Happiness at last for Archie

Dog Archie at Burford rehoming centre

After months of intensive veterinary treatment, care and preparation for his future at Blue Cross, stray dog Archie finally has a happy future to look forward to. 

When six-month-old husky crossbreed Archie arrived, he’d had a tough time in his short life. Rescued as a stray, he needed to overcome a painful health problem. 

Then Archie had to learn social skills to get him ready for his future, something we don’t think anyone had taken much time to teach him before. 

It’s taken months of hard work from our clinical, rehoming, fostering and behaviour teams but we’re delighted to report that Archie is now a changed dog. 

Sad beginnings 

Archie was found straying with his sister in Yorkshire and both dogs were taken in by the local warden. 

When no one came forward to claim them after seven days, the council asked Blue Cross if we could give them a second chance. 

Archie had a problem with his joints which meant that he had to go to our animal hospital in Victoria, London, for tests. 

He needed treatment, including pain relief, antibiotics and a long course of steroids, and he went to stay in a foster home while he recuperated. 

Preparing for his life ahead 

When Archie was ready, he came to our Burford rehoming centre so we could put him on a tailor made training plan and prepare him for life in a family home. 

Becky Stickland, Blue Cross animal welfare assistant, says: “Because of his illness, Archie hadn’t been able to exercise properly for some time so the muscles in his back legs had started to waste. 

“We arranged for him to go to hydrotherapy sessions which really helped to build his condition back up.”  

Archie is a young, exuberant and bouncy dog who absolutely loves to play and he needed to learn some basic life skills. 

Becky says: “Archie would get easily excited and jump up whenever anyone went into his kennel but, using positive training methods, he learned to sit calmly while we clipped the lead on and then wait until we asked him to leave the kennel." 

Becky adds: “He was also quite sensitive around his head and neck but, with the help of clicker training and tasty rewards, he began to enjoy being touched.” 

Finding Archie a home 

Once Archie was ready, we found him a loving home. Becky says: “We’ve heard that everything is going well and Archie has settled in with his new family.”    

Archie is on our supported rehoming scheme which means that Blue Cross will give his owners ongoing financial support with his health condition. 

Archie’s clinical treatment alone cost us more than £2,300 which was paid for by generous pet lovers like you. 

If you’d like to help us care for more pets like Archie, please make a donation today

— Page last updated 21/12/2021