Wednesday 29 August 2012

Shaggy Dog Comes Home



Ayak and I spent two hours at the TAG dog shelter. With temperatures in the high 30s, the dog's were spending more time playing in their water bowls than drinking so Ayak and I got good and muddy as you can see from this photo from the TAG Facebook page. It  takes a long time to feed and exercise 60 to 70 dogs and Karen and Mustafa are there every morning and evening. If there are any Didim-living dog lovers reading this, Karen is looking for an assistant for one day a week to give them a day off. Karen rescued Jake from some young boys who were dragging him around the Didim streets on a string and taunting him with sticks. She'd decided he was too nervous to go to the shelter so we headed off northwards to his foster home to meet him.  I was worried that he was a lost dog and being missed, but by the time we got to Didim, his original owners had been found and didn't want him back so he'd obviously been put on the streets.  Ayak and I didn't fancy our chances of being able to find our way home by the back roads we'd arrived on so we stuck to the main road and found we were over 70 kms from home.  Jake sat on the back seat as good as gold all the way.  After 2 hours in his new village house, he began to relax and we haven't looked back since.  We took him to get his jabs and pet passport the next day and the vet confirmed that he is between 4 and 5 months old. His birthday has been officially recorded as 1st April.  After a few days, we visited Ayak's house where he met her dog Poppy and we were both relieved to see them get on so well.



Jake's had quite a busy two weeks. After every walk he brings back a pine cone to add to the ones we already have on our terrace. He's getting used to jumping in and out of the car, knows he can't launch himself into the middle of our bed and realises that chewing the fringes on the carpets is not a good idea. He's very keen to tell the cows that walk past everyday that the garden is his territory, but he's still nervous of the jeep safaris that interrupt our walk in the morning.  Yesterday, we all celebrated our daughter's 20th birthday in Gümüşlük. He didn't like the sea but overcame his suspicion of water today and took his first dip in the pool. Only a paddle but I don't think it will be long before he's dive-bombing us from the edge. 




Still time to like and post a vote for TAG on the Facebook site below.
https://www.facebook.com/vivatspringwater

TAG Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/groups/105688239472938/

Ayak's blog: http://ayak-turkishdelight.blogspot.com/

26 comments:

  1. love the photos of Jake...he looks a sweet K9!!! I voted on Facebook! Hope Karen gets the money to use for her rescues!!

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  2. Thank you, I hope so too. I've asked my daughter to try and get all her friends on Facebook involved.

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  3. I love a happy ending, BtoB. :-) Well done to you and Ayak for helping out at the shelter. I do hope they can get someone to give them a day off.

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    1. We're very lucky to get him - thanks to Ayak for putiing his picture on her Facebook page (and giving me a reference)

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  4. Happy birthday to the young lady and there's an obvious joke in there about April fools but I shall resist it ;-)

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    1. We knew ww wouldn't forget his birthday if it is April Fool's day.

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    2. Thanks for the birthday greeting - I'll pass it on.

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  5. He's my kind of dog! Lovely to see you and Ayak together.
    So glad to have met you at last - I have kept seeing your name pop on some of my favourite blogs but I don't always get time to follow up or make myself known. And to find another Annie is a boon! Axxx

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  6. Hello:
    It is extraordinary and appalling to learn how so many people have a complete disregard for the responsibility attached to owning a pet and that they can, clearly without too many qualms, abandon an animal, such as Jake, to his fate on the streets. But how fortunate that he has found a good home where he will, very apparently, soon become completely adjusted to his new surroundings.

    We have found your most eclectic and interesting blog through the comment which you have left on Annie's recent post. We have signed ourselves as Followers.

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    1. Thanks for reading. I see you are sometimes in Brighton. We have just left Sussex to return to Turkey.

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    2. How really interesting. We wonder which part of Sussex? We have an apartment in Brighton but in the main regard Budapest as home.

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    3. Lucky you - I'd love a flat in Brighton or Lewes. We were in East Sussex, near Wadhurst, but are full time in Turkey now.

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  7. Lovely photographs.....both human and canine.

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    1. Thank you Fly - I think my daughter looks especially happy to be with Jake on her birthday. It's been 14 years since we've had our own dog.

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  8. I think you and I both realised what a huge task Karen and Mustafa undertake every day in caring for these dogs. I am still amazed at how they manage it. I can only repeat your comment about them needing someone to help out one day a week. They really need a break.

    And I'll also echo the request again to vote for TAG to win £2,000. A sum which will help to clear a rising vet bill and help towards a month's food. Voting closes on 31st August, so there's still time.

    Great post Annie and I love the photos xxx

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  9. What a great pic of you two.....Happy Birthday to your daughter, she's gorgeous and looks happy with Jake.
    Love happy endings, and that was nice of you two to help out. Hope Karen can get someone to come and relieve her so she can get a day of rest so she will be able to accomplish more.
    Always nice to see a face and whom you are talking to on the Blogs. :-)

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    1. Thanks for the compliments. From Karen's Facebook page it sounds as if she had a lot of visitors helping last week, which is very good news.

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  10. nice, uplifting post - happy life together.

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    1. Thank you Alan. Looking forward to lots of walks.

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  11. Hello, Jake is a beautiful dog. And he looks so lovable. And I'm sure all will be well because......April 1 is my birthday also and it is a wonderful day! Peace.

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  12. O&G love the look of Jake and send birthday wishes to E. You all look very happy. I remembered my Facebook log-in and have voted too!
    K x

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    1. Thanks Kath. I'm trying to find out the result of the vote.

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