A match made in Battersea

Millie my Labrador can be slightly temperamental. OK very temperamental. Over the last 4 years I have lost count of the times she has started barking at someone, because she didn’t like the look of their woolly hat. She will run away from smiling children, desperate to stroke her. Millie can be so antisocial and I was nervous about introducing her to the cocker spaniel we were hoping to adopt from Battersea Dogs Home.

We introduced Millie and Goofy the cocker spaniel puppy, in the Battersea Dogs Home training area.  As we let the dogs off their leads, I held my breath. Millie skipped off with her tennis ball, not giving the little spaniel a second look. Goofy however looked as if he had been well and truly hit by Cupid’s arrow. He bounded after Millie desperately nudging and pushing her. For a few seconds Millie would relent and join in the game, although she quickly lost interest. Even if it wasn’t love at first sight for Millie, it seemed she was willing to give Goofy a chance.

The Battersea rehomer was happy with how the dogs were getting along, and took us inside so we could spend time getting to know Goofy. We went to a room with toys and treats, so that we could interact and play with the dogs. The Battersea rehoming process is very thorough. We got to spend lots of time with Goofy in different environments, and had the chance to ask lots of questions.

After some time playing with Goofy, the rehomer came back to see if we wanted to go ahead and adopt him. We were sure we did, he was such a bundle of fun.  As for Millie, I was sure she raised one eyebrow and sighed, as if to say, “If you must”.