One of the joys of being a Holbrook volunteer is that we get to meet so many beautiful dogs. Sometimes though, a dog comes along and completely steals your heart. About 6 months after I joined Holbrook my father died and I started taking Freddie out for long walks in the woods. Freddie helped me through that time and I'll always be grateful to him.
Freddie has been at Holbrook since he was a young boy. He arrived one day in the back of a car, having travelled for miles, his family desperately trying to rehome him. They weren't local and had tried many other rescues but no one would take him. Laura was ready to say no too because Holbrook was full to bursting. However she quickly changed her mind when she saw this poor little dog, drool running down his chin, clearly suffering from car sickness.
Freddie had arrived.
Freddie has been rehomed twice since then, to loving and patient families. Both families worked hard to try and make things work, following advice from dog behaviourists, but with no success.
Freddie is a complex character who wears his heart on his sleeve. He's fiercely loyal and protective, keenly guarding those he loves, this being one of the problems with rehoming. Along with all the other dogs he enthusiastically greets the volunteers in the morning but he waits his turn, hanging back and letting the others surge ahead of him. He rarely joins the dogs in running to the back of the field. Instead he chooses to remain near the entrance and keep watch. A bit of a loner.
He is a bright boy who needs regular stimulation but on his terms. We took him to agility classes a few years ago but he wasn't interested. It was as though he couldn't see the point! But I've taken Freddie for long walks and he loves jumping over fallen trees, wriggling under gates and climbing over stiles. So don't feel too sorry for Freddie. He has a lovely home at Holbrook, with his own fan club; volunteers who adore him despite, or perhaps because of, his cheeky ways. He's often taken out for extra walks, sometimes even stopping at a pub on the way, and receives endless love and affection.
Freddie and I will be walking a total of 30 miles in October in aid of Tweed. If you would like to help please visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Helptweed OR if you'd like to help us care for Freddie then please sponsor him.
