When the UK went into lockdown last March life changed overnight. The demand for dogs during the pandemic increased exponentially, I get it, who doesn’t smile or feel happy with a puppy. It’s easy to understand why they might be perceived as the perfect antidote to being stuck inside with the world turned upside down. Two weeks into the UK’s lockdown we received a call from Wild at Heart Foundation. Enter Marlo.
Marlo’s adoptive family decided that they couldn’t offer him a home with enough stimulation, so he came to us, the crazy house! Marlo was immediately friends with Kendall and we learned that he LOVED structure. Having already lived in a home before, Marlo was already relaxed and socialised, it was clear any behaviour issues came from a lack of structure and rules. We gave him both, our routine with Marlo in lockdown had military precision.
Part of his routine was our mornings at our local park. We took the opportunity to focus on his training, tricks and recall. He loved it. Within two weeks he was off his training lead and living the dream of running, playing and chasing all sorts of dogs. That’s where we met Luna.
Luna and Marlo were (and still are!) best friends. They both got increasingly excited when they saw one another and it wasn’t long before all us humans got to talking – from a social distance of course. But in the age of distancing, effective socialisation of puppies was difficult. But Marlo had no problem finding new friends everywhere he went. Marlo was an absolute stud, so gorgeous and well-behaved, he had numerous applications but there was one that stuck out: Luna’s grandparents. They had been thinking about a new addition to the family for a few months but after seeing videos of Marlo and Luna together, they knew it was time. Marlo had a new family and now got to call Luna family. Talk about a happy ending during a difficult time.
Marlo proved to be our easiest foster, he slotted in perfectly to our life and routine. His snuggles were second to none and he planted the seed: we were ready for dog number two. Remember: Dogs are a significant responsibility and commitment and one which no one should take lightly. A dog is for life, not just for Covid.