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!

 

APASA At Javea International Festival

The International Festival in Javea is happening right now in Avenida Augusta between the Port and Javea old town. The main feature of the festival is culture, music and food from more than 21 participating countries … but there has been made room for APASA, the local Javea dog charity too.

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The APASA Javea stand at the International Festival has plenty of information about the dog rescue efforts, merchandise and plenty of ways to support APASA.

But … to those of us with a sweet tooth the APASA stand is a nice stop for a bit of dessert or a snack during the festival too. They have a wide range of homemade cakes and pastries, miniature pancakes and plenty of other sugary goodies to go with a cup of fresh coffee or a cold drink. Its a real little oasis in the busy festival!

Photos: Javea International Festival – Opening Day
Program: Javea International Festival 2012

Come on down to the Festival and dont forget to visit the APASA stall for a doggie chat, a yummie cake and a coffee!

Elderlies On Tour From The Kennel

Walking Elderly Dogs From APASA Javea Dog Kennel … lovely elderly couple, they didn’t have too much energy (which was lucky as my knee is bust) – but they enjoyed a little wander by the river, bit of exploration in the bamboos and orange groves … and plenty of cosy cuddles and sitting around chit chatting

Both incredibly well behaved and placed dogs, both very happy to just a little wander around and then relax with some drinks

PS: Dont forget the Friday evening charity event for APASA Javea – it is happening at La Font Santa near Moraira. Featuring a nice chilled evening in a lovely park with live music, tombola, bbq, paella and refreshments – come along for a pleasant evening with fellow dog lovers on Friday June 24th from 7pm till 10pm!

PPS: If you want to take a dog for a walk – APASA in Javea have all sizes, temperaments, breeds and ages ready and longing for a wander round the area – check out the APASA Javea website for more info.

APASA Fiesta Time: Friday Night At La Font Santa

Fancy a Friday night with plenty of fun, live music and paella?

Come along to the APASA fiesta and fundraiser at the lovely recreational park La Font Santa between Teulada and Moraira. The APASA fiesta kicks off at 7pm Friday evening with freshly cooked yummy paellas and BBQ out in the open and plenty of refreshments such as mojitos, wine and soft drinks in the bar. Cake, cake, there´s a stall with homemade cakes and other goodies to explore as well … Play on the tombola, chat with new or old friends, bring your dog if it fancies a night in the park. The entertainment is provided by the Ok! Band performing a live concert outdoors.

Read all about it:
apasa fundraiser

The park La Font Santa is always worth a visit but even more so this Friday evening from 7pm. Enjoy excellent food, drinks and live music with fellow dog lovers – and help support the amazing efforts of the APASA Dog Charity and Rescue Kennel!


View Larger Map

Don´t forget. Load your family, friends and dogs in the car this Friday evening – and head to La Font Santa for a great night of live music, paella, bbq, mojitos and fundraising for your local APASA dog rescue!

Leader Of The Pack – Assume Responsibility!

A dog is generally a social being with lots of loyalty and affection to spare for those it gets attached to and shows it respect. That only makes it even more sad when the bond of trust between the dog and its family, the humans, is broken. A dog is happiest when it belongs to a pack in whatever role it might fit into. In the case of a pet, the humans are the pack and one of those humans is the leader of the pack in the eyes of dog. As a consequence taking on a dog as part of the family is a responsibility, not unlike having a child.

The responsibility is yours to look after the well-being of your dog, keep it happy and healthy, and in return it will go out of its way to please you, adore you and show its uncompromising love.

This means that suddenly abandoning your responsibility and cutting off the dog from its beloved family is a clearcut act of cruelty. You may have a million more or less valid reasons for wanting to rid yourself of your dog, but the dog has now chance of understanding them. To the dog, being abandoned by its family or pack is the most heartbreaking and devastating blow it can possibly experience. Whichever way you abandon your dog is an act of cruelty to it, but some are less cruel than others. If you find the dog a new permanent loving home when having to part with it, it will get over the loss eventually

… it may seem like a lot of hassle to search for a new family for the dog, but it is after all a responsibility you chose to take on.

…and to those who do the opposite, escape all responsibilities and ignore the welfare of the dog: You are committing a malicious crime! If not in the eyes of the law, then at least through my lenses. Even in a small Spanish town like Jávea there are numerous examples of such violations of the most basic needs of the dog:

  • Dogs found alone and confused in the streets after being abandoned
  • Dogs chained to the rubbish bins … like the rest of the trash the family couldn’t be bothered to take with them
  • Boxes of puppies randomly dropped off somewhere in town
  • Dogs thrown over the fence to dog kennels
  • Dogs found, sometimes still alive, locked in villas vacated without notice

The list sadly continues with every line depicting another disgusting crime against an animal that was up until then a loving member of the family. And these are not cruel acts committed by uneducated third world people who simply doesn’t know better. A vast number of the abandoned dogs stem from expats going back to England, Germany or where ever they may be headed and simply not bothering to make arrangements for their dog to come along or find a new home in Spain.

Imagine the guy who locked the dog in a villa. In 40degrees with no water or food and without giving notice to anyone. The dog only to be found weeks later when the rental agent comes round to check why no rent is being paid and emails not being answered. That guy is now sitting in his local pub in Bournemouth or Bristol telling people how he was heartbroken he couldn’t bring the dog with him and he hopes it found a new home. Well it didn’t! It died a horrible death of starvation or thirst whilst in despair about its beloved pack having gone missing.

The dog that was found chained to the rubbish bins. A week earlier it was having the time of its life playing in the garden or round the pool of the big villa in the expat urbanization with the family kids. The kids are still playing in the garden with a dog, only in another country and with a new dog the parents kindly gave them as the kids were sad about the old one not being able to come. Why wasn’t it? Because it was just too much hassle to go to the veterinarian and get a passport? Too expensive to book it on a flight to England? Whatever the reason, the responsible adults chose the most vile and horrid solution of all. They took the dog out with the trash and left it there to die.

Do I need to continue?

The examples are scarily easy to find, disgustingly common and those capable and willing to commit these crimes are not sent away to a prison cell, in fact, they rarely even have to be confronted with their sickening acts of malice towards a living soul who loved them and depended on them.

Break the chain dear leader of the pack. Assume the responsibility that is yours!

PS: All the examples above are real and sadly from Javea. I hope none of you reading this will ever add yourself to the list – but further it would be nice if you could in some way support the efforts of those fighting tooth and nails to help these abandoned dogs, get them back to health and happiness, find them new loving homes … please head over to APASA Javea and give them whatever support you can!

Meet Suzy ! A Lovely Dog For Adoption

I went and met Suzy for the very time when I took her for an afternoon of walking, running and playing around Jávea. Suzy lives in the APASA kennel and really should find a new permanent home with people who love her. Because the thing is, as long as we were in the kennel with lots of dogs barking and pouncing about, Suzy was acting all nervous and wild. She jumped in all directions, wouldn’t let me touch her and was visibly scared.

adopt a dog in Javea

It all changed completely as soon as we had walked for 5 minutes alone. She calmed down, became talkative and as we had spent just a little time talking and playing she became very placid and affectionate.

Of course, every dog is an individual little personality with its own experiences and preferences. Some probably love the social life of the kennel and the company of all the other dogs. In Suzys case it clearly makes her crazy and scared to have so many dogs around her at all times. All I could do was take her for a couple of hours of relaxing fun on her own and the hard working people of the kennel of course do not have the resources to give her a special kennel home away from the other dogs.

adopt a dog in Javea

The APASA people clearly love dogs – and they do an incredible job, but for a dog like Suzy I think the only solution to give her a happy life is for YOU to help out. If you live in the Javea area and consider adopting a dog, go and meet her. Take her for a walk and get to know her. You will very soon find out that she is a wonderfully affectionate dog with an adorable personality. Please give her a chance for a bright future with your family, I promise she will give you plenty of rewards back in form of love, loyalty and fun times!

Please consider going to the APASA Javea Dog Kennel and meet Suzy or some of the many other lovely dogs waiting for a new home with a family to love!

Walking Dogs in Jávea

Was back today to take a girlie dog named Suzy for a walk … as soon as we got walking and playing she was completely well behaved, calm and affectionate.

http://www.javeavacation.com/javea-pictures/?wppa-album=6&wppa-cover=0&wppa-occur=1 … posted a stack of photos of her too, she´s adorable. I was so wishing I could take her home 🙂

Missed the start of the England game though as we lost track fooling around exploring the bamboo forest and playing “thats my stick” and “belly tickles terrible” down in the high grass fields by the river.

 

Cute Javea Puppies For Your Family ?

Are your kids begging for a puppy? Would you like some memorable awwwwwwwwww moments with a new little member of the family or two?

Have a look at these two sweetheart puppies from the APASA kennel in Javea. Adopting a puppy from APASA means you can come and talk to it first, so you know there is positive chemistry. The puppy will have had its vaccinations, a micro chip and European passport, health checks and blood tests. But more importantly, you get a lifelong loyal companion who will soon grow to love you!

puppies-in-javea

Information about Colina and Colin

“Colina and her brother Colin were found in the campo. Their mother was dead and they hid in a rabbit burrow. Thank god someone was walking his dog there and heard them cry. Both dogs are in foster home now, where they are being socialised with people and other dogs. Next week they will be old and strong enough for vaccination and ready to go to a new home. The mum was medium sized, and we guess they will grow to be of the same size.”

See more about Colina and Colin here