Percy the Rescue Puppy – the first 24 hours
Sep 21, 11
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three rescue puppies. Ronald Kyobe dog trainer Kampala

Within just one day, Percy the rescue puppy has snapped two leads, (something that Baldrick hasn’t ever attempted in two years); he has chewed and destroyed the doormat, eaten several banana leaves and the lower leaves of the avocado tree!

Is it the first time Percy has encountered all these things? He waved his Get Out of Jail Free card yesterday and left confinement at the USPCA in Mbuya. (Or is his behaviour simply that of a little Fokker?) I guess he’s teething and trying out his new teeth.

He’s very happily trotting around the compound after Baldrick, who has been giving him the cold shoulder most of the day.

It was sad to split the two surviving puppies, but I can’t have three dogs. (I told Ronald to keep reminding me of this!) I thought it best to leave the pretty one behind because she’ll have more chance of attracting a new owner.

Percy was immediately submissive and affectionate to me so should be an easy first puppy for me – I hope!

Percy and Ronald Kyobe, owner A to Z Mobile Dog Training Unit Kampala

Percy and Ronald Kyobe, great friend and owner A to Z Mobile Dog Training Unit Kampala

Ronald bundled Percy up and put him in the car as we left the USPCA. He didn’t make a sound, although it did take Ronald a few minutes to yank him out from underneath the passenger seat when we got home!

Baldrick inspects new dog arrival

Baldrick inspects the new arrival

The new arrival was wedged under the car seat hiding!

The new arrival was wedged under the car seat hiding!

The first thing Ronald did was put Percy on the lead and drag him round to the outside tap for a good shampoo (he did whiff). No sooner was Percy clean and glossy then he lay down in a big puddle of course. I think he enjoyed the warm water, although it must seem very strange to him: the smell of the shampoo and all the different sounds out in the big wide world. I wonder what he thought of the loud Sunday afternoon drumming from the slum by our house?

clean rescue puppy with white socks

A nice clean puppy! Don’t you love those white socks?

Percy glugged down his bread and milk in seconds, giving me shifty looks, daring me to take it, racing against the clock. I guess that’s a hangover from life at the USPCA – there were 83 hopeful dogs in there yesterday! They’ve done a fantastic job with him.

Two months ago, Ronald and I delivered Percy and his brother and sister to Dr Alex the USPCA vet. The puppies had severe mange, anaemia, allergy to fleabites and had to be quarantined. One died. They were rolls of skins on bare bones; their transformation is incredible. Unfortunately, there are few facilities or money for neutering animals, hence this situation is very common.

puppies drainage cavera

I often look in drainage channels for puppies as my first dog Baldrick was a rescue too. I thought I found one puppy – one closer inspection, there were THREE!

Ronald Kyobe dog trainer Kampala

Ronald picks the puppies out of the drainage channel in Namuwongo

Charlotte and Ronald Kyobe dog trainer Kampala rescues

Percy and brother – ‘fresh’ (and stinking) from the drainage ditch, where they had been abandoned

Sunday morning, Baldrick seemed off his food. I had to call him over and point his nose into his breakfast.

Percy, on the other hand, has no problem eating! He spent his first night in the warmth of the garage. He squeals and whines a bit if you close the door on him, but soon shuts up.

I tied him up under a tree after breakfast, so he can start getting to use the toilet area. Within minutes I could hear him run round the back of the house. While Paul mended the yellow and black lead, I tied Percy up using the purple one. Just one minute later, I hear the sound of the chain again as little puppy bounds round the back of the house with a second snapped lead!

I just stood staring at him for couple of minutes, I couldn’t believe this tiny puppy had broken free. Incredible – those teeth again. I gave up at that point – well, I rang Dog Trainer Extraordinaire Ronald Kyobe. He suggested a chain and luckily for me, he came round to sort Percy out.

There was incredibly loud squealing and yelping earlier, I ran outside to see Baldrick standing over Percy, leaning on him. Not sure exactly what happened, whether it was just heavy-handed play or amateur dramatics.

dogs eating

Getting the dogs to bond – Baldrick and Percy eat their first meal together

Later this evening, general whining turned into incredible yelping and I steamed outside to see Percy had wrapped himself tightly around the tree (the toilet training post), had one paw stuck between trunk and metal chain, and was half strangled. For a second, I thought he’d choked to death!

I ran out of patience, locked him in the garage and can now hear plaintive howling! I wonder if Paul – in the room right next to the garage – will get any sleep tonight?!

See the full puppy rescue story in pictures (some of the photos are quite shocking).

If you’re looking for a dog trainer in Kampala, I recommend Ronald. He’s highly professional and dogs adore him! Reach him via his A to Z Mobile Dog Training Unit Facebook page.

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10 thoughts on “Percy the Rescue Puppy – the first 24 hours”

  1. lizziema says:

    Oh dear seems worse than having a baby around! Baldrick has rather spoilt you as he has such a lovely nature Percy maybe a naughty one! Early days though…good luck!

  2. Mariah says:

    Hello! My name is Mariah and I am a freshman in college at a school in the US. I am taking a class on peace corps and worldly cultures, and if you could answer a few of my questions, I would love to hear what you have to say!
    Why did you decide to go into Peace Corps? What do you do in the community in which you live? Did you have trouble adjusting to the culture? been shocked by anything? Do you live with a family? /

    Thank you so much!
    Mariah

    1. charliebeau says:

      Hi Mariah
      I came to Uganda with VSO, the British equivalent of Peace Corps. It’s been a fascinating (and challenging!) two and a half years. You can read more about me here https://www.muzungubloguganda.com/about-the-muzungu/ or read an interview I did about my life and why I wanted to volunteer here http://www.gooverseas.com/go-abroad-blog/interview-charlotte-beauvoisin-volunteer-in-uganda/13690
      If you have any more Qs, feel free to email me at diaryofamuzungu@gmail.com

  3. Charlotte says:

    Update: Percy’s settled in well (chewing through leads, doormats & shoes!), the and 2nd surviving puppy’s been adopted. It took 3 months of treatment to cure their mange so 2 out of 3 survival rate is not too bad I guess.
    My lovely chilled-out Baldrick has turned into a bit of a bully! He’s certainly showing Percy who’s top dog! But has become a much better guard dog (more protective of me) because of it.
    Just one day after I finally took Percy home from the USPCA, I came across two even smaller pups, possibly a day or two old, with no bitch in sight. I didn’t pick them up, but vowed I would if they were the next day. They were – but they were dead.
    You have to draw the line somewhere – you can’t rescue everyone, as tempting as it is. Certainly as a volunteer, you have to ask yourself the question: what will happen when I’m not here anymore? Just proves that local people have to find solutions to their problems, that outside help can and should only ever be temporary.

  4. CharlieBeau 'Diary of a Muzungu' says:

    Have decided Percy (the one at the back in the group shot) is half dog/half kangaroo: bounce bounce
    bounce
    – so much energy.
    Love the little bugger, despite his eating:
    Nora’s shoes (her first day working for us)
    Alex’s brand new phone recharger (the first day he brought it to work)
    Simpson’s best work shoes
    My tyre cover!
    A jerry can
    A brush
    His new blanket
    A cactus plant!
    etc
    etc

  5. Bree says:

    Your dog Percy is quite a handful!
    I couldn’t agree with you more, we as Ugandans need to devise means of solving our own issues instead of leaving our national responsibilities to other nations and their people.
    I am hoping that as a Ugandan myself I get to do more for the community am leaving in.

    1. the muzungu says:

      Percy is now a country dog – chasing cows in Masaka! I miss him – but had to rehouse him when I shifted to a smaller house.
      Good luck with your community projects!

  6. TimesDiary.com says:

    Thanks for sharing. Its really informative.

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