Part 1: A Second Chance
Behaviour Spotlight – Dogs Are Always Communicating
Before we even brought Lily home, she was already telling us how she felt through her body language.
Dogs communicate through their body language long before they bark or growl. Watching how a dog moves, where they choose to stand, where they look, and how they carry themselves can tell us a great deal about how they're feeling.
Lily's story began in Oman, where she was rescued as a tiny puppy after devastating floods swept down the mountains. She was so young that she had to be bottle fed by her rescuers to survive.
Growing up, Lily lived safely with the kind people who had saved her, alongside her two brothers, Zorro and Adobo. Sadly, their circumstances changed when her rescuer lost their job and was forced to leave Oman. With no way to take Lily with them, she faced an uncertain future. Thankfully, at the last moment, another rescue stepped in, giving her the opportunity that would eventually lead her to a new life here in the UK.
After arriving in the UK through the wonderful Earth Dragons International Sanctuary, Lily was quickly adopted. Sadly, her first home wasn't the right fit, and she returned to the rescue after struggling with being handled around her harness.
That's where our story begins.
We first heard about Lily through my partner's family. It wasn’t until near closing time that we met her.
I was instantly in love with her, with her oversized ears and delicate face; she reminded me of a little fennec fox.
I remember crouching down to her level and giving her plenty of space to decide whether she wanted to approach. She came over for a quick sniff before quietly returning to where she felt safest, right beside the rescue staff. That tiny interaction told us everything we needed to know. Lily was curious, but she wasn't ready to trust us just yet.
It was obvious she was a very nervous dog. During our first meeting, Lily avoided eye contact and seemed unsure whether she wanted to interact with us at all. She rarely left the side of the rescue staff, seeking reassurance by leaning against them and jumping up at them for comfort while the busy surroundings, unfamiliar people and constant noise overwhelmed her.
Seeing how overwhelmed she was, it would have been easy to assume she simply wanted to be left alone. Instead, we saw a dog whose behaviour suggested she was desperately searching for somewhere she felt safe.
So, we made the decision there and then to bring her home and offer her a foster place.
Even the journey home reminded us just how frightened she was. As soon as we secured her in the car, Lily immediately tried to bolt. Thankfully, she was safely restrained, reinforcing just how important secure transport is for every dog, especially one who is scared and unsure of the world around them.
We thought we were bringing home a frightened rescue dog.
We had no idea she was about to change the way we understood dogs forever.