An update from Arnold's fosterer:
Arnold has been the bravest boy ever this weekend.
We went away with a group of friends camping for the weekend. We had a lovely time and there are amazing walks where you don’t see anyone for miles around Dorset.
Dogs on the trip were Rhianna, Arnold and a dog Seb is baby-sitting for the week called Oscar. Yes taking three dogs camping is slightly mental, but also we had dog loving friends who helped so it wasn’t so bad.
Arnold was a very brave boy. He was a little worried at times but he coped admirably. He didnt like it when we walked past the people who were chopping wood with an axe, but it was noisy, and he thought that campfires were probably going to get him, but that was just at first before he saw that they actually were quite warm and cosy, he thought that the tent was a stupid idea as we had a nice flat at home, but when I let him in my tent pod for a cuddle he thought that actually this was pretty good fun.
The way that Arnold gets scared is that he runs away to find a safe place. We left the van side door open for him all the time with lots of comfy bedding, water and snacks so that when he got worried he could just jump in there for a bit until he felt confident enough to come out again. As the door was open for him, he could just choose whether he was brave Arnie or hiding Arnie, depending on his mood. He has always thought of the van as a safe place for him. We dont force Arnie into anything but instead let him go through the worry and then gently try again. He normally gets over things very quickly, especially if big brave Rhianna leads the way, she doesn’t find anything scary.
My friends are all dog people, rather than people who love dogs but don’t know anything about them. So Arnie was given space and time to adjust to camping, and in return he adjusted quickly and with style. He even got to wear a fleecy dog jumper borrowed from my cousins lurcher who didn’t come this weekend. As Arnie is pretty broad chested and it belonged to a lurcher, he did look quite funny, but he seemed to like the warmth.
We went for lovely long walks at the back of the campsite across the heaths down to the coast. We had lovely walks on the beach and Arnie came and sat in the pubs beer garden and helped everyone finish their chips and scampi (a bit naughty I know!). He even had a milk lolly on the beach at the end of a long walk, which he thought was great.
So if you would like to adopt Arnie camping is on the list of things that you can do with him now - he is camp tested.
I have some lovely pictures which I will put up later today of Arnie on the site, and around and about.
He is a gorgeous dog, an absolute sweetheart. I hope that his home comes forward for him soon. I would hate to have to put him back in kennels but it is difficult for Seb and I to keep him at home. We will try for as long as we can.
Arnold is such a fabulous boy to have about, he is charming and sweet. He has his downsides, he snores a lot, he loves to roll in mud, he doesnt want to live with any boy dogs, and he is a bit of a wimp (but only in that he likes to run away a lot) however, he is so very special. Someone is going to be very lucky to have him.
Arnold and I had to get up early before we went on holiday as firstly we had to help Seb with one of his walks.
After we got up we went for a long walk on Hampstead Heath with Seb and a load of Arnie's mates. There were every type of dog and Arnie was definitely one of the best behaved.
We then drove down to Dorset. Arnie came in my car with a friend of mine and Rhianna. He was a very good boy and patient driving. The others and Oscar went down in the dog van as the boys wanted to hang together.
We arrived in Dorset and went for lots of lovely walks over a few days. The walks around Studland are beautiful.
In the afternoons after we had all been for walks we spent some time in the pub beer garden having a drink and some scampi. Arnie made friends with all our friends.
On our last day we went for a long walk on the beach. Arnie was so confident at this point that he went for a walk with anyone of our friends.
Just before we all drove back to London Arnie had a little treat for being such a good boy.