Gertie's info:

Sex: Female
Age: 5 years old [almost 6]
Size: Medium
Breed: Mixed breed

Gertie's Story:

Gertie originally arrived with us back in November 2023.

She travelled directly from a kill shelter in Romania where so many dogs where losing their lives on a daily basis.
This poor girl had clearly witnessed [and probably experienced] some real horrors during her stay there.

When she arrived with us at Oakwood, she was SO scared, it was almost a year until she was comfortable with us stroking her. She soon realised after this, that it was a really nice experience and not only was approaching staff, but also volunteers too.

We changed her rehoming criterea to being ok to live with or without another dog to open up her chance of getting a home.

15 months after her arrival, Gertie was adopted as an only dog. She was very scared to start with which is what we expected, but without another dog in the home, she just didn't improve and 11 months later, alongside regular phone calls with us, support visits and the adopters working with a behaviourist, she was still so scared of the adopters.

We all agreed this wasn't fair on Gertie and it was agreed that she would be returned to Oakwood.

As soon as she stepped foot back in the building and we put a few dogs out with her, she was instantly the happy girl that we used to know, tail up, wagging, play bowing and asking us all for strokes and fusses.

Gertie has now been back with us for 4 months and it's time for her to start looking for her forever.

With other dogs:

Gertie gains all of her confidence by being with other dogs. It's absolutely a neccessity that this time, she goes into a home with another dog. She'll thrive being around a dog that will show her the ropes of how to be a dog in a home, show her that the world isn't so scary and one that would encourage her out of herself and have playtimes with her.

She has been temporarily in foster with a staff member as Gertie is very close with the current resident dog there. She has been doing wonders for Gertie so far and so now we have seen that there is potentail for her to be happy in a home, we hope there is someone out there that will give her the second chance that she needs to live in a long and happy life in a home where she feels safe and loved, with the companionship of at least other resident dog in the home.

With cats:

Gertie has lived with a cat in her adoptive home and in her foster home. She has always been very calm and gentle around the cats, she seems to really enjoy their company.

Active energy

Gertie like to have a play with the other dogs and gets super giddy when she sees the people that she trusts but other than this, she shows to be a quiet dog with low / mod energy levels.

4-5 hours

Gertie has shown to be no bother at all in the home when left alone.

Lead trained

Gertie has started harness training but she is so timid that lead walking will need to be slowly built up over time.

Training required

Gertie has proven to be toilet trained in the home. She could have accidents in her new home until she is brave enough to ask to go outside but she has always been clean in the adoptive and foster home.