Alfie - 7 year old male Staffie

Alfie, Staffie - DOB 05.09.04



Homing Requirements: Alfie needs a dog experienced home who can offer him freedom within a secure garden, which he has never known. He needs supervision around dogs and will need muzzling until his confidence is re-gained. Alfie has lived with a cat but may not accept another. Alfie has grown up with children and is gentle.

His Story: Alfie has been owned since a puppy, living in a flat with a communal garden. He grew up with children around, his cat and is very safe within his 'pack' and with visitors. Alfie has had a few incidents around dogs, getting off the lead and his owner has lost trust in him. Alfie is much loved but needs the right person/s to help Alfie with his nervousness around dogs. He is reported to be OK in the vet's waiting rooms. Alfie has not been walked for sometime due to his owners lack of confidence and coupled with the fact that he hasn't got his own garden, makes his plight so sad. Neutered and we are vaxing him. Coming into boarding kennels in May.

Advert: Alfie is a sweet Staffie who charms all he meets. He is friendly, adores and is very good around children and lives with his 'cat'. Yes he is excitable with visitors but he has nothing much more to look forward too. Alfie accesses the communal garden via the front door for toileting. He needs a family that can give him expression to his energy within a low dog density area until he regains his confidence. (A muzzle could help until relaxed). He just needs confidence behind his lead.

Alfie is extremely loving and a dear addition to any family. We are getting to know him and his thread on our Forum will reveal his gifts as we 'get going' and discover/work with him. Everyone speaks highly of Alfie and believes in him. Alfie needs a chance and we will enjoy offering him that chance...? Could you?

"Please note this dog will go into boarding kennels in May so will also be available for foster until a 'forever' home is found".




If you are interested in re-homing please complete our homing questionnaire so we can ensure our dogs are matched and will suit your circumstances/lifestyle.

For daily updates click our forum logo on our homepage and you will find the full range of dogs that are available for homing.

***PLEASE NOTE: We are a rescue finding dogs their forever homes. We usually ask for a minimum donation of £150 at the time of adoption, for each dog, to help us continue helping homeless dogs***.

Alfie is available for homing and patiently waiting for his home to find him. Could it be you?

If you are interested in re-homing Alfie please complete our homing questionnaire so we can ensure our dogs are matched and will suit your circumstances/lifestyle.

Some beautiful new pics of Alfie who is currently in boarding kennels and waiting for a forever home … could it be you?









Alfie would absolutely love some TLC in a foster home if anyone is able to offer him a place? Please get in touch if you can help him.

If you are interested in re-homing Alfie please complete our homing questionnaire so we can ensure our dogs are matched and will suit your circumstances/lifestyle.

Where are you ... my forever home?





If you are interested in re-homing Alfie please complete our homing questionnaire so we can ensure our dogs are matched and will suit your circumstances/lifestyle.

***bump***

Alfie is enjoying some weekend foster breaks with a couple of our kennel volunteers. Here is their latest update:

"We looked after Alfie again this weekend, and without wishing to sound repetitive he was perfectly behaved once again and a joy to be around. I genuinely think we enjoy our weekends as much as he does. As soon as Monday comes around we are thinking ahead to the following weekend!

We picked him up late on Saturday afternoon, as I was losing more money horse racing (again!), but we took Monday off work so that he could stay for the full two days and nights.

Alfie just settles straight in as soon as he walks through the door. He's the most sociable and affectionate dog I know. He wants to be on you, or laying against you ALL the time. I've actually made sure that he can't always get attention when he wants it, because he actually lays back against you as if to demand affection. Don't worry folks.....he's not being deprived in any way as you can see:





On Sunday I took him to meet my parents and he was walked by my mum who has had two knee replacements. She walked him with ease and he didn't pull at all. We even passed the grumpy local councillor (don't ask.......it's a bit Last Of The Summer Wine down there!) and he had two barking, growling dogs and Alfie just strolled along without looking at them. Both my parents were amazed at how calm and well behaved Alfie was. My mum loved him and my dad, who is non-plussed by dogs, actually deigned to give him a few friendly pats!

We didn't get that many pictures this weekend but we got quite a few videos where you will be able to see his size and personality a bit better. As you can see he's quite inquisitive at times:



We had quite a few shortish car journeys this weekend. Alfie travels well in the car. He's quite alert in the back and constantly looking out of the windows and wagging his tail, but he's not overly excited or aggressive. I still haven't heard him bark except when he's in kennels. At night time he sleeps in our room but is very obedient and stays in his bed all night. All you hear from him are a few Staffy snores and groans!

Yesterday the weather was fantastic. I hate hot weather and it was perfect for me yesterday - blue skies and and nice frost. Alfie and I had a 6 mile walk in the morning through the woods. And, yes Sharon, we got lost a couple of times but it didn't really matter....we got back in the end!

At the end of the walk the woods become more high-density in terms of numbers of dogs. Alfie was approched by a number of dogs quite quickly at certain points and I was very cautious about not letting them get too close. As some of the dogs approached Alfie quite rudely he stood up tall so I was cautious and made sure I stood between them. I am amazed, and quite annoyed, at the number of people who wander around with off-lead dogs with no control over them. At one point a Schnauzer came sprinting towards us out of nowhere and I made sure he didn't get too close. As I stood in front of Alfie shooing the dog away his owner came strolling along on his mobile phone and didn't even stop or look in our direction! It took all my self-control not to shout at him!

Anyway, once back home Alfie had his first venture into the garden. Alfie has been cooped up for so long it was great to see him running around with a smile on his face. Check out how athletic he is as he jumps up onto the patio. He just suddenly bounces and flies through the air in slow motion!

http://www.youtube.com/user/biggsc?f.../2/bFrL2ux30SU

We also decided to see if he had a liking for pig's ears. In the next two clips you can find the answer:

http://www.youtube.com/user/biggsc?f.../1/88xsrgDuegU

http://www.youtube.com/user/biggsc?f.../0/mtb2mc38jmE

I didn't get a clip of it but Alfie will chase a ball.....getting it back from him is proving a little more difficult however! Work in progress..... LOL!

For a final clip you can see his tail wagging exploits. I think Alfie's tail is controlled by a strange force that we can't comprehend. I'm not sure he has any control over it either:

http://www.youtube.com/user/biggsc?f.../3/pSrCAoPMKe0

Roll on next weekend........."!

Alfie is really enjoying the taste of a home life but really needs his own forever home. It's on his Christmas list!

If you are interested in re-homing Alfie please complete our homing questionnaire so we can ensure our dogs are matched and will suit your circumstances/lifestyle.

Alfie has been enjoying a Christmas foster break but really needs his own forever home.

If you are interested in re-homing Alfie please complete our homing questionnaire so we can ensure our dogs are matched and will suit your circumstances/lifestyle.

An update from Alfie's fosterers:

"It’s been a little while since we posted but Alfie has been continuing to visit us for weekend breaks. For anyone reading this that is unfamiliar with Alfie….YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MISSING!!!

Alfie is just a brilliant little Staffie. We pick him up on a Friday night and he jumps straight into the back of the car. We’ve learned that the best thing to do is completely ignore him when we drive off, otherwise at any comment, wink, look, or mention of his name he sees it as an invitation to climb through to the front. I tend to put on a bit of music (Rockabilly is his favourite!) and he stands in the back taking in the sights as we head off.

As soon as he’s back at the house he steps back into the old routine. Here are some points of note:

He likes more food in the evening than he does in the morning.
He is fully aware of which member of the household is more likely to give him a treat!
His toilet training is superb – I even know the exact distance he likes to be walked in the morning before he’s ready to go to the loo!
His obedience is excellent. Training basic commands is something I would like to practice with him more but he understands “Wait”, and communicating with him using body language is a doddle. A click of the fingers and he will jump on or off the sofa, into or out of his bed, or onto the towel where he is going to be dried post-bath!
He is really easy to bath and he has now realised that the warm hair dryer is his friend. Next time I’ll try to get a video of this.
He is the easiest walk you can imagine – the leads are completely loose in your hand and he’s right alongside you.
If you DON’T want a lapdog he’s not for you – Alfie loves to be with people, and he loves to be ON you. If you like a dog that likes affection look no further!
Alfie is quiet – he doesn’t bark. The loudest noise you will hear from him is either a deep sigh as he lays on your lap or a deep snore when he’s in his basket at night.

Just as an indication of his intelligence I’ve noticed that every time we take him back to kennels he realizes that he’s going to be there for a few days at least. Normally he will go to the loo in the morning and later in the evening, but when he goes back to kennels he always goes to the loo just before we get back there. It’s as if he thinks to himself that he’ll give himself just a little longer before he has to go to the loo in his kennel again!

Anyway, this weekend just gone we decided to take him to the coast for the day. We went to Hastings and although we could quite easily have climbed the cliffs ourselves :wink2: we decided he might like a ride in the East Hill Cliff Railway:



He loves to look out of the car window when driving along so I’m sure he appreciated some of the views from the cliffs:





After that we took him down to the beach. As one of the other walkers has mentioned, Alfie doesn’t seem too interested in getting wet. He dipped his toes but seemed more content to stroll along enjoying the fresh air. Here’s a video of him walking along. I like the way he changes direction a couple of times as the water comes in:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrmcU...1&feature=plcp




By that time we had worked up a bit of an appetite and he helped us with our fish & chips:



I think the day took it out of him a little because he usually likes to look out of the window in the car. However, on the way home he just curled up on a blanket in the back and slept all the way. After the following pictures his snoring was louder than ever when he went to bed!

We are getting used to taking him back on a Sunday but it’s still really hard, especially knowing the weather is getting colder. Alfie has got so much to give and he deserves a warm home to give it to".





If you are interested in re-homing Alfie please complete our homing questionnaire so we can ensure our dogs are matched and will suit your circumstances/lifestyle.

Alfie is still available for adoption.

If you are interested in re-homing Alfie please complete our homing questionnaire so we can ensure our dogs are matched and will suit your circumstances/lifestyle.

This dog has now found their forever home!