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Ursu

Never Give Up On A Dog

By (author) Sarah Napier
Format: Paperback / softback
Publisher: JJMoffs Independent Book Publisher, Misterton, United Kingdom
Published: 7th Jul 2018
Dimensions: w 153mm h 234mm d 9mm
ISBN-10: 0995788197
ISBN-13: 9780995788190
Barcode No: 9780995788190
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Synopsis
Born on the streets of Bucharest, Romania, Ursu was caught and flung into one of the country's most notorious kill shelters where miraculously, against all the odds, he survived several years before catching the eye of someone living thousands of miles away in the UK. Unwanted for the first seven years of his life, broken, terrified and unapproachable, this tells the story of how a feral and badly abused dog, already approaching his senior years, gradually learned to let go of his fears and anchor his trust in humans, the very species responsible for his years of excruciating pain and incarcerated misery. When we think about a feral canine we likely conjure up images of a dog that has never had contact with humans, possibly living its life out in forest or open landscape, not having experienced human interaction. But the meaning of feral is `wild, untamed, undomesticated, untrained' and this was Ursu, aged between seven and nine, when he was rescued in January 2015. The saying `you can't teach an old dog new tricks' is probably one of the oldest proverbial sayings around, with citations of it going back to the 16th century relating to shepherdry and the training of dogs. A saying so commonly used in today's everyday language it should act as a cautionary warning against taking a risk on an ageing dog that had never obeyed a word of human command and indeed had grown to fear people. A dog has no idea how we want it to behave. An obvious comment given we're human and a dog is a dog, but it's easy to overlook this, unconsciously relying on the innate intelligence of a dog to do the understanding. Over time, they work out for themselves the real demands we are making of them through all our mixed messages and inconsistencies, but in reality, it's our job as humans to assist a dog to become socialised and to do this kindly and in a consistent manner. A badly behaved dog isn't a bad dog; a terrified dog even less so. Get it right, and with patience and full commitment, most dogs will respond positively. Ursu is living proof.

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Review by Sue Fryer, Sit Dog Training - If you love dogs then this book is for you. I loved every page. Written in diary format the tale of rescuing Ursu was delightful but not without some hairy moments. Most wouldn't have taken on a dog like Ursu. If you are thinking of adopting a dog, this book is a must read. But I must add that in my years as a dog trainer I have seen many Romanian and other adoptions and the majority were not severe cases like Ursu. So please don't let this book put you off adoption. It should I hope inspire you to adopt; Reveiew by Mrs Yee Fun Wong - Sarah has memoralised beautifully her journey to rehabilitate a horribly abused Romanian street dog that everyone else thought was beyond help. It is a well-written heart-warming story that made me cry and laugh. The book deserves real success, not only for Sarah and her husband, but to inspire others to help other abused animals. Due credit also to the rescue centre and the volunteers. This is a must-read for all pet lovers; Review by A. B. Caesley - Beautifully written, so easy to read, did not want to finish the story. Loved the photographs. As a dog lover, I can only imagine Ursu's strong survival instinct. How could Sarah and Rob be able to predict the outcome of this wild dog with such an unhappy and violent start to life? And I so admire the human instinct to be able to turn Ursu from a dog who had no kindness shown, and none expected, to become a loveable family pet. A real must-read book for all who perhaps feel they have a well trained, family dog, but cannot ever imagine that they could put themselves to rescue a dog like Ursu. Great praise for the book, for Sarah and Rob and Monica for her rescue programme.