How to entertain your dog while working from home

Simply being in the house with your dog isn’t always enough to keep your dog entertained. Avoid the “play with me” eyes whilst working from home with your dog with our top tips on keeping them happily occupied whilst you’re focussing on your work:

Enrichment games

There’s a wide number of toys you can buy which are all designed to challenge your dog to earn their treats by switching on their brains. Mental stimulation is not only good for keeping your dog busy, it’s also a proven way to tire them out!

You can buy a range of weird and wonderful boredom-busting gizmos in pet shops and online, but our favourites are easy to make yourself (and are kinder on the bank balance too!)

Snuffle Mats

Snuffle mats work by secreting treats within the folds of their torn up material, leaving your dog with the challenge of locating them. If you don’t own one, you can easily make one yourself from old scraps around the house. You will need:

• A rubber mat with holes in (an outdoor door mat is ideal, or you can poke holes into a plastic / rubber doormat or placemat)
• Scrap material: fleece works well, but you can also use old dog blankets, towels, sheets, etc.)
• Sharp scissors

1. Cut the material into strips approx. 2 cm and 20cm long.
2. Loop a strip through two holes in the mat and tie in a tight double knot – if the holes in your mat are big enough, try to double up your strips for extra compact folds of material – it makes the snuffling all the more fun!
3. Leave the ends of the material flapping freely – they’re what make the loose folds that hide the treats
4. Repeat this process until the whole mat is covered
5. Then simply scatter food over the mat and let your dog snuffle for their dinner!

Watch a video tutorial here.

Hide & Treat

Encourage your dog to think for their dinner by creating a simple puzzle. Place a row of halved toilet rolls or upturned match box cartons in a shoe box, with treats hidden under one of them and let them work out where it is. You can also twist treats into a scrunched up roll or plait of newspaper, or knot them into an old tea-towel to keep them busy while they work out how to get to the goodies!

Christmas Come Early

A simple but wonderfully effective game – simply wrap up their favourite toys in paper and watch them relive the joy of the very first time they discovered it! In fact, you’ll probably find that they’re more interested in the paper than what’s inside it…

 

Training

Teaching your dog new tricks is not only a great way to keep them mentally stimulated, it also helps to build the bond between you, and gives you both a rush of oxytocin. “Little and often” is the best approach for teaching your dog new skills, so it’s the perfect activity while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil (or perhaps while you’re stuck on a particularly dull conference call – just don’t forget to mute first!)

We believe that the most fundamental skills to teach dogs are those which help them learn how to live a happy and safe life within the home – that’s why we recommend focussing on commands like “sit”, “wait”, “settle”, “gently”, and “leave it” as a priority. That said, we’re suckers for a good party trick, so now’s a great time to teach your dog something a little more jazzy than usual!

Spin

Impressive though this trick is, it’s actually very easy to teach – so perfect if you’re looking for optimum “show off” points! Here’s how to teach it:

1. Place a treat in your hand and draw your dog’s attention to it
2. Holding the treat just above their nose, move your hand in a wide circle – they will soon start to follow the motion of your hand
3. If you use a clicker or marker-word, make sure to mark your dog’s good work when they complete a full circle
4. Once they’ve completed a full circle, give them the treat and praise
5. Repeat this process a few times so they start to associate the action with the reward
6. Once they’ve started to get the hang of it, introduce the “spin” command
7. Once they’ve got a good grasp of what you’re asking them to do, get them to sit and then ask them to “spin”. Use an empty hand to repeat the gesture to remind them if needed, and treat once they’ve completed a circle.
8. Show off to everyone about how extra your dog is!

 

Play Dead

Another crowd-pleaser, this is a great trick for dogs who love a belly rub as it’s easier to teach to those who naturally like to show their belly!

1. Ask your dog to lie down, and then kneel and rub your dog’s belly until they’re calm
2. Gently roll your dog onto their side and praise them (for some steps one and two will happen as soon as you crouch down for a belly rub!)
3. When your dog is in a comfortable position on their back, begin to introduce the command (for example “bang”) and treat as soon as you’ve said the word
4. Go through the process of standing up, encouraging your dog to roll onto their side, saying the command and treating a number of times
5. When they’ve begun to associate the word with the treat, try asking your dog to sit and then giving them the command
6. They should soon learn that belly up = treats!

Millie & Mitya: how two Russian rescues found new hope

Here at Wild at Heart Foundation, we’re no strangers to dogs with more unusual needs than most. Familiar as we are with the brutal conditions in which millions of strays the world over live in, it’s sadly ceased to be surprising for us when we hear of dogs who’ve suffered horrendous wounds at the hands of humans. Limbs lost in traps or car accidents. Ears cut off. Eyes shot or stabbed. Bodies peppered with air-rifle pellets. Noses gouged out.

It was this last kind of abhorrent abuse that led us to Peggy. In December 2018, just as Christmas fever was beginning to set in, we were contacted about a sorry tale that we just knew we had to help with. A puppy had been discovered in a field, abandoned in a box with her ears and tail slashed to ribbons, and – most disturbing of all – her entire nose gouged out. That this was the work of human hands was immediately obvious, though the reasons for committing such a horrendous act of mindless cruelty are, as always, near-impossible to fathom. What we did know was that this was a dog who would be overlooked by most, written off as “too damaged” and therefore not worthy of saving.

In spite of everything that had happened to her, Peggy remained a sweet, loving and happy dog.  In January 2019, Peggy flew to the UK where she was treated at an expert facility, and found the perfect family to give her the love she so sorely deserved. With her amputated ears and tail, and her tailor-made nose, Peggy certainly is a one-of-a-kind dog. So it was a truly amazing moment when we learned that Peggy would be appearing on the first ever print cover of Wunderdog Magazine – talk about rags to riches! And thank goodness she did, because her story inspired the most remarkable chain of events…

Months after the magazine was first published, a copy found its way to Russia where it was read by Ksenia. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing! For just weeks before, Ksenia had come across a puppy whose nose, tail and ears had been cut off. Worried he wouldn’t be able to live a normal life, Mitya had visited a number of vets and even had surgery to insert false nostrils attempted; but to no success. So when she saw Peggy’s photo she knew that Wild at Heart Foundation would be able to help!

And Mitya was not alone. After reading Peggy’s success story, Wild at Heart Foundation superhero Kasey (Maggie‘s owner) began to see more stories of dogs who’d suffered similar injuries. She’d come across Millie, an innocent soul who’d suffered horrific injuries to the face. Millie was shot at close range, just like Maggie, and when Kasey saw her adorable face she knew she’d have to help.

 

Of course, we were only too happy to lend our support and embark upon what has now become our first rescue mission of a new decade!

And so we learned the stories of these two remarkable dogs:

Community matters: sterilising community dogs in Puerto Rico

This November, our team returned to Puerto Rico once again to commence our sixth high-volume sterilisation clinic to date. Sterilising over 3,000 animals in just six days was an incredible achievement, and we’re so proud as always to play a role in what has now become such a vast and record-breaking operation – we’ve come a long way from those early days when we first established a makeshift clinic, that’s for sure!

But it’s not a Wild at Heart project trip unless we’re rolling up our sleeves and getting to know the locals! And when we came across a family of “community dogs” living in our neighbourhood, and met the people who are caring for them, we knew we had to help. Community dogs is the term given to stray dogs who live on a particular patch / area. They’re known (and often well-loved!) by locals, and are usually fed by residents and business owners in the area.

Compared to the vast majority of dogs around the world who suffer a life of cruelty and starvation on the streets, we must remind ourselves of the relative good fortune of community dogs. Whilst we may wish to see them all tucked up in a warm bed under a safe roof, it’s thanks to the kindness and generosity of the people they cohabit with in their neighbourhood that they’re able to survive and experience a level of human kindness and love that is sadly a luxury on the streets.

Take the man in the neighbourhood we stayed in who looks out for a family of loveable overgrown pups; they’ve been relying on his generosity since they were tiny. Now over a year old, they’re well-fed, playful, and enjoying a quality of life on the street that few are lucky enough to know. That’s thanks to his compassion.

To help support these local efforts, we wanted to provide a service that they would otherwise be unable to offer these community dogs: we took the opportunity to sterilise and vaccinate them, ensuring that no more puppies are born into the pack (which means fewer mouths to feed!) and giving the dogs they’ve grown to love a better chance at living a happy, healthy life.

Waking up before dawn a few days into the clinic in order to allow time to catch the dogs without causing them undue stress, we headed down to the area where they sleep. Their community have helped show them that humans can be trusted so they came trotting up to greet us with wagging tails, and – after a few minutes of tentative caution – were more than happy to be stroked and fussed.

The best way to a dog’s heart is through it’s stomach, so we spent time feeding them a tasty breakfast before easing them into slip leads – easier said than done! Whilst they’re not fearful of basic human interaction, these dogs have grown up on the streets, alert to danger. As soon as they feel an alien sensation round their neck, most stray dogs inevitably start to panic, so we were sure to remain calm, soothing and relaxed, allowing them plenty of time to read the situation and eventually trust us enough to coax them into the car.

From here, we were able to take them to be treated on the island – something that we’re only able to do thanks to the generosity of our donors who support funding efforts to care for strays both in and out of our clinic. Once they’d been operated on, vaccinated, and treated against fleas, ticks and worms, they were ready to go home.

It’s always a good feeling to give a street dog the kind of treatment usually only reserved for owned dogs, but one of the most heart warming part of the experience was taking them back to their “patch”, and seeing their excitement as they realised they were home. Still a little groggy from their surgery, they perked up as soon as they realised where they were and it was wagging tails and happy dances all round!

You can read more about “Trap, Neuter, Release” method of sterilisation here.

We’ve visited the family every day since to donate food (and get our daily dose of cuddles!) and we were delighted to meet with the man who showed them how to trust. As a business owner on the backstreet where they’ve settled, he sees them every day and takes a vested interest in their health and their future. We were honoured to be able to give something small back to this community patch, but the survival of dogs like these is thanks to the day-to-day kindness of strangers.

There are hundreds of people here in Puerto Rico who give freely, even when they may not have a lot themselves, to help the strays in their area. From caring individuals to organisations large and small, this island of dog-lovers need our help. Not because they don’t have the will. Not because they don’t have the knowledge. But simply because they have been dealt a problem too great to manage alone.

Wild at Heart Foundation believe whole-heartedly in collaboration, and supporting local efforts wherever and however we can. We’re proud to be working alongside our incredible operations partners in Puerto Rico (Vidas, The Puerto Rico Dog Fund, and Humane Society US) to offer a free service that would otherwise be unavailable to local dog owners. We’re humbled to be a part of a huge movement towards lasting change. But most of all, we’re in awe of the people who share their knowledge and allow us to support their incredible rescue efforts.

We cannot help local rescue efforts without public funding – it is only thanks to your donations that we have been able to find homes for hundreds of Puerto Rican strays to date. Your generosity will allow us to support the dog-loving community here still further; please, give what you can.

Grappling with the situation in Greece: our team visit Lesvos

In 2019, the Wild at Heart Foundation adoption team were delighted to pay another visit to one of our very first partner shelter, the incredible venture set up by an individual rescuer on the island of Lesvos. This is one of our longest standing and best loved overseas shelter partnerships; here’s insight into the visit.

We began working with in Vassilia and her shelter in 2015 to help control the ever-increasing street dog population and we are pleased to have successfully rehomed 86 dogs to date, with the number growing rapidly!

On this latest occasion, Olivia and Meghan were fortunate enough to visit Vassilia’s shelter in Lesvos. Not only was it incredible to meet the gorgeous pups we had heard so much about and were working hard to find homes for, but it was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with Vassilia who solely runs the shelter day in day out, all year round.

Vassilia pours her heart, soul and every day of her life into caring and rehabilitating dogs, ensuring that these dogs experience the love and safety they truly deserve. Her doors are always open, and the dogs are given the chance to play and socialise in a far more stress-free environment than public and overcrowded shelters. Vassilia is the reason that so many dogs in Lesvos have a second chance at life.

We were first greeted by the adorable quad of pups termed the little women; Amy, Beth, Jojo and Meg, along with Xena and Lola. Soon after we returned from this trip to Lesvos, every single one of these dogs was swiftly adopted as we had so many amazing things to report about them! In another area of the shelter we met Silke, Velvet, Nero, Pimento, Pepper and Darcy who have also now been adopted into loving homes.

Sadly, Lizzie and Mormo are two of the longest residents of the shelters:

Lizzie was rescued along with her litter of puppies nearly two years ago now. All of Lizzie’s puppies have been adopted and she has been a surrogate mother to many other litters, including my own dog, Caramel, and her siblings. She has seen many a dog be rescued and rehomed yet Lizzie still longs for her own quiet home, free of puppy duties, where she will be spoiled and loved just like all the other dogs that have left the shelter before her.

Mormo was saved from near death after being found roaming a village in Lesvos and being accused of harassing the locals. Mormo is a very excitable and intelligent dog, she loves performing tricks and catching treats, chasing after her ball and being fussed over.

After many well used years, we witnessed first-hand the state of disrepair Vassilia’s shelter now finds itself in. In order to continue providing safe refuge for these dogs, the shelter desperately needs rebuilding to allow for more enclosures so that Vassilia can rescue more dogs, as well as build a new, sterile quarantine area to help prevent the spread of disease that sadly many puppies are subject to before receiving their vaccinations, something that struck the island extremely hard last year.

Once the inevitable belly rubbing and face licking from the shelter dog’s was done, Olivia and myself got stuck in helping Vassilia with the daily tasks and soon realised how difficult the extent of the operation was to run the shelter as an individual and in the current state the shelter was in.

Vassilia continues to work tirelessly for the sake of providing a better life for her dogs. Her house is taken over by puppies to ensure they aren’t at risk of catching anything before being vaccinated. For most people this would be the dream but when you can’t take a day away from the shelter, this is a lot to cope with.

Vassilia relies on a small and close group of foster carers around the island in order to keep saving as many dogs as possible. Along with the feeding, cleaning and running various medical trips daily, she also attempts to improve the shelter through minor repair works where she can. But this is not enough.

Wild at Heart Foundation are proud to now be supporting the rebuild of the Lesvos shelter along with the kind donations and help from Matthew Lauder, another resident and keen supporter of the Foundation who lives on the island of Lesvos, and his wonderful event ‘Reigning Cats and Dogs’.

Matthew approached the Foundation about holding an art exhibition to help raise funds for a rebuild. Many years ago, Matthew found his dog, Nellie, in a desperate state, abandoned and chained to a tree, living in her own excrement. Matthew called every shelter around the island for help but it wasn’t until he found Vassilia and she immediately offered to help.

We have a lot to thank Matthew for; his ties to the island and finding Vassilia meant that we were able to forge an amazing and successful relationship, consistently helping save hundreds of dogs from a life of misery. We look forward to the future of this relationship and helping visit and rebuild the shelter within the coming months!

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Find out more    

Inside our Puerto Rico sterilisation clinic

Back in 2017, Wild at Heart Foundation visited Puerto Rico with one clear goal in mind: to combat the rising numbers of dogs born onto the streets. With over 500,000 strays estimated to be living on the island, this is no small mission, especially when you consider that just one litter of strays born today will result in an average of 67,000 more unwanted dogs born over the course of just six years.

Having witnessed the problem ourselves, it became clear that the only way to make any kind of lasting impact was via high volume sterilisation. In March 2018 we joined forces with with ViDAS  to hold our first mass-sterilisation programme on the island. In spite of terrible conditions, very little local marketing opportunities, and even rolling power cuts, we successfully sterilised over 1,000 animals in just six days! Furthermore, offering free sterilisation and vaccination services have served to help the people of Puerto Rico keep their pets safe and prevent unwanted litters.

Fast-forward a few years, and we’re proud of the work we’re achieving in Puerto Rico. Having attracted large-scale funding and operational support from HSUS, we’re now able to combine forces to run tri-annual clinics across the island, as well as supporting a number of smaller local clinics throughout the year. The scale and atmosphere of these clinics is often hard to convey; with thousands of dogs and their owners passing through a stadium-turned-surgery each day, the energy and activity we experience is utterly incomparable.

So let us invite you behind the scenes of our Spayathon clinics to share a day in the life of Wild at Heart Foundation in Puerto Rico…

The wait begins!

At every clinic, the line begins to form long before dawn, testament to the dedication of thousands of locals who are committed to playing their part in controlling the island’s escalating stray dog problem in a humane and responsible way. Despite queueing for hours, we’re always incredibly grateful to see people embracing the opportunity with such patience and appreciation, and it’s an honour to support communities in this way.

Step One: Registration

From pets and “community dogs” (the local term for dogs that take up permanent residence in a neighbourhood), to strays and street dogs, every animal who passes through the clinic begins with registration. Starting from 6am, over 500 animals each day are weighed, tagged and registered.

Step Two: Pre-Medical
Once registered, dogs wait to receive their pre-medical check up. Here, a qualified vet gives a thorough examination to ensure each animal is healthy and fit for surgery, before preparing them for sedation. At this point, owners or human chaperones hand over their dog to the surgical team.

Step Three: Surgery
A team of around 20 highly-skilled surgeons specialising in high-volume sterilisation use specially-designed, sterile mobile equipment to spay or neuter each dog that arrives on their table. Each operation is remarkably swift, with a surgeon averaging some 25 animals a day!

Step Four: Recovery
Next, the dog is transported to Recovery where Nikki and her team of volunteers monitor their progress as they come round from anaesthetic. Vaccinations, including rabies jabs, are administered, and all dogs are treated against worms, ticks, fleas and lice. They also can expect to have their nails clipped and ears cleaned.

Ready for home!
Once the dog has made a full recovery and has been cuddled back to a stable state, owners and chaperones leave with detailed aftercare information & support. We are so grateful to the thousands of people who attend our clinics, all of whom play an active role in compassionately managing the problem on their doorsteps.

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Beyond the Spayathon

We are incredibly proud of the work we achieve during the short but intense period of the Spayathon clinic; but our work does not end there. Whilst mass-sterilisation is the most effective and compassionate means of tackling the stray problem on the island, it’s too late to save the lives of those who have already been born, dumped and neglected.

Urgent Care
Wild at Heart Foundation believe in dog; in every single dog who needs us. We cannot turn a blind eye to the instances of extreme neglect, abuse and sickness that we witness whilst on the island. That’s why we’re committed to providing urgent care to dogs like Legend and Bella, funding their medical treatment and ensuring they are nursed back to health.

Fostering
Shelters across Puerto Rico are full to bursting; due to extreme overcrowding they are forced to operate a 99% kill rate, with dogs being euthanised within 48 hours of arrival. We are passionate about building a network of local fosters for the dogs we rescue, as well as a longer-term campaign to build a humane, safe and spacious shelter on the island.

Rehoming
Giving a stray dog a second chance at happiness is one of the most rewarding aspects of everything we do at Wild at Heart Foundation, and Puerto Rico is no exception. Thanks to our foster network on the island and links with humane shelters in the US, we have funded and facilitated the adoption of hundreds of rescued dogs and puppies.

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Your role in Spayathon

We refuse to ignore the suffering of even a single dog on the island, but we need your help to give them the treatment, care and love that they so desperately need. It takes a team of vets, experts and volunteers to keep our Spayathon clinics running. But it takes the support of thousands to make it possible.

We are reliant on the generosity of our donors to keep our clinics running. Whether you can spare £1, £10 or £100, we’re so grateful for whatever you’re able to donate.

Please, give what you can.

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A message from Nikki

“It is always with a huge mix of emotions that I return to Puerto Rico: heartbreak in the face of so many animals’ suffering; a level of trepidation at the scale of the problem; joy to be reunited with the amazing community of volunteers, fosters and animal lovers on the island who give me hope for the future; and, determination to keep fighting, to make a difference.

It may be the dogs that keeps me coming back to the island.. but its the support of our donors and followers that keeps me going once I’m there. Our team works tirelessly … 18 hour days, gruelling physical work, gut-wrenching reminders of the effect that poverty, miseducation and neglect has on the island’s canine population … but your compassion is our fuel!

I am so so very grateful to everyone who engages in an issue that is taking place so far from most of our homes .. if you would consider donating what you can, your contribution will play an active role in stopping the escalating stray problem in its tracks..

Slowly but surely, we are making a difference.

From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of the dogs of Puerto Rico, thank you.”

Nikki Tibbles, Wild at Heart Foundation Founder

Regarding Wild at Heart Foundation’s affiliation with other charities

We understand there is some confusion amongst our supporters about the relationship between Wild at Heart Foundation and The Underdog International, a charity established by former trustee, Nadine Kayser and assisted by our former Rehoming Manager, Eve Moore.

There are many wonderful charities in the UK and worldwide promoting similar causes to those promoted by Wild at Heart Foundation; we have always championed collaboration where appropriate, and support all those organisations that share our values. However, in the interest of total clarity, we must specify that we are an independent charity, and are not associated with Underdog International or any of its employees.

We are incredibly proud of what Wild at Heart Foundation have achieved over the years. We are powered by a truly committed and hard-working team, and we know that incredible things lie ahead. It’s thanks to our supporters that we have rehomed and sterilised tens of thousands of dogs, and educated tens of thousands of children. We have implemented truly life-changing projects around the world, with many more on the horizon; we can’t wait to share our achievements with you as we grow.

We really do appreciate the continued support of our amazing community, who we look upon as an incredible and eclectic extended family! We know you have a choice – whether it’s the decision to adopt a dog or pledge a donation – and we’re grateful that you’ve chosen to be part of the Wild at Heart Foundation pack.

Nikki, and the team
xxx

Butternut Box: treat your pet, feed a stray

A free first order of Butternut Box for you; and a £20 donation to Wild at Heart Foundation for the stray dogs of the world!

Butternut Box all started with a very poorly rescue dog and a quest to give her the healthy, happy life she deserved. When founder Dave took in Rudie – a Staffie who had been abandoned in the snow – he simply couldn’t find a suitable diet for her that would help to cure her ill health. After months of trying, his mother began cooking freshly-prepared, human-grade food from scratch and the results were miraculous. Fast forward a year, and not only was Rudie enjoying a whole new lease of life, but hundreds more dogs were discovering the health (and taste!) benefits of Butternut Box’s expertly-curated creations.

Helping those in need is still very much at the heart of the company. They believe that all dogs deserve to have a full belly and a wagging tail, which is why they’ve teamed up with us to offer our followers a free first box of their fresh, home-cooked food!

But their love for dogs doesn’t stop there – for every box purchased using our exclusive link above, they’ll donate £20 to Wild at Heart Foundation, ensuring that we can continue to feed and care for those dogs that need it the most.

Help a stray dog by treating your own? It’s a no brainer! The only question will be how long it’ll take yours to get stuck into their first box…

Nikki Tibbles: the force behind the charity

Wild at Heart Foundation is both brain-child, passion project and raison d’etre for Nikki Tibbles. In just a few short years, this woman has transformed her personal passion into something that has now become a professional, meaningful, and truly life-changing venture. The charity’s work now stretches across all four corners of the globe, with thousands of  rescue dogs adopted into loving, happy homes, tens of thousands more sterilised (preventing the unwanted birth of literally millions of puppies), and resource, educational and financial support provided to many local communities and projects around the world to help them solve the mounting stray dog problems in their area.

There’s not many people who could launch such a dynamic project, all whilst running an award-winning, world-renowned floristry business at the same time. But for those of you that have met Nikki and have seen her passion, drive and unstoppable determination to make the world a better place, then it’ll come as no surprise to learn just how much she has poured her heart and soul into making Wild at Heart Foundation a success.

Barry Karacostas (aka The Dog Jogger) took the time to chat with Nikki about the early days of the Foundation, and what inspired her to make it the charity it is today: