The Dogs: Saffi

My most recent addition. Saffi got here on May 1st under the name of Becky - not the right name for her at all.

I got a phonecall that day from a pet sitter I know, asking if I knew anywhere that could take a lab immediately - she was being neglected, ignored in favour of the owner's own lab (relationship breakup and Saffi was the ex's dog) and the sitter felt it was urgent to get her out sharpish. I said I could foster her here so I went straight round to pick her up.

She was a bit underweight and not happy where she was - we took her round the block and when we got back, her tail flopped and she just kind of 'sank' :-( and glued herself to my leg.

When I got her home, my housemate took one look and fell for her - so I agreed to a one month trial period, the sole condition being that the housemate had to get off her backside and start doing her fair share of housework. She didn't, just as I'd expected, and other issues surfaced too - jealousy over anyone else fussing 'her' dog, encouraging Saff to run or play footy knowing she had bad legs, or walking Saff after being at work all day then shutting herself in her room for the rest of the evening and ignoring poor Saffi.

So last Saturday was the month end, I told housemate that Saffi would be staying but would not be her dog and why... and so I have my fifth dog (btw if anyone's wondering, the two dobes I took on have moved on - not my choice, long and unpleasant story).

What little info there is on her tattoo tells me that Saffi will be 6 in August, she was tattooed as a pup but no details were ever registered - breeder or owner. The last people got her from a rescue last year, and last October she had a litter by c-section and was spayed at the same time :-( She's not been walked much - 5 weeks on and we're just now at the point of walking 20-30 minutes twice a day without serious lameness afterwards, but her back and front left legs are still very sore - getting up is difficult for her. I'm looking into hydrotherapy and a chiropractor visit for her to try and help her.

She's a lovely girl though - she slotted in perfectly here with my lot, even with grumpy Soli, she's very demanding of her fuss and typically greedy for a lab but she is very well behaved and obedient, fab all round.