Our previous happy ending story featured the beautiful Ruby, who was taking into the care of Pointers In Need in Benidorm with her sister at just five months old. Now we get to hear more about her sister Pearl who was adopted by good friends of Ruby’s new family, Debbie and Kevin Harnett from Warwickshire.
“I have always loved pointers, I’ve had them for 30 years and my first dog prior to that was a Doberman (who was also amazing). When he passed away I couldn’t bring myself to get another Doberman so after speaking with our vet we chose a Pointer as I had two small children at the time. We had four Pointers for the last six years, but last year we lost Bella after a long battle with kidney disease. We decided that three Pointers would perhaps make life easier for a while and we would wait until the end of 2024 and get a puppy, but then Anne contacted me to tell us they were adopting Ruby and that her sister was in Spain with her also. Then came the Pointers In Need Facebook post which pulled at my heart strings. I showed my husband and no more was said for a few days but then he said ‘I think we should apply for Pearl as I can’t get her off my mind’, to which I admitted that she had been on my mind too, so we applied. It was love at first sight really!
When Ruby and Pearl arrived in England they actually both came to stay with us at first as Anne and Steve had previous commitments. My heart just melted seeing them, they were so frightened and vulnerable, it is so hard not to sweep them into your arms, but that would obviously have been too traumatic for them. It always amazes me how dogs so quickly put their trust in you after everything they have been through. Having other dogs was a tremendous help, the girls followed them around as though asking ‘what do we do now?’ I slept on the floor with the girls for three nights and on the first night Ruby came and snuggled into me, it took Pearl until the second night. Anne and Steve then came to collect Ruby – my husband and I cried as she left.
Thankfully Pearl didn’t even seem to notice Ruby had gone as she had our other dogs for company. About a week after Pearl arrived I was in the garden and my husband arrived home from work and she wagged her tail at him which was very emotional, the following day she did the same to my daughter when she came downstairs. Such small things but massive steps for Pearl. The other night I was lying on my bed and she came bounding upstairs and jumped on the bed, gave me a kiss and snuggled as close as she could to me and went to sleep – I imagine that’s what heaven feels like!
In that first week we hired a secure field and took Pearl in the car, she was on a long lead but loved all the smells. We live 200 yards away from fields and woods so there are plenty of walks near us, but the 200 yards can be too much for Pearl so we drive her to a large field and park as she likes this more. Pearl sleeps on my bed with our other girl and is very clean in the house, we have had an occasional accident but that’s been when I’ve missed the signs as she does tell you in her way she needs to go. Unfortunately we recently lost our old boy so it has been a time of adjustment for the three of them. Pearl started training in June and spent the first session sitting under a table but that’s fine, we’re going more to help her confidence to start with the training can come later. Each week she improves and now takes part in exercises and joins in running and playing with the other puppies. She initially had a harness in the car which was plugged into a seat belt, but after one chewed through harness and one seat belt she now goes in a cage in the estate bit of the car which she is fine with, she travels very well.
Pearl was terrified of everything when she arrived and is still very nervous at times. At home she is now very confident but she’s still not happy going out into the big world, although she knows now when we are going to the secure field and cries with excitement as she knows she will get to be off lead and able to run and chase butterflies! Butterflies, moths, flies she loves chasing, birds not so much which is good as our other rescue has a very high prey drive. Pearl changes every day and it is still such early days – they haven’t all been easy but we are moving forward (mostly), she is quite dominant with the other dogs but is put in her place by our girl and does listen.
Ruby came to stay with us again recently while Anne and Steve went away – I’m sure she remembered us! The first day all she wanted to do was play with the other dogs, and at bedtime she slept with Pearl and me on the bed – she even had cuddles. We took her on walks, to the secure field and to some training. When Anne and Steve came back she was very happy and cuddled up next to Steve on the sofa. It was sad to see her go again but we are planning a meet-up in September for their first birthday on the 22nd. Ruby is also coming for a longer stay in November so it’ll be interesting to see what she is like then.”
Adopters: Debbie and Kevin Harnett