Written by Elmari van der Merwe – Spaniel Welfare SA
Professional photography by Cindy Allen Photography
Finn was surrendered to Spaniel Welfare SA at the end of February 2019 from an unhappy home in Port Elizabeth. Annelda and I took him in and became his foster mommies.
Finn definitely hadn’t had a good life. He was fearful of all humans. He was matted when he came, but no one could try and approach him with scissors or a brush or anything, as he’d attack. It would take Finn a good couple of weeks to settle…
Many times, we’ve had to allow dogs like this time just to settle; to try and make them understand that we meant them no harm. Finn soon established his little hidey-hole, and neither us nor any of the dogs were allowed to enter this space. We respected that and, in return, he observed what was going on in this house. Slowly, he realised he also wanted the abundant love; to be part of the fun, and to join in on the adventures of plot life.
He saw what the other dogs would do, and would soon follow suit. He’d still not allow us to come near him, but he’d come and join in on the fun, still just observing these humans whom he feared meant him so much harm.
After a while, he realised that we were just ignoring him, and then the magic started. Finn would come in and fetch a snack from the humans. He got used to many snacks, and then approached the couch with caution. It wasn’t long before he slept next to the rest of the pack on the couch.
Finn’s many behavioural issues were dealt with, including fear biting, resource guarding, and separation anxiety.
Three months later, Finn was ready to take the next step to his new life. Glenda had just fallen in love with his face the day she saw him on Spaniel Welfare’s Facebook page. She’d immediately wanted to adopt him when he’d just arrived, but I realised he wasn’t ready yet. I didn’t want to fail him, or set him up for a failure. Within this time, Glenda and her husband, Eddie, had also adopted another little boy called Spencer from Spaniel Welfare. Glenda, Eddie and Spencer then adopted Mr Finn, and the rest is history. Many phone consultations to address Finn’s behavioural issues were needed, because we both knew he was a special boy, a real softy, damaged so badly by humans, but we knew that in time Finn would be the star. Mr Finn was finally home. Thank you, Glenda, for never giving up on him.
Glenda Smith, Finn’s new owner, shares...
After losing my spaniel, Roxy, to an aggressive form of cancer, I believed that I’d never have another pet in my home again. The universe decided differently, as a few days after Roxy passed, Finn’s little face appeared on my Facebook page. I immediately felt the need to adopt him. Finn was in Port Elizabeth at the time and was struggling to find a family who were willing to adopt him. Spaniel Welfare SA flew him to Johannesburg, but I was then advised that this little boy had issues and I should consider adopting another spaniel.
I was devastated, but I adopted Spencer from Spaniel Welfare, as he was also looking for his forever home. My family loved him immediately, and Spencer settled in nicely.
Finn didn’t leave my thoughts, and I worried about him constantly. A few weeks after adopting Spencer, I went to visit Finn at what I call a “Spaniel Haven” run by Elmari and Annelda. What a wonderful place to visit. There were spaniels everywhere and they were having a ball. This is where I saw Finn for the first time. He was an anxious little boy, and very wary of strangers.
A few weeks later, I noticed that Finn was back on Facebook looking for his forever home. I still commented that he deserved the best and hoped that he’d be adopted soon. The universe had a huge sense of humour because, a few weeks later, Finn was still looking for his forever home and I called Spaniel Welfare SA to adopt him.
The first time he came to his forever home I almost called Elmari to come and take him back. It wasn’t because I didn’t want this precious little boy, but because I could see he was anxious, agitated, scared, and mistrusting of humans. He didn’t come in and make himself at home as Spencer had done.
Finn ran away from me whenever I tried to approach him. I spent some time that first night talking to him and reassuring him that I’d never hurt him and would love him until the end of time. I told him stories of what life should be like for one so handsome and as cute as he is. I encouraged him to come into his new home by leaving a trail of treats, and allowed him to go wherever he felt safe. He spent his first night sleeping in my laundry basket filled with clean washing. I knew then that it was going to take some time for this little boy to learn to trust me and to understand that he was in a safe environment.
His traumatised displays of fear aggression were something I’d never encountered before and could only imagine, based on the limited information given to Spaniel Welfare SA when he was surrendered that Finn had been abused sometime in his life.
Despite the challenges, I was determined to make Finn feel safe and loved.
One thing that helped us to bond was food. Finn will do anything for a nice little treat, and he quickly learned to associate my presence with good things to eat. I also made sure to give him plenty of praise and affection when he behaved well, which helped build his confidence.
As time went by, Finn became more relaxed and began to show his sweet, affectionate side. I enjoy the fact that he’s quite the cuddler and loves to give licks and little nibbles on your nose. He even learned to walk with a lead and harness, thanks to the patience of Lauren Butcher of Spaniel Welfare who’d fostered him in Port Elizabeth. This was a major accomplishment, considering his past. Today Finn gets super excited when he sees the lead and even helps you to put his harness on, and he loves his daily walks.
Despite the progress we’ve made over the years, Finn still has issues with socialisation. He struggles at times to interact with other dogs during our walks, and he becomes nervous and agitated when we need to visit the vet or a groomer.
I must prepare visitors to not bend over him, approach him suddenly, or to try and pet him, as it triggers his fear response. What fascinates me is that once my guests have settled down, Finn happily wants to cuddle with them. Fortunately, they know his history and happily accommodate him.
Even with all these challenges, Finn is an absolute joy to have in our home. He’s a marshmallow at heart and loves tummy rubs, ear scratches, and sleeping curled up on our bed with his brother, Spencer.
Whenever he becomes overwhelmed, he’ll retreat to his safe place in the cupboard, which we affectionately call “Narnia”.
My experience with Finn has shown me that adopting an animal from a welfare organisation doesn’t require advanced skills or expertise. What it does require is buckets of love, a huge dose of patience, and a commitment to help an animal to heal from a past trauma. Finn’s journey has been challenging at times, but seeing him bravely grow and thrive has made it all worthwhile.
I’m grateful to Spaniel Welfare SA for their ongoing support over the years, and for giving me an opportunity to bring Finn into my life. Thank you.
