My name is: Albie
I came from: Cyprus
Now I live in: Hampshire
My favourite things are: Chicken, squeaky tennis balls, cuddles on the sofa and any excuse to play with another dog

Albie’s story

We had always dreamt of adopting a dog, but found the UK process quite difficult due to living in a flat; when we first got Albie, we lived in Brixton, London, and so weren’t sure if we’d be eligible. Discovering Underdog was like a godsend - the team were hugely helpful in finding the best dog-match possible, and on a cold, December afternoon we finally picked up the gorgeous, four month Albie, so fluffy and nervous but keen to please.

In all honesty, she hasn’t changed on that adorable front, but her confidence has come on leaps and bounds and to the majority, you wouldn’t have a clue she was a rescue - other than her mongrel charm, that is! Adopting Albie is the best decision we’ve ever made, and there's just something extra special about a rescue dog. You're doing good for the world, everyone asks what breed your dog is in amazement, and you’ve got a little fluffer that is so unique just to you.

The first few days were a challenge on the toilet training; given we were in a flat, we were outside in all weather types every 20 to 30 minutes, and there were for sure moments it felt like that would never change. But actually, looking back, she picked up on the basics quickly, with very few accidents at home and confidence growing by the day. She’s always been a quick learner, taking only a couple of times to understand a new command (although when that doesn’t happen, she does get herself into a bit of a strop!).

We’ve now moved to Hampshire, and that transition was initially hard. Her first few months in London meant she grew up as a super sociable dog, loving play at every moment and making friends with everyone. Where we now live is a lot more rural, so we took a bit of a backstep to begin with to help her settle in. She’s fantastic in high stress situations - usually the ones people worry about - and I genuinely believe this is thanks to her initial city life.

Training wise, she knows her name and her recall is pretty good. There’s something so rewarding about seeing her off lead, enjoying her life, with a little glance over her shoulder to make sure we’re still there. It’s true that there’s always one thing every dog has to try harder to work on, and for Albie, that’s definitely her jumping. Perhaps it’s the kokoni in her, but she could easily jump four or five feet, and still sometimes thinks that’s the only way to greet people. In the grand scheme of things, if that’s all we have to be concerned about, with some patience and consistency, we know she’ll get there.

We actually kept in contact with one of Albie’s brothers via Instagram, and have since met up. It was one of the most beautiful moments, and so emotional - they definitely recognised each other, and their greeting was just amazing!

The love Albie brings into our lives is indescribable: the cuddles on the sofa, the excitement when she jumps into her seat in the car, the wibbly bum and waggy tail every morning, how she’s taken to sleeping under our bed because she knows on the bed is off limits, her licks to wipe up your tears, how she shows off when she’s got the ball, her desire to please, the little crimps under her ears, her ridiculously curly tail. All of it, she’s just perfect, and we couldn’t recommend Underdog more.

- Tazz