APASA Open Night & BBQ

APASA BBQ and Open Night Friday 17th August from 6.30pm till late.

Live music by Barry Peters “The Swingman” at the APASA shelter, Cami de les Sorts, Jávea. Come and join us for a fantastic evening!

It should be an excellent opportunity to come and see the APASA dog kennel first hand, maybe say hello to a cute dog or two and have some excellent bbq as night falls and the swing man entertains. Put a big fat cross in your calendar and go support the APASA effort – you can see more at APASA Jáveas website

Zumbathon For A New Dog Kennel

Zumbathon – marathon zumba on the beach – to raise money for a new dog pound near Javea. Check the poster for more details and see the message from the organizers below.

akira-benissa-dog-kennel

Some fun to help us raise some much needed spondooleys for the new AKIRA dog pound covering Benissa/ Moraira/ Teulada!! Coma along and shake and shimmy your stuff to the hottest Latin and international sounds, with fab national and international presenters! No need to know how to dance, just come along and follow our lead, or if you really can’t bear the idea, whoopers and clappers are also in high demand 🙂 . You can do as much or as little as you like, the location is amazing, right by the sea, (see poster), kids come free and it’s all for a fabulous cause! Can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning! Please come along and support, and bring your friends and family along with you! It’s set to be the beach party of the year, and it’s right here on the Costa Blanca! See you there! xxx Contact details on poster for enquiries….

Volonteers for the Dog Kennel

Posted yesterday on Javea Connect:

“Hi is there anyone out there that can help in the APASA DOG POUND as there are a lot of the regular helpers that are on holidays at this time if you can spare some time please pop in and offer your help THANKYOU”

So if you can help in any way – please head over to APASA Javea and offer your service

Dog Walking in Jávea – Questions Answered

Dog Walking in Jávea. Frequently asked questions about taking dogs from APASA for a walk in the nature of Javea:

Can anyone do it?
Yes, if you love dogs and want a nice walk with one – just head down there and ask for a dog to walk. They will always give you a dog that matches you, so if you are a little elderly lady you dont need to fear equipped with a giant energetic pitbull terrier.

Is it necessary to book in advance?
No, just go round the kennel during opening hours.  They are open from 11am-1pm and 5pm-8pm. Take note that the sign on the door is deceptive, you are not limited to walking dogs from 11-1 as the sign indicates – its perfectly fine in the afternoon too.

Do we need to be members?
No, anyone can do it.  Of course supporting the kennel by becoming a member of APASA, giving a donation or sponsoring a dog would be nice, but there is no pressure or obligation to do so … by talking a dog for walks you make that particular living create really happy for the day.

What if I get an aggressive dog?
You wont be given an aggressive dog. The people at the kennel seem super knowledgeable about dogs and able to determine which one would be a nice match for you. There is nothing to fear in that sense and of course if you do encounter a problem you can just take it straight back to the kennel

Do I need to sign up for a weekly appointment?
No, just turn up during opening hours, no need for appointments or solid commitments

How do I find the kennel?
Check the How To Find The APASA Kennel post

Is it allowed for people on holiday too?
Yes! Resident or tourists, expat or Spaniards, young or old … by all means go take a dog for a walk. It might in fact be a really nice way of exploring the nature round Javea during your holiday to do it with a doggie companion.

Afternoon Dog Walks in Jávea

After a little break due to a football knee injury, it was finally possible to take some dogs for a walk this week. Its amazing how quickly you start missing the afternoon walks and the playing around with a dog …

Prince Ibe – Nervous Old Boy
Went and took Prince Ibe (or maybe Prinzipe) out for a stroll to the fountain and down the riverbed.

I dont know his breed but he is an about 8 year old boy, who really could do with some positive human relations. Whilst very well behaved, able to walk perfectly on a line and rather placid, Prince Ibe does appear to have had some bad experiences in the past. He gets scared if you lift your hand to stroke him too quickly, sudden movements or sounds makes him visibly scared …

Dont get the poor boy wrong. He isnt at all nervous in a snappy kind of way – and there is absolutely no malice in him … if anything he is almost too well behaved and seems a bit too concerned to make his human companion angry. If you stop, he will stop 2 steps behind you – if you sit down, he will stand and wait at a close distance etc but he wont go exploring on his accord like most of the dogs i´ve been out walking with.

See a few more pictures of Prince Ibe

fountain-javea-dog

Bongo – The Bouncy Rottweiler Cross
Oh dear, Bongo is a real energy bubble!

Not sure how old this gorgeous little rottweiler cross is, but he still has the puppy spirit and comes across as a very young adult – and his feet seem strangely large compared to his body so he might still grow. By the looks of him he might be a rottweiler crossed with a german shepherd, but Im not sure.

Bongo is basically enthusiastic about life and super interested in everything he gets to do together with his walking companion. Exploring in the riverbeds, running in the fields, bouncing around with precious little finds in the road … Bongo is happy about all of it. In fact though, despite his bouncy nature he is incredibly well behaved and responsive, tell him how you want him to behave and he´ll be jolly to oblige.

Being old, fat and unfit (me, not Bongo) means the stroll in the Spanish heat requires plenty of breaks … Normally it involves sitting around catching breath and sharing some water with the dog … in Bongos case, sitting down in the bamboo field by the riverbed was interpreted as an open invitation to his favorite activity: CUDDLES. No sooner had my ass touched the ground before I had a big jolly rottweiler puppy curled up on my lap … roaming around in joy to get fuss and have his belly tickled. Give Bongo a little cuddle and he will loooooove you … he truly is an amazingly trusting and affectionate dog.

Speaking of behavior – yes he is a rottweiler but that doesn’t mean being nice, obedient or affectionate is a surprise. The horror stories you hear about aggressive rottweilers being nasty has nothing to do with the breed, they are normally lovely and perfectly well behaved. It has to do with idiot owners getting a rottweiler because of its strength and image to pick up their own shortcomings and maliciously training the dog to be aggressive and unpleasant. As Bongo clearly exemplifies, that is a fault of the owner – not a trait of the breed.

See a couple of more shots of Bongo the bouncy rottweiler

bongo-abandoned-rottweiler-puppy-javea4

Suzy – The Crazy Girl Has Found Mates
I´ve been out walking with Suzy a few times – see Happy Doggy Days in Javea & Meeting Suzy … and she does have a special little place in my old grumpy heart. She is so affectionate, calm and happy when out – but clearly not really comfortable among too many other dogs, so when inside the kennel she came across as a bit of an uncontrollable nutter.

I noticed she was missing today from her normal doggie house in the kennel and was thrilled to be told the APASA people have managed to integrate her in one of the bigger enclosures with a few other dogs. Apparently the other dogs are teaching her doggie social skills and succeeding. Now thats good news for real! I honestly thought she was a lost cause in terms of adoption because her behaviour in the kennel was so wild … but not only will a social life with other dogs probably make her alot happier in the kennel – it will most likely give her a much better chance of adoption too!

With the crazy amount of abandoned dogs APASA has to care for I find it truly admirable and astonishing that they find the time and energy to help each dog individually like that … please head over to APASA Javea and support them in any way you can!

By the way – check out the new Dog Pictures Jávea section!