Bessie – Available – Midlands
Dogs name: Bessie
Age: 6
Current location: Halesowen
I CAN LIVE WITH
Children: Yes, dog savvy
Cats: No
Dogs: No
A BIT ABOUT ME
Personality:
Bessie is an adorable, affectionate girl whose personality is gradually blossoming in foster care. She is a gentle, people-loving soul who thrives on companionship and absolutely loves being the centre of attention. She adores children, enjoys meeting people and will happily seek out affection from anyone willing to give her a fuss.
Her favourite thing in the world is a tummy rub! Bessie has no hesitation in letting you know when she wants attention, either by nudging you, rolling over or giving an enthusiastic little bark to remind you that her tummy isn’t going to tickle itself. Her foster family affectionately calls her “Nana” because she has that lovely, loving grandmother quality about her. She has a wonderful way of making people smile, and her affectionate nature makes her a very. endearing companion.
Bessie is a real home-comforts girl. She loves her bed, cosy blankets, a good sleep and simply being wherever her people are. She has become her foster mum’s little shadow, following her around the house and garden, and enjoys relaxing in the sunshine. She has a cheeky, independent streak and can be a little stubborn at times, but this is all part of her endearing personality.
Behaviour:
Bessie knows some basic commands, including sit, lie down and bed, although she tends to do these on her own terms and isn’t always consistent in responding. Her new family will need to continue working with her using patience, encouragement and positive reinforcement to help her improve her consistency and build on what she already knows.
Bessie is generally happy to be cleaned and have her usual care carried out, although she may give a little moan to let you know she isn’t entirely impressed! She is less comfortable having her paws touched and doesn’t enjoy having her nails clipped. Her foster family has found that giving her plenty of fuss and reassurance beforehand helps her relax and rewarding her afterwards encourages her to cooperate. Her new family will need to be patient and gentle with these aspects of her care, allowing her time to become comfortable rather than rushing her.
Bessie can be startled by sudden or unexpected noises and may respond by barking. This doesn’t tend to last long, and she settles well when given some reassurance, affection and the opportunity to realise there is nothing to worry about. A calm, understanding approach will help her feel secure in unfamiliar situations and as she adjusts to life in her new home.
Needs:
Bessie would suit a calm, loving home where she can enjoy plenty of human company, affection and life’s simple pleasures. She can be left for a few hours once settled, but she would be happiest with a family who aren’t regularly away for long periods. She isn’t looking for an adventurous lifestyle or endless walks; she simply wants to be someone’s special companion, enjoying time together, pottering in the garden, cosy naps and, of course, an endless supply of tummy rubs.
Bessie can live with children and has shown herself to be a gentle, affectionate girl who enjoys their company.
Her new family must also be happy to continue her eye drops and current Piriton medication, as well as support her with routine care. Bessie is not keen on having her paws handled or her nails clipped, so patience and gentle handling will be important.
Bessie needs a secure, private garden where she can potter about, enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, and spend time relaxing at her own pace. Having easy access to a garden is particularly important given her mobility difficulties, as she can sometimes be reluctant to go outside to toilet and benefits from gentle encouragement. She may also need someone to accompany her into the garden, especially at night, when she can be a little reluctant to go out on her own. A garden would give Bessie the freedom to enjoy the outdoors comfortably, without placing too much demand on her physically, while providing a familiar and convenient space for her daily toileting needs.
Walk/exercise:
Bessie gets very excited when she sees her lead and harness and is always keen to head out on an adventure. However, due to her poor conformation, out turned front paws. she is a slow walker and needs plenty of encouragement to get going. Once she has settled into her walk, she can do quite well, but she needs to be allowed to go at her own pace, with regular opportunities to rest whenever she needs them.
Bessie can be a little stubborn at times and will occasionally decide that she has had enough, sometimes refusing to move or wanting to head straight back home! She also loves meeting people and may stop to see if someone will come over to say hello. She has been good when passing other dogs and has shown little interest in them, occasionally stopping for a friendly sniff.
Bessie would suit a less active family who understands her physical limitations and can adapt her exercise to suit her needs. Short, gentle outings and time pottering around her garden would be ideal, without any pressure to walk further than she feels comfortable. Her new family will need to be mindful of her physical limitations, recognise when she is tiring and give her the time and encouragement she needs.
Toilet trained:
Yes, Bessie is fully house-trained and has had no accidents in her foster home. Her foster family use the phrase “wee wee” when opening the door to encourage her to go outside.
Travel:
Bessie travels well and is a lovely passenger in the car. She genuinely seems to enjoy car journeys and has travels without any issues. In her foster home, she has travelled comfortably on her own bed while wearing a seat belt, helping to keep her safe and settled during the journey. Because of this we would consider home up to four hours away from her foster home.
We recommend using a seatbelt restraint or travel crate whenever transporting dogs.
Things to be aware of:
Bessie’s poor conformation and out turned front paws contribute to her limp and mobility difficulties. When she first came into foster, she was significantly overweight and was placed on a weight-loss programme. This has made a noticeable difference to her mobility and has helped improve her walking. Her new family will need to continue managing her weight carefully and ensure she maintains a healthy body condition, as gaining weight again could put additional strain on her joints and make getting around more difficult. Bessie also takes YuMOVE joint supplements, which will need to be continued as part of her ongoing care. Maintaining a healthy weight and continuing her supplements will be important in supporting Bessie’s comfort, mobility and overall quality of life.
Bessie has had her cherry eye taken out, she will need to continue having her prescribed eye drops as part of her ongoing care. Her new family will need to be comfortable administering these regularly and following the vet’s advice to help keep her eyes comfortable and healthy.
Bessie is a very food-loving girl who gets incredibly excited when she knows her meals are coming! She can express her enthusiasm by running around, jumping and barking, so she will benefit from continued positive training and a consistent mealtime routine to help her learn to settle. She can sometimes be reluctant to venture outside to toilet, particularly at night, when she prefers to have someone accompany her for a little reassurance.
Bessie can be startled by sudden noises and may bark in response, but she generally settles quickly with a little comfort and reassurance. She also likes to let you know when she spots the cat in her foster home, barking as it passes by, but she soon settles again once it has gone, so will need a cat free home.
Sometimes Bessie is excited to play but doesn’t realise her size, any young children in the home must be supervised, as she has the potential to jump and knock children over.
Children must understand that bulldogs need time to settle in and have space to rest peacefully and uninterrupted.
Additional information from Bessie’s foster family:
Bessie is the sweetest soul and most affectionate girl you will ever meet. Her most favourite things are cuddles and tummy rubs, and she will tell you when they are needed! We call her Nana because she is like your favourite grandmother that loves you so deeply.
She adores people and wants fuss off everyone she meets, and they are always happy to oblige.
We have loved every minute, every cuddle and every tummy rub with Bessie, and she deserves the most loving home
Bessie’s adoption donation fee is £400 and will need to be paid in full prior to her going home which will also be subject to a home check.
**Every dog rehomed by GBSR receives Rescue Back-up for their whole Life. And the admin team are available for advice and support for the whole of that dog’s lifetime via Messenger, therefore the successful applicant will need to have an active Facebook and Messenger account for the life of the dog. If you cannot agree to this, please don’t apply**
***ALL DOG’S MUST BE COLLECTED WITHIN 7 DAYS OF ADOPTION***
🚨 PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE APPLYING 🚨
1. You MUST MEET ALL the dogs’ criteria, have you read the adoption criteria in full?
2. COMPLETE APPLICATION FORM
3. PAY YOUR £5 SUBSCRIPTION – SEE NOTE BELOW*
4. PAYMENT REFERENCE must on the application form to cross reference. Mention if you have paid by Paypal or Bank Transfer if you are unable to provide a Transaction Number so we can check.
5. PAYMENT METHOD Via Enthuse using the link below.
https://geordiebullies.enthuse.com/donate
Note:
UNLESS WE SEE PROOF, YOU HAVE PAID; WE WILL NOT PROCESS YOUR APPLICATION AND YOU WILL NOT BE CONTACTED.
£5 per year allows you to apply for as many dogs as you wish over a 12-month period from your first application. Please mention if you have paid by PayPal or Bank Transfer on any previous applications so we can cross reference.
Below is the link to the Application Form.
https://www.cognitoforms.com/geordiebulliesspringboard1/adoptionapplication2
Bessie’s Story
Welcome Bessie to the Springboard family.
Poor Bessie was found wandering as a stray during the recent hot weather. Alone, frightened and desperately in need of help, she completed her 7-day stray hold at the kennels before we were asked if we could take her into our care – and of course, we said yes.
Nikki collected Bessie straight away to make sure she was safe and out of the heat. Since then, she’s enjoyed a much-needed bath and has been checked over by our vet, who found that she has a cherry eye, some dental disease and a tight corkscrew tail.
Bessie has now moved to her foster home with Jess and her family in the Midlands, where she’ll receive all the love, patience and care she deserves while she settles in. Once she has had time to decompress, we’ll be booking her in for the surgeries she needs.
Please note that Bessie has only just arrived into foster and is not currently available for adoption. We kindly ask that you do not submit an application for her at this time.
Welcome to the Springboard family, beautiful girl. Your new chapter starts now.
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