Email: info@huskidz.com
Email: info@huskidz.com
This is Igloo, an awesome soul who came to us as a 10 week old puppy from a loving and nurturing home. She’s a well-mannered, well rounded young lady who is now almost 7 years old. Igloo loves people, she isn’t phased by other dogs and is definitely pack leader. Igloo has played an integral part in the recovery of all the pups that have been with us, she monitors the pack dynamics and is particularly good at keeping the girls in line. Igloo is never too far away watching and anticipating, always ready for the next adventure, the difference in a nurtured pup with her parents input is phenomenal. No stress, no anxiety no demons…
2019 brought Joey to us as a foster. He was 18 months old and had been rehomed many times with little success. He was born in the Shelter in Riyadh to a pregnant Husky who had been left tied up outside the front gate. A happy playful little pup, who became a traumatised and tortured soul at the hands of the many humans who attempted to rehome him for the wrong reasons. He is a chunky handsome boy with unusual bi eyes. One brown one blue.
His name was lucky, as he didn’t seem to have much luck we renamed him Joey.
Oh actually there was some luck in his life, that the adopters actually returned him back to the shelter as opposed to just leaving him out in the desert. The shelter owner said enough is enough, a place was secured for him in a rescue in Pennsylvania, USA. Our mission was to get him ready for his journey to his new life. We collected him from Riyadh shelter, thin, weak, sun burned, full of tick bites and traumatised. We had 2 weeks to get him flight ready, ……. It took us two weeks to get him inside the house. It didn’t take long to realise that Joey needed time and space. That was the only method that was going to help him to heal. He slept outside under a bush in a shaded part of the garden for a few days then slowly little by little he came round, first coming into the house, then coming into the actual room we were in…….We asked to delay his flight, which was doable as there is a never ending list of dogs in need.
That was then and this is now……Foster Fail!
Joey doesn’t listen, loves a cuddle and loves his food. He has not bothered with toys in the whole 5 years we have had him, then every now and again he will pull something out of the toy box and throw it playfully in the air. He has such a funny and mischievous sense of humour and a huge personality everyone seems to gravitate towards. He likes to snooze on the window seat in the kitchen, from here he has a great view of the drive and all the comings and goings of the family. His life has turned completely around, he’s a really sociable boy who is not phased by dogs or children. We still have the odd trigger, certain adult men must remind him of his cruel past, soothing cuddles of reassurance do the trick on getting him back on track. He finds trust and security in the pack and doesn’t like to go out without the others or be separated from them.
Ayaz “shelter boy” was our first foster, the painful beginning. A tiny pup, who had been returned to the shelter many times, curiously, replying to a post asking for help, we wondered what was so bad about him and whether fostering with Igloo could help build his confidence, hopefully to assist with rehoming him. Little did we know what lay ahead, we should have known from the first night when we picked him up from the shelter, he leapt up licking and howling as if to say “ where have you been, I’ve been waiting”. We soon found out there was nothing “wrong with him” Harry (we renamed him) is a shy sensitive boy who likes to be close by. He doesn’t have a bad bone in his body, he loves everyone with or without fur!
Most of all he loves Igloo, who took him under her wing and helped to raise him, he is like the puppy she never had. She still washes him, cleans his ears and corrects him when needed even now at 5 years old.
He still has his demons, I think little triggers now and again still spook him, especially mops and brushes, it must rewind him back to the days of being lonely and scared locked up in a broom cupboard. We shudder to think what he encountered in those early few months, engrained unnecessary torture for a helpless little boy.
Memories all a lifetime away for him now. He too finds security and comfort in the pack, to help soothe away his fears. He is the first one up to bed at night, armed with his teddy, ready to get safely snuggled up between us on the bed, time is a great healer.
Foster Fail number 1.
The onset of covid 2020 and with countries in a whirl about what we all could and couldn’t do we received a phone call from the rescue could we take a young pup who was in a cage. We were a little reluctant at first as we were planning our exit from Saudi Arabia, no one knew at this point that the world would come to a standstill for a couple of years.
We had a lady in tears as she had bought the puppy and the pet shop had sold her the cage to go with her, the lady was in distress as the puppy was growing too big for the cage!
Just when you think you have heard it all.
We collected Albina from 2 young Saudis who were on a secret rescue mission, we met in a shopping Mall car park, our cars pulled up side by side and out sprang the most beautiful baby. She leapt up to Martin, her paws were as pink as the day she was born and she had the most beautiful blue eyes. At around 4 months, a little nervous, extremely shy, whilst what seemed to be very excited and ready to live her life.
Back at the Villa, we had this crazy pup leaping and jumping about all over the place, zooming in and out, in and out , indulging in her new found freedom. It took about a week for her to actually settle a little, she was clearly very happy to be “home”.
Time passed, covid dragged on, with all flights suspended we were unable to get her to the rescue in Pennsylvania. The phone rang, it was the rescue, they had a Saudi family who wanted to adopt her!
Two blue eyes were looking up at me as I took the call, I heard “obviously as her foster you have the first option to adopt”, All I thought was we couldn’t risk this beautiful little soul ending up back in a cage or tied up outside somewhere, she was very much a live wire.
We will adopt! …. Evie, we changed her name, became pack member number 4.
Something I had to later Explain to Martin over the dinner table.
Its April 2021, Still anticipating the go ahead to leave Saudi Arabia, paperwork part completed and little did we know that foster fail number 5 was looming. From one Trish to another, a random phone call completely out of the blue …………” there is this 6 month old Husky pup, found in the desert ”
Linda arrived in a little cage, terrified, confused and very angry! We weren’t sure if she had seen other dogs before or even knew she was a dog, as her reaction to the others was that of trauma.
An extremely difficult beginning, a pup that was completely Ferrell, had no idea how to socialise with the pack and caused utter chaos and mayhem. The decision was made, there was no way she was going to secure a home in Saudi Arabia, we didn’t think anyone would be able to cope with her. Destructive, mouthy trouble causer, a rampant teen!
It was the start of a completely new journey for Ember (spark of life) as we renamed her, Igloo set to work and boy did she struggle!
Fast forward to a beautiful looking 3 year old girl, still extremely vocal, loves all people, especially children, is very affectionate and is always close by the humans. Still has “other dog” hang ups, Ember hates sharing anything, food , toys , her dog parents. We always said that she would have flourished in an only dog home, being the queen bee and getting all the attention.
But she is here now and still learning every day. 2 rounds of dog training classes and banned from doggy day care, Ember has a persistence like no other, smart, funny and very much loved.
