…from the streets of Spain to a Canicross Champion!
It takes love, dedication and infinite understanding ….
From his adopter Paula:
Bandit lives with 3 other pointers in rural Norfolk. In our home are:
Parker – Greyhound/pointer 8yrs (rescue from Ireland)
Saxon – GSP, 21 months (UK bred)
Riot – GSP, 9 months (UK bred)
We run a home boarding, daycare, dog walking, and pet sitting business. Bandit is a big help in the daily running of the business. He is welcoming to all, gentle with the puppies, playful with the young dogs and respectful of the old. Definitely my dog.
Bandit came to us on 20th December 2018. He was a cute little mite in his blue and white hand knitted jumper, but his eyes told us he’d had a frightening journey. He was from Spain and, handed in at the Pound, was described as ‘one of the lucky ones’. Just five months old and already had sooooo much to process.
Bandit is the name he came with. We did toy with the idea of changing it to Magpie – as he would collect things and stash them in his bed!
We had agreed to have a foster dog.
Ha! Ha! Ha! Famous last words!
Being an active family….muddy obstacle course races, canicross and athletics, we set out to find Bandit an active home.
Bandit was shut down: no eye contact, no wagging tail, no interest in us at all. He spent his time in the crate/den we had set up, only coming out to toilet and eat. Slowly, he gained the confidence to look at us when we gave him food, as if saying ‘thank you’.
It wasn’t long before a friend showed interest in Bandit and offered to adopt him. Sadly, due to a house sale falling through, she wasn’t able to go through with this. Meanwhile, Bandit was gaining confidence with us. Soon I just wasn’t prepared to let him go up for adoption! So we declared ourselves ‘failed fosterers’.
Slow and easy did it….we took Bandit to Canicross* events and let him watch from the safety of the van. Bandit was, and still is, nervous of new people, places, and loud noises.
No lead walks for this scared little boy! He would shake and be constantly looking for an escape route. Bandit’s exposure to the world was kept to a minimum as it was too much for him. We are great believers in managing behaviours, rather than trying to change them, if changing them has no benefit for the dog.
It took me 3 years to get Bandit to walk, relaxed, by my side, on a walk around our local public footpaths.
When he was old enough, we started to run him in a canicross harness alongside our BEST boy and teacher, Ripley our cockerpoo (sadly no longer with us). Bandit soon picked up what this game was all about, and he progressed to running alongside our other dog, Parker. And then our daughter’s whippet, Pumpkin. These two gained confidence from each other and really began to love our runs.
From rescued puppy to a Canicross Midlands Series WINNER for 2 dog canicross long course 22/23!
Bikejor* was the next step for Bandit in his active life. Paired with Parker and my hubby, Mark, on the bike, they finished their first season competing together as WINNERS of the Canicross Midlands 2 dog bikejor short course 23/24.
Bandit has a great recall BUT we don’t let him off lead in public areas, only in a secure dog park/garden, because we can’t control the environment. He would run in blind panic and we would lose him. Our scared, shy little boy is still only one loud noise, one unfamiliar visitor to the house, away from diving for cover.
He is also a happy, cheeky, loveable, gentle, sensitive, adorable little chap …. BUT, put a harness on him and he is a demon competitor whether training or racing, he gives everything.
This is how we best manage his behaviours for his safety. We love him so much, we bought land and opened our own secure dog park – Paula’s Pawsome Dog Park!!
Adopted by Paula McQue
*Canicross and Bikejoring are sports which are gaining popularity at hobby and more competitive levels.
Canicross is off-road running with your dog. Your dog wears a harness specifically designed to allow them to pull, and you wear a belt/harness which allows hands-free running, attached to your dog with a bungee line.
Bikejoring is a little more fast and furious! One dog. or a team of dogs, runs in front of a bike, pulling. Dog bikejoring has its origin from mushing, where dogs pull the musher on a sled. The dog is connected to the bike with an elastic line, kept away from the front wheel with a bike antenna, and the dog wears a harness which allows it to move and breathe freely even when pulling.
