Affectionate little Bobby is a 14-year-old Patterdale X Jack Russell Terrier. He came into the Oldies Club rescue after his owner had to go into a care home and the family found that Bobby couldn’t get used to being alone while they were at work. They loved him too much to see him so sad and he is now in an Oldies Club foster home in Christchurch, Dorset.
Summary: Gorgeous Bobby’s new home needs to be a bungalow or ground floor property as he wants to sleep on your bed but finds stairs difficult. He really doesn’t like to be left on his own, so needs someone around virtually all of the time. Bobby would be happiest as your only pet but he could live with older children, 10+. He looks quite small on the photos but he weighs just under 15kg.
Loveable boy in foster: Bobby took a couple of weeks to get settled in his foster home. Once he’d got used to the routine, established where he wanted his two dog beds placed and trained his foster carers to let him sleep on their bed at night, all was well in Bobby’s world.
Must have company: Bobby loves being with his people and does not hold with being on his own. He needs a home where someone will be with him most of the time as he has a lot to say if he’s left alone. He’d rather come with you on your errands than be at home, worrying. Short periods on his own could be very gradually built up once he’s settled but, on the whole, he wants to be your constant companion. His separation anxiety really is an issue for him and needs working on when possible.
Good with dogs: Bobby hasn’t lived with other dogs before so would probably be best as an only dog at home. He is friendly when he meets them out and about, greeting them all with a waggy tail. He can get nervous and growl at big dogs who loom or are too boisterous near him.
No thank you to cats: Bobby ignores cats outside but he is a Terrier so it’d be best not to risk him trying to live with one. Just one sudden movement could cause a misunderstanding.
Could live with older children: Bobby seems to be fine with children from age 10 and is unfazed by seeing smaller ones gallivanting outside. He’s a cheerful, gentle soul so could live with older children and should be OK with visiting grandchildren who are younger, as long as they’re supervised. He is quite deaf and can easily be taken by surprise if he doesn’t see someone coming. He also needs his snoozes to be undisturbed, naturally.
Keen walker: Bobby stays on an extendable lead for walks since he’s deaf and has no recall. He’s very well behaved in general, although he can be stubborn about which direction to take! He ignores joggers, bikes and traffic. He has no road sense at all, so needs to have the lead short when near moving vehicles. He currently has two quite long walks of at least an hour each. He has typical Terrier stamina and drive to explore. He especially likes going to the beach or a forest. He doesn’t do his business in the garden so definitely needs an active owner who will take him out for snuffly strolls and be able to persuade him out of the door when it’s raining. Once out, he loves it, but he can require coaxing when it’s wet!
Good in the car: Bobby needs help getting in and out of the car but he does love car rides. They’re an adventure with his human and therefore great fun! He has a doggy seat belt and settles down on his foster carers’ back seat, waiting to see what exciting place they’ll arrive at.
Bobby’s favourite pastimes: Bobby loves cuddles on the sofa and fuss in general. Although he’s deaf and doesn’t hear commands, he will sit nicely and give paw for a treat. He’s very clever and polite! He will have a brief play with a toy or chase a ball but quickly finds something else to be getting on with. He is outdoorsy and inquisitive, so interesting walks with good smells are a must! When he’s reached his sniff quota, settling down near his human(s) is his all-time favourite thing.
Bobby’s dislikes: Bobby does occasionally have an argument with the vacuum cleaner. He’s gradually objecting less and less to its existence but he’ll never fully trust it! He will bark when someone comes to the door but stops once he knows you’re on the case.
Health notes: Bobby is neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and worm/flea treated. He’s on Semintra and Clopidogrel tablets which will be ongoing, with a blood and urine test every 6 months. He gets recurrent ear infections for which he has Recicort prescribed by the vet, applied to both ears once a week to help with the itchiness but he will need to see the vet if he gets an infection. The potential cost of his medications will be talked through during the adoption process. He has a couple of lumps and several warts that the vet said were age related and wasn’t concerned about them. They’re just part of his personal geography.
More from Bobby’s fosterers: “Bobby is sensitive, gentle and clever. He loves going out on his walks and spending time with his people. We’ve had guests to visit and he is good around strangers. He is very good when out and about. I think Bobby would be best suited to a ground floor property as he doesn’t do well when going down stairs. He’s a really affectionate boy and restful to be with. He very rarely attacks the vacuum cleaner now.”
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If you would like to offer Bobby a permanent home, please read our Adoption Procedures for information about the adoption process. You can then contact an Oldies Club Rehoming Coordinator as follows:
Email: rehome@oldies.org.uk
Telephone: 0844 586 8656
He can be rehomed anywhere on the UK mainland – the closer to his foster home the better – subject to a satisfactory home visit. Note that you will be required to travel to the foster home to collect him.
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If you would love to offer a home to an oldie but your circumstances aren’t suitable, perhaps you would be kind enough to sponsor one of the special oldies we are caring for that, due to health problems, are unlikely to be offered a permanent home.
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