What a pretty name!
Its Greek origins mean ‘born to be strong’.
In various African cultures it means ‘love’, ‘affection’ or ‘blessed’.
All so charming for the Pointers In Need’s Ifi, who is much loved by her new family.
“After leaving the city and moving back to a more rural location, I waited a while for us to settle in before starting the search for a dog. During my time in Stamford and while working in London, I had met several Pointers, including a couple who regularly visited my dog-friendly office building. I immediately fell in love with them—their expressive eyes, slightly goofy nature, and incredibly sweet, gentle personalities.
“I was also looking for a dog who could keep up with our lifestyle. We are a very active family of three. I run regularly, we’re always outdoors, and there is rarely a weekend that doesn’t involve some kind of adventure. I wanted a dog with plenty of energy who would enjoy being part of all our activities, and a Pointer seemed like the perfect fit.
“After doing lots of research, I came across Pointers in Need. I followed the organisation for a while before spotting an advert for Ifi, who was looking for an active family. I remember thinking, “Well, that’s us!” There was another little sign too—my son is of Nigerian heritage, and Ifi is an African name. It felt like it was meant to be.
“I started the adoption process and, in March this year, Ifi came to live with us.
“From the moment she arrived, she settled in beautifully. She has honestly been an absolute dream. The only thing she seemed nervous about was our rescue cat, Batman. Batman was still very young at the time, but he was clearly convinced that he was in charge of the household! There was never any animosity between them, but it was obvious that Batman wanted Ifi to know who ruled the roost.
“Thankfully, that stage didn’t last long. These days they get on brilliantly. It’s hilarious watching them chase each other around the garden, and they will even share food from time to time. It’s incredibly sweet.
“Ifi adapted to family life straight away. She loves coming on the school run, travels with me to London for work, and has become a firm favourite with my colleagues. In fact, she was so popular that she even made an appearance in our organisation’s annual report!
“Our routine is fairly active. Ifi comes running with me three or four times a week. We started with 5km runs and now regularly cover around 7km together. Even after that, she’s usually more than happy to head out for another walk later in the day. In fact, when she thinks it’s time for her afternoon walk, she’ll nudge my hand off the keyboard with her nose to remind me.
“She arrived with excellent manners. She didn’t go upstairs, wasn’t allowed on the sofa, and certainly didn’t go on beds. Unfortunately, those rules have completely disappeared! There is now Pointer glitter all over the house, and she firmly believes that simply sitting next to you on the sofa isn’t enough—she needs to be at least half on top of you. Apparently, she considers herself a lap dog.
“The only challenge we’ve faced was her recall. Early on, she had a tendency to run off when let off lead. With support and advice from the fantastic team at Pointers in Need, and by making a few changes to our training approach, we’ve made huge progress. She is highly food-motivated and now comes back brilliantly for treats. In fact, sometimes she comes back a little too often, just to check whether there might be another snack available!
“Ifi is incredibly playful, wonderfully gentle with children, and so loving. The only time I’ve ever really heard her bark is when she’s playing. One thing that did surprise me about Pointers, is how determined they can be not to move when they’re tired. At the end of the day, convincing Ifi to get up for her final trip outside can be quite the challenge. She’ll look at me as if to say, “Absolutely not. I’m comfortable here. Why would I move?”
“We have loved introducing her to new experiences. She adores countryside walks, has thoroughly enjoyed trips to the beach, and plays beautifully with other dogs. Around the house, she acts as my little shadow and self-appointed supervisor. Whatever I’m doing, she wants to know about it. If I move to another room, she follows along to check what’s happening and make sure everything is being done properly.
“We are so grateful to the entire team at Pointers in Need for helping bring Ifi into our lives and for all the support they’ve provided along the way. She has become such a special part of our family and has brought us endless joy.
“I was warned before adoption that Pointers have a habit of stealing your heart, and I can now confirm that it’s absolutely true. While we won’t be rushing into anything just yet, I am waiting for the children to be a little older, I can definitely see another rescue Pointer in our future.
“Because once you’ve had one Pointer, one never feels quite enough.”
Adopter Nina Nutting
