My name is: Biscuit, The Duchess of Biccingtons, Biskoto
I came from: Cyprus
Now I live in: Hove
My favourite things are: Sleeping under the duvet, digging for mussels on the beach, playing ball, sun bathing, jumping through the long grass and FOOD, any and all food 

Biscuit’s story

I’ve always loved dogs and knew I wanted to rescue one as soon as I could, in February 2022 my partner and I moved into our first home together in Hove, one of the most dog friendly places in the UK, seeing so many dogs on a daily bases had me checking the Underdog International site religiously.  

I grew up with dogs but my partner had never had a dog before so we wanted to make sure our first dog together would fit with our lifestyle and experience levels. When Biscuit was added to the Underdog site, we immediately felt like her bio was a good match for us, she had the cutest little face and a we felt instantly drawn to her.  

 We applied to adopt Biscuit in July and had our adoption interview shortly after with Lauren who provided so much helpful information about the process and what to expect. After this it all happened very quickly, Biscuit was flown over from Cyprus on the 5th of August and we headed to the airport to collect her full of nerves and excitement. 

 On arrival Biscuit was very tired and a little overwhelmed by her journey, we got her home and eased her in, she slept a lot for the first week but was enjoying her walks around the block and loved meeting people and other dogs. Biscuit was comfortable with Matt and me from day one, we let her come to us in her own time but since the start she got more and more cuddly and affectionate, I think she recognised us as her people and really opened up. 

 As the adrenaline from the trip wore off, Biscuit became overwhelmed by her new surroundings. Hove is a much busier environment than she was used to and although we tried to ease her in slowly it all became a bit too much for her. She was barking constantly at any distant noise and was unable to settle, Eve introduced us to a behaviourist who identified that Biscuit had likely become trigger stacked. This meant stripping everything back to the basics and trying to introduce everything much more slowly. 

The main thing I wasn’t prepared for was the guilt I would feel knowing Biscuit was struggling. We spent the next few weeks and months keeping things calm, limiting new experiences and building good associations back up. This took a lot of time, patience and consistency. In the past ten months Biscuit has come so far, her confidence has grown and although training isn’t linear it feels much easier than it did at the start. At points we never thought we would be at the stage we are now. 

 Biscuit is the funniest, smartest little lady, she’s super loyal and will always keep an eye on her people to make sure we are safe and happy. Her recall is amazing and seeing her run around the parks and the beach freely is an amazing feeling.  

 I can honestly say Biscuit has changed our lives for the better, seeing life through her crazy little eyes has been a privilege to watch. Although getting a rescue dog can be unpredictable and definitely an emotional rollercoaster, I really believe your bond is so much stronger. Biscuit has overcome so much and trusts us so wholeheartedly - we feel really lucky to have her. 

- Laura