Hi, I'm Jock. I'm a very big, strong and ridiculously handsome Rhodesian Ridgeback. I'm not sure what age I am - maybe 6.5 years old now!

During Covid my original hoomans moved house and decided not to take me with. A neighbour heard me howl in the yard, (I’m an amazing howler for attention) so fed me. She eventually took me in and soon after I was sent to a vet to get my man bits chopped off.

Sadly because I used to be extremely boisterous and was not friends with that hooman's furbabies, I wasn't allowed to return. I was on my way to a shelter when a nice lady called Antonette from 'SA Ridgeback Networking Group' was contacted. She assisted by finding me a safe place where I could stay a few nights... and here I am.

“I had severe anxiety and in particular separation anxiety”

I rocked up at my current home on 11th November 2020 straight from the vet and with a cone on. These silly hoomans didn’t understand my needs, even though they had ridgebacks before!

I had severe anxiety and in particular separation anxiety. Well what do you expect when I had lived my life in a yard and then I was abandoned. I couldn’t control my feelings so continually grabbed at my new hoomans arms, bruising them badly! It took weeks for me to learn this was unacceptable and for them to understand my triggers. Medication and structure helped me.
I wouldn’t go into the garden unless ‘they’ came with me. I had trust issues and was afraid of being locked outside again. I also wouldn’t go on walks outside. I didn’t even want to wear a leash or harness. Even getting into a car was a challenge for the fear of being moved again. It took months for me to learn that a car meant exciting adventures! Now I love it!

I have extreme fear of thunder and fireworks. Unfortunately the weekend I arrived there was a massive fireworks display all around me. I was a mess. Shaking and finding it hard to breath. My new dad tried to help me by making me a thunder box out of cushions to dull the sounds. They tried everything from thunder jackets to lickmats but nothing eased the fear. Eventually I had to be medicated for situations like that. Obviously that wasn’t practical so my mummo cleared out a cupboard under the stairs. It has no windows, just a small door. She painted it and put one of my many beds in there! Daddo built me a shelf and installed a fan on the wall. I have an Alexa that plays me calming music too. So whenever I get scared, or need time out I go there. I feel safe. If I’m very scared I get my mummo to come sit with me. It’s called ‘Jock’s Bunker.’ Best of all I no longer need meds.