We all know that rescuing a dog makes a huge difference to the life of the dog, but sometimes the dog rescues the person too. There are many reasons to want a dog in your life, but for Jingles’ dad, adopting his lovely boy was truly life-changing.
We’ll leave him to pick up the story….
I adopted (Mr) Jingles on 30th December 2019, the first day I got a new car since losing my wife in 2014. This had affected me physically and mentally, and a relative suggested that another dog would help me get out since I hadn’t been out for five years due to agoraphobia.
Thus, a friend drove me in my new car to meet Jingles after a member of the Forever Hounds Trust team had kindly shown me his photo online. We travelled to the Gloucestershire kennels, and immediately, I bonded with him. It was love at first sight – I adopted him there and then. It was a 3-hour return trip back to Cheshire, but it was no problem, and he immediately settled in.
After a few days at home, he developed his bark and lay upside down, showing me he was settled. He was fantastic on lead, and walking him made me forget about my fear of open spaces and panic attacks outside. I gradually got the confidence to walk farther and alone, and after a year with Jingles, I decided to register for an online PhD at York. But I’m always here for him.
He used to enjoy running free in a secure field but is prone to minor cuts when racing about, so we now take him on his lead, which he enjoys. In four years, he has never had a mishap indoors and is loved by everybody, both neighbours and friends, to whom he always shows his affection.
Jingles and I are telepathic; he only needs to look into my eyes and at the door, and I know what he wants. He also sometimes barks when he wants something, usually a midnight nosh and then a walk.
He is the best pet I have ever had, and we love him to bits, a perfect match.
Jingles’ Dad
We might not have kennels in Gloucestershire anymore, and some people may feel it’s too far for them to travel to our kennels in the South West (currently Somerset, soon to be Devon), but hopefully, this inspirational story will make you think again. Distance really is irrelevant when your life can change for the better just by welcoming a hound into your life!
It might just be the most important journey you could ever make!
It just leaves us to say thank you to Jingles’ lovely dad for sharing his amazing story with us.
Preparing our Devon Centre