Our philosophy
When I decided to rescue the not to easy dogs, I wanted to make sure I was doing it right. I made my research, learned, made mistakes, reassessed and ajusted. So here is my special recipe for a successful rehabilitation, that I developed over the years, how about that! Not much of a secret to be honest, just common sense and a tad of devotion. And well, maybe a tiny bit of magic.
Our sweet home in Normandy, France.
Creating a cozy cocoon no matter where we are.
Enjoying hiking in the Wallis mountains (Switzerland).
As much as chilling on their own private terrace in Manhattan.
love & good care as the main ingredient
There is nothing more powerful than love. Love heals, love makes miracles, love brings out the best in us. There is no doubt my fondness for special needs shines through and all of our rescues felt it. This probably explains why many who couldn’t progress in other environments blossomed in our care. The right love, not the overpowering or irrational one, but the smart and caring kind, that helps them be themselves all the while giving them a balanced support and appropriate training. I did not feel sorry for them, but focused on their future that was gonna be brighter.
Our house back in Normandy, France was a little piece of heaven, warm and peaceful. Even later when we moved to Switzerland and now New York, though the environment changed drastically, we tried to keep the same vibe and habits. A cozy home, lots of presence and attention, great hygiene, healthy lifestyle, savvy care and of course, plenty of love. But love is only the coating, you have to take good care of the filling too, and this starts with the right diet. Don’t feed them crap! Over the years, we changed our take on the appropriate food, from an alternance of grain-free premium kibble and homemade cooked food, to freeze-dried food and now fully cooking for them, as well as making most of their treats, the only way to know what’s really inside! Check out our experience and overview in this food special post, treat recipes and natural supplements!
Yummy homemade food with herbal supplements.
Together with a healthy lifestyle (Arnold was a yoga adept :P).
generous spinkles of natural supplements
With seniors and dogs with various health issues, we learned a lot and opted for a natural approach as much a possible, trying to avoid harsh medication as long as their disorders allowed it. We were able to ease their joints with turmeric, brighten their coat and soothe skin rashes with fish oil, boost their immune system with spirulina, support their digestion with kelp, get rid of unwanted bugs and worms with garlic, enhance their overall health with different vitamins and minerals, etc. Each time we got a new rescue, we could see radical changes after a few weeks! I made a full post of what we used to tackle specific issues naturally here. Also check out the Health bog for our approach to specific health issues.
Positive training.
Getting familiar with new environments and building confidence.
Getting some special one-on-one attention.
a good cup of training
No matter their trauma and behavioral challenges, all dogs had to learn how to behave. Our balanced pack was there to help and we wanted to make sure each new recruit would fit in. Giving them a positive training helped them build their confidence and be more collected too. They learned to be housebroken, walk on a leash, socialize, basic commands, and more. Making them learn new tricks and doing a little agility strengthens the bond with their human as well. And it’s fun! Feeling sorry for them and letting them do whatever they please is no remedy, it will only make their trauma worse and even trigger new unwanted behaviors. Helping dogs who are unable to walk in the streets, frozen in fear, finally being able to strutt their stuff is quite rewarding! Learn more about our special stories with Cookie and Bernie.
How said traumatized rescues cannot have fun?!
Even seniors can put on a sprint!
Trying to share toys :).
Much deserved cuddles after a long day of tiring activities.
an even topping of fun
Rehab can make you frustrated, some rescues can be a pain in the butt, it’s true. But sometimes you need to take a step back and remember what matters most. They will never be perfect, so if you accept their flaws even after having tried to improve their quirks, you can better enjoy this peculiar relationship and have fun. Even the most shattered dogs, once they feel better, enjoy playing and having a good time. We spent special moments rolling for their entertainement, sprinting in the yard for a good game of chase, throwing toys for them to retrieve (or just watch them fly for the lazybones), playing tug, or simply lying in the grass, enjoying long Summer days, sunbathing, or cuddling by the fire on a Winter night, watching tv.