dog where he can have all the attention.
He shares his foster home with a cat (we were informed he had lived with cats before). They are still getting to know one another and being introduced, but Bubbles seems more interested in the treats than the cat...although he did do a little chase when the cat went out of the dog flap! Foster mom feels that this would settle down fairly quickly, but slow introductions would be needed at first.
Walking:
Bubbles loves his walks. His back legs are unsteady and he does drag them sometimes...but this doesn't stop Bubbles; he would walk as far as you would let him. Foster mom tries to keep him on grass for as much of the walk as possible to prevent scuffs. He hasn't been tried in boots, but these may help with this if he will take to them.
He has some muscle wastage on his legs, so gentle walking will help to build this up.
He walks nicely on the lead and doesn't pull.
Travelling:
He travels OK in a car, though he has been known to panic a little on occasions when shut in. This, we believe, is due to the fact that he was shut in places before so he sometimes doesn't like it, but he has improved with us and foster mom has taken him to the vets in the car with no issues. Also, when being transported to his foster home he was fine.
Vets:
On his first vet visit he was a bit stressed as he wasn't enjoying being shut in the consulting room. The examination was taken outside and he was much happier. He was no problem with the vet, he just wanted to get out of the room.
On subsequent visits he has been better and on his last consult, he was happy to be in the room and was no problem.
Health:
Sadly Bubbles has a few health issues owing to his past treatment;
He has wobbly back legs - the vet thinks there is spondylitis in his spine due to mistreatment. He also has some arthritis in his legs. He is now on painkillers (Paracetamol) for his arthritis and he is booked for an X-ray on 10th June to get a clearer picture of his spine. However, the vet says nothing can really be done, it will just have to be managed.
He needs neutering and the vet has felt a suspicious lump in this area, but once neutered that will resolve the issue - this is being done on 10th June.
He has no fur on the bottom half of his back due to a previous severe flea allergy which was left untreated. It is highly unlikely that his fur will grow back.
His ears are slightly thickened from untreated haematomas so his hearing may not be great.
He has a few teeth missing and a broken tooth - again, this is being looked at on June 10th.
He is currently underweight, but he has started to put weight on and is now 19kg. Although at previous points in his life he has been 23kg, so he does need to gain a bit more.
...And we feel that all this gives Bubbles his beautifully unique character - a bit like a well worn teddy bear!
Ideal home:
Bubbles could possibly live with another older, calm dog…or be happy as an only dog.
He could live with a cat with slow introductions.
He could live with children aged 8 years +.
Bubbles is happy to be left for an hour or two and will settle in his bed.
He doesn’t chew things when left - although he has been known to help himself to a pizza left on the kitchen surface once!
Bubbles is a sweetheart, despite all that he has been through - he is a gentle soul and loves people. He is a boy who deserves to have the best in life now, for which he will thank you with his affection and big goofy smile!
Standard information:
Bubbles is microchipped, vaccinated and will be neutered.
He is currently in foster in Stafford, Staffordshire, but he can be rehomed anywhere in the UK, pending a successful home visit. However, any adopter should be willing to travel to meet him at least twice (and with any resident dog) where he is now.
There is a non refundable adoption donation of £120 for Bubbles and all money donated goes directly to helping all the Senior Staffies in our care.
*** PLEASE NOTE; due to him awaiting his xrays and being neutered, Bubbles will not be available to adopt until after the 10th June 2024. However, we are accepting applications now, so home visits and meet and greets can be done in the meantime. ***
We aim to acknowledge your application within 48 hours.