Dogs arrive at the ADANA Dog Rescue Centre, in the hills above Estepona, on Spain’s Costa del Sol, for a variety of reasons. Taking two disparate cases, just from March, we meet Jason and Sunny.

Sunny is a beautiful, gentle Mastin who was adopted from ADANA, as a puppy, two years ago. Her new, young family loved and cherished her, but the happy occasion of a new-born threw rather a significant spanner into the mechanics, when the baby turned out to be seriously allergic to her.

Sunny arrived back with us, completely bewildered by her return, in no way able to comprehend what was going on and devastated to leave the happy, loving, family life, she had come to know. As her family left her, in floods of tears, she placed her paw on the gate of her pen and cried along with them.

Jason, a young Lab-cross, arrived in very different circumstances. The scar tissue around his neck betrayed that he had been chained up for most of his life. So callous were his previous owners that, to ensure they couldn’t be identified and prosecuted, they cut the microchip out of his neck before abandoning him.

Don’t worry. It gets happier.

Sunny: A cuddle In wolf’s clothing

Jason: Everyone’s new favourite boy

Something the two have in common, despite their very different experiences, is how affectionate each of them is. One might expect it from Sunny, with her having known affection throughout her life, but that Jason remains so willing to show love to people, seems incredible. Nonetheless although, at first, he cowered as he was approached, presumably expecting punishment, he then cuddled in, the moment he recognised gentleness, never shying away, at all.

A third trait, common to both, is how well they get along with other dogs, which allowed them to be quickly moved to common pens. In Jason’s case, this turned out to be a very interesting pen, containing Bulé and Taz.

Jason and Bulé: Tails up!

Bulé is a very robust, Sharpei cross, always affectionate with we, strange monkeys but, as recently as a year ago, a terror to those who went on four legs. Affectionately dubbed ‘The Bulldozer’ by volunteers, little could stand in her way if she decided to charge, and that was exactly what she usually decided.

Bulé became a project, and we began walking her with a variety of dogs. Over time, she started grudgingly accepting their existence, and we reached a point where she would intelligently appraise even the most agitated dog, visibly daring it to approach her. Invariably, it would not, evolution having provided it with impressive survival instincts.

Taz: 100mph or stopped

Then, along came Taz. A confident, playful and energetic young idiot, Taz turned out not to be the hero Bulé wanted, but absolutely the one she deserved. Somehow, as irrepressible and exasperating as a young, high-energy Podenco can be, and as grumpy as Bulé was towards such dogs, the relationship worked. Suddenly, Bulé was interested to meet other dogs.

Jason, an anxious and submissive dog, would once have been Bulé’s prey. Now, he’s under her protection, bolstered by his strengthening relationships with both people and other dogs. He’s a handsome, soft and friendly little guy and I have high hopes that he’ll soon have a loving home but, even if that takes time, he’s realising that he’s loved. He now walks, tail up, with his friends and no longer cowers, when offered affection.

Jason and Bulé: A friendship that represents the progress of both

Janell and Sunny… Wolfy looming In, bottom right

Meanwhile, Sunny is now in the pen containing the equally affectionate Mastins, Wolfy, Janell and Alicent, and has developed quite the crush on Wolfy. Both Sunny and Jason have settled in, beautifully.

The affectionate nature of the huge majority of dogs, who find themselves at ADANA, never ceases to amaze me, with so many having experienced only neglect, or even cruelty, from people. Other fine examples include Samantha, Roby and Ranger.

Samantha: Show me a prettier smile

Samantha is a quite stunning girl. A beautiful Mastin-variant, of the sort more closely resembling a huge Labrador, Sammy shares a pen with lovely, timid Panther (see previous stories) and craves affection, although she starts out slightly anxious.

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Break the ice and Samantha becomes quite adorable. She is gentle, calm and incredibly affectionate, but she’s a big dog, and takes a little time to trust new people, so she remains at ADANA. She’s by no means unhappy, but she deserves more. Just look at the pictures!

Samantha: Ooozahappygirl? Isityou? Isityou?

Ranger and Roby

Roby and Ranger are our remaining two ‘Mali-gators’. Malinois-Podenco crosses, they were born at the shelter and have been with us for a year, since.

Each needs some work, as far as lead-manners go, a comment upon their age and energy, rather than anything else, but their affection is unquestionable. They are prime candidates for another project, as they are responsive and intelligent, but a walk with either will result in a constant battle of wills, as they pull, excitedly, while a volunteer corrects them, incessantly.

Roby goes full on hug

However, kneel down, for a moment, and all thought of pulling is forgotten, as the pair recognise an opportunity for cuddles, and immediately respond. For Roby, especially, scratches and strokes just don’t cut it, and he’s going straight in for the cuddle.

Even those dogs who arrive having had no experience of people, soon learn affection, particularly when shown how, by the experts.

Batty and Pablo: Learning how to dog, properly

Pablo and Batty, the two Lab-cross puppies (see January story), spent March in a new pen, with a new pack; the most monstrous and thugglesome pack, led by none other than Lucky, the biggest, cuddliest lump of hairy mischief, ADANA has to offer.

In those few weeks, their confidence has sky-rocketed, and now their happy times are walks and play, alongside their new heroes.

I maintain that it is perfectly reasonable to be concerned that Lucky has become their principal hero and even guru. Lucky absolutely has his place in the education of young and impressionable pups, but that place is not ‘shining example’: Rather, it is ‘terrible warning’.

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Sasha stands over Lucky, a large, hairy elephant seal

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