My name is: Cruz
I came from: Romania
Now I live in: Guernsey
My favourite things are: Cheese, learning new tricks, beach walks, de-stuffing my soft toys and keeping a watchful eye on the goings-on of the neighbourhood
Follow me on Instagram: @cruz_and_benny

Cruz’s story

I had followed Eve and Underdog on Instagram for a while and knew one day I was going to adopt a dog through them, it was just a matter of when and which one! I had seen Cruz was available for adoption in 2019 when he was a puppy and I was so drawn to him, however we weren't in a position to adopt a dog at that point. In March 2020 we decided it was the right time and I enquired as to whether Cruz had found a home - he hadn't, so there was no way I could even consider another dog!

I completed the adoption form and heard back quickly from Eve who provided me with a bit more information about Cruz, and explained that he would fit in well with us. We had a virtual home check with Leanne and found out the following day that we would be adopting Cruz! The only problem now was getting him home to us. The entire world was in lock-down at that point and travel wasn't really possible, so despite waiting patiently for news of travel restrictions lifting across Europe, the whole process was a breeze!

As soon as travel had opened up again, Cruz was booked onto the next transport run and stayed with Alicia for a couple of nights to decompress after the long journey from Romania and to prepare for his short flight home to us in Guernsey. He was kindly couriered to the airport by Sam so it was quite the operation to get him home! He arrived in mid-June and we haven't looked back since!

Cruz really is an amazing boy with such a comical and kind nature and settled into his new life with us very quickly. He's happiest at home with us, playing in the garden or running along the beach paddling his paws in the sea! We've had a few obstacles to overcome with him and we're still working on some things now. Initially he was petrified of vehicles to the point that he wouldn't walk past a parked car - he now walks past all vehicles, moving or static. He also hated going in the car, though still an area we're working on, he now jumps in and out with confidence. I spoke to one of the Underdog behaviourists early on who talked me through counter-conditioning and desensitisation which helped hugely. I never thought I'd get him in a car of his own accord so it's proof that positive reinforcement and patience really does work.

Cruz can be a nervous dog in new situations and around new people, but once he gets to know you he's the sweetest, happiest boy with so much love to give. At first he wasn't keen on too much close contact with us, but he now loves greeting us every morning by jumping on our bed for a neck massage (he's become very accustomed to his new life). We've been so lucky with Cruz in that we've been able to leave him at home alone with no problems as and when we need to go out and he's never once had an accident in our house - even on his first day!

We've had Cruz for five months now, he's come on massively and his confidence has grown enormously. During the first week or so we thought we had the most well-behaved dog in the world, he didn't make a sound, not a single bark. We actually wondered whether he was able to bark at all. We realise now that he was still shell shocked from such a huge journey and the transition to his new life so his true personality hadn't shone through yet. He can indeed bark, and it doesn't disappoint - it's so loud! He's reactive with noises he can hear outside of our house and is very defensive and protective of his home, a challenge we're still working on.

It's been so rewarding to help Cruz adjust to his new life and we can't wait for many more adventures with him as he continues to grow in confidence. We can't thank the teams at Underdog and at The Dog Rose enough for allowing us to adopt Cruz, he's changed our life for the better in so many ways and instantly became part of the family the moment he stepped through the door.

- Jo