Ralphie

Ralphie is a 6 year old Dachshund who joined the New Beginnings family after we were contacted for help. Ralphie had injured his back and needed emergency surgery to remove his shattered disc and save his mobility.

Ralphie was diagnosed with IVDD and had ruptured his disc causing his spinal cord to be compressed by 90%. The surgery didn’t guarantee that Ralphie would be able to walk again as the damage was quite severe but we knew it had to be done.

Fortunately the surgery was a success and after resting for the first few days Ralphie started to show signs of movement, first it was a slight tail wag, then it was pulling himself up to stand for a couple of seconds, these were all such positive improvements we just knew he was going to be ok.
By week 2 he was trying to walk! He would pull his legs forward, stand and move, day after day he improved, he gained strength and eventually he was walking unaided.

We are now headed into week 5 post surgery and you wouldn’t know he had ever had his injury. Ralphie has his hydrotherapy once a week and is great in the water, he also does physiotherapy 2-3 times a day with his foster carer, this ensures that his muscles strengthen and he uses his hind legs properly to allow his gross motor skills to continue to form.

We are currently looking for a foster with the view to adopt home for Ralphie as we’d like for him to start settling in to a forever home while he continues with his physiotherapy and hydrotherapy.

Ralphie can either be a part of an only dog home or a home with 1 other dog as he doesn’t like to share his humans affection with too many other dogs. Ralphie needs someone who is home most of the time as he is very much attached to his human and wants to go and be wherever you are always!

Ralphie isn’t aggressive towards other dogs and really can be quite sweet towards them, often licking their faces, or curling up next to them, however when the people are showering other dogs in attention he will let you know that he is missing out by barking and crying for attention of his own.
Ralphie is a big sook, he loves being doted on, he is very much a lap dog (ensuring you do not allow him to jump off the couch himself)
He loves to sleep in his bed on the floor next to yours, as he likes to know your right there with him, Ralphie is completely toilet trained, he is great on lead and loves to go for walkies, for now only short walks while he is still recovering.

Ralphie is great with children but is only suited to those over 5 years due to his medical condition. He will do anything for a treat, especially his physio exercises!
Ralphie is not suited to a home with cats and or small animals including rabbits, birds etc, as he becomes obsessed with chasing them down, this is not safe for the other animals involved or Ralphie’s IVDD. A house with no stairs is also required .

If you think Ralphie would suit your family and you feel that you meet the requirements needed to take on Ralphie’s ongoing physiotherapy exercises and hydrotherapy sessions with the support of New Beginnings Animal Rescue, please apply.