How big? Medium
How old? Adult (around three years)
Male or female? Female
Living with kids? I can live with teenagers
Living with dogs? I can live with other dogs
Resident dog required? Could be beneficial
Living with cats? I could live with confident, dog-savvy cats
Where can I live? I need a calm, active, semi-rural home with a garden
Where am I from? Bosnia, now in Surrey (UK adoption fee applies)

About Novie

Novie is sadly seeking a new home. Initially rescued from the streets of Bosnia, Novie has found it difficult to adapt to a conventional home setting since arriving in the UK in July last year, and it’s clear that she needs a calmer, adult-only home in a more rural area.

Novie is an intelligent, sensitive and deeply loyal dog who bonds very strongly with her immediate family. She’s super smart and keen to learn, very eager to explore, and would thrive with a more active lifestyle. Her family were looking for a very sociable dog that could cope with a busy household, and unfortunately, that’s not Novie. She is a country girl at heart, and she actually coped significantly better in Bosnia, where life was quieter and she had more freedom. This hasn’t translated well to a small family home with a toddler. and Novie isn’t at her happiest trying to adjust to this kind of lifestyle.

Novie is looking for a relaxed home with a good-sized garden and more indoor space than she currently has. She struggles with frequent visitors and comings and goings, particularly in a small environment where there’s nowhere for her to remove herself, which has caused her a lot of anxiety over time. Having immediate outdoor access is especially beneficial for her, and is something we often see helps dogs from free-roaming backgrounds adjust more comfortably.

Although she has been gentle and tolerant with the toddler in the home, the unpredictability and noise of young children is challenging for her, and we feel she would be much happier in a home without children, unless they were teenagers.

Novie is described by her family as not only gorgeous on the eye, but also gorgeous on the inside too. She’s an incredibly sweet natured dog, loves cuddles and belly rubs, and is such a gentle soul when she feels safe. Her favourite things to do are snoozing on the sofa and learning new tricks. She also loves puzzle feeders and stuffed kongs, and any kind of enrichment that works her brain. She enjoys having focus, and having an activity to do is great for when she needs time to decompress.

Out on walks, Novie walks nicely on her harness and loves to have a good sniff. She has a great time off lead in enclosed areas only, as she does have a prey drive and will chase deer or squirrels given the chance. When distractions are limited, she has good recall and really enjoys being outdoors. She also loves the car and is very happy heading out for drives to new areas to explore.

Novie’s confidence around other dogs when meeting them on walks has improved significantly in the last few months, and she politely keeps interactions short. In Bosnia, Novie lived alongside multiple other dogs and did really well, so there is a possibility that having another calm dog at home could really benefit her ability to adjust.

Ultimately, Novie needs a home with a more experienced family who recognise that rescue dogs need time, understanding and patience, and can offer her the space, exercise and calm that she craves. While a more suitable environment will alleviate some of Novie’s anxieties, it’s also important that her new family advocate for her needs properly and let her move at her own pace. She can be wary of unfamiliar men, which is common for dogs with her background, but she has formed a strong bond with her male caregiver, showing that trust can absolutely be built.

While this has not been an easy decision for her family to make, it’s clear that Novie’s current family can’t meet her needs and she would be happier and more relaxed in a different environment. She has so much to offer given a proper chance to settle in, and we hope that someone will see just how much potential she has and give her the second chance she deserves.