Ernie
Ernie
My name is: Ernie
I came from: Cyprus
Now I live in: Glasgow
My favourite things are: sliced apples, chasing squirrels and snoring with my dad
Ernie’s story
Our beloved Staffy/Collie dog Bess died in December 2022 at the grand old age of 15 years. After taking some time to mourn her, we knew we wanted to adopt another rescue dog. Intending to adopt again within the UK, we contacted several animal rescue organisations but sadly had no success, despite having a garden, previous rescue dog experience and the ability to work flexibly from home.
We had never considered adopting from abroad but after some internet research and online recommendation, found ourselves on Underdog International’s website. We hadn’t a clue what to expect but one night as I was scrolling through the list of potential adoptees, a 3-year-old dog caught my attention. I have heard other people say that you don’t find your forever dog, they find you. I couldn’t get Ermis (as he was known then) out of my mind. There was just something special about this dog’s facial expression. He was described as a “polite boy” who got on brilliantly with other dogs and might do well with an older couple. All boxes ticked, we thought.
We applied to Underdog and waited. We had a lovely initial chat with them, going over what we were looking for in a dog and what kind of dog might fit into our lives. We really valued this aspect of Underdog’s ethos; they obviously take the time to meet with the dogs and get to know them. After considering a handful of potential adoptees, we were matched with Ermis and waited for the next step.
Meanwhile, we were flipping between excitement and panic. We had basically bought a dog on the internet. However, Underdog are fantastic at providing information, advice and reassurance. We were supported throughout this stage by an Underdog volunteer (also a previous Underdog adopter) who met regularly with us online to help us understand the particular challenges of adopting a dog from abroad.
Once the adoption agreement is in place, Underdog aim to get the dogs out of the shelters and to their new homes as quickly as possible. Sadly, there is no shortage of unwanted dogs in Cyprus (where Ermis is originally from) due to the prevalent hunting culture and low spaying/neutering rates.
The big day arrived. We were anxious and wondered what we were letting ourselves in for. We drove nervously in the early hours from our home in Glasgow to a service station near Carlisle to wait for the animal transport van. Poor Ermis had to travel by road from his shelter to Limassol airport, then fly to Belgium then travel by van through the Chunnel, stopping off at various points throughout England all within a 24-hour period.
We were worried about what physical state we would find him in. We feared that he would arrive dirty, frightened and confused. We had been warned by others to expect a smelly disorientated dog after such a long journey. Happily, our fears were unfounded. The van was bright and clean and the female driver had obviously taken good care of her doggy charges.
Honestly, I fell in love the moment I saw him. In what we have come to recognise as true Ernie (since renamed from Ermis) style, he hopped out of the van, wagging his tail at us and proceeded to have the longest pee I have ever witnessed. Amazingly, he was dry and clean, smelling mostly of talcum powder which I imagine is brushed through the dogs’ coats before they travel to minimise any smell.
We drove back to Glasgow in a state of euphoria/disbelief while Ernie slept in the boot of the car. He was obviously exhausted and we were advised to avoid trigger stacking for the first week or so. No walks outside, just time in the house and garden to let him acclimatise and get used to his entire world turning on its axis.
He had three poos in the house the first few days but has never once peed indoors and was completely toilet trained within a week. We have no idea whether he ever lived in a house and were amazed by his adaptability.
It broke our hearts to watch him sleep on the floor BESIDE his lovely new bed for the first few days, obviously not realising that it belonged to him. We each took turns to sleep on the sofa in the living room with him, but our sore backs soon put paid to that idea and he migrated upstairs to sleep soundly in our bedroom. Initially he hated to be left alone, we could not be in a separate room without him becoming distressed. Again, we had been warned by Underdog that separation anxiety is normal for many rescue dogs and that time and patience usually wins the day. Of course, they were right. After eight months, we have a happy well-adjusted dog who is now happy to sleep downstairs in his own bed and can be left alone for two or three hours in what he has come to understand as his forever home. He has never mastered our slippery wooden stairs but is happy to stand at the foot of the staircase every morning ‘encouraging’ us to join him for a morning cuddle at 6am. He spends his days exploring off lead in our nearby country park and his evenings at home with us in safety and comfort.
True to Underdog’s assessment, he gets on fantastically with other dogs. We have watched him negotiate skilfully with all sizes and types of dogs. He is tolerant but able to assert his boundaries as necessary, honed by a lifetime of living with other dogs we imagine. He goes to doggy day care one day per week and is their star turn. We had his DNA assessed and our Ernie is (mostly) a mixture of German Short Haired Pointer, Beagle, Segugio Italiano (had to look that one up) and Brittany Spaniel. We think he is the most handsome dog on the planet with the sweetest nature. His distinctive good looks often prompt passers-by to ask, “What IS he?” He’s an Ernie, we reply.
Ernie is an absolute joy and has enriched our lives immeasurably. Nothing beats being greeted excitedly at the front door by his Snoopy dance – frantic bottom wiggling while simultaneously spinning on the spot and pointing his nose in the air. I SWEAR he’s grinning.
His early beginnings as a stray show up in his tendency to put everything in his mouth like a toddler so we must be vigilant to avoid him swallowing or chewing anything harmful. He prefers to avoid young children; they seem to scare him a little (probably never socialised around them) but he has adjusted well and it’s not a problem now that we know to give him space. Underdog are particularly good about talking through the characteristics of potential adoptees if they are likely to be around young children.
I would highly recommend Underdog to anyone who is looking to adopt a dog. Looking back, I wonder why we ever worried because Ernie is perfect for us and we feel very lucky to have found our wonderful boy.