Tarzan stayed with me for 4 months. From the little scrap of skin and bones he grew to become an adorable and loving dog, who wouldn’t take “NO” for an answer. From the moment he arrived he decided that he would make up for all the times he lost out on cuddles, soft warm and secure places to sleep and of course food.

Always the first in the kitchen at feeding time, and many a times when you were doing something in the kitchen he would be sitting at your feet in the hope that whatever it was you were preparing, some of it would find it’s way onto the floor where he would gobble it up in no time.

Watching TV, reading a book or magazine?!?!? Sure as 2 and 2 makes 4 – Tarzan would be sitting next to you and avidly watch or read with you. Bed time??? Tarzan curled up and slept in my arms or curled up on the pillow above my head till it was time to get up.

And then came “D-day”. Tarzan was to have his very own family and it was time for me to let go of my little foster doggie.

With a heavy heart I took him to the airport for his flight to Frankfurt.

Dominque and Regina -Waiting at the airport for Tarzan's Flight..

Being a Doberman he is, of course, a bit of a handful with his seemingly unending energy and constant desire to please, but that’s to be expected and frankly it is what makes them the endearing dogs that they are.

He got abandoned at a young age due to the lack of any research on this breed having been done by the original owner. After a long wait he got taken in again, this time with a view to being a guard dog, but again, got rejected as he wasn’t fierce enough and was too dedicated to the owner to want to leave his side.

Finally after some time back in the refuge, we spotted him. His sad, thin, scarred head stuck out above the others and once he and I made eye contact there really was no turning back.

Having had experience with Dobies, already owning a female and both my husband Tony and I having had them through our lives, we knew what to expect and were only too happy to give him the opportunity to be as loving and full of beans as he wanted.

We drove down to the refuge armed with a bottle of water, a lead and collar and open arms for this boy. He was waiting for us!! As soon as the van doors opened he leapt in and there was no getting him out again.
We took him down to the sea for a little wander then made our way home.

The first 24/48 hours were tough for him. He had a lot of sickness and diarrhoea from being in the refuge and was too scared to eat for some time.

After a couple of weeks he was gobbling down food as good as the rest of our dogs and he started to gain weight slowly.
Now he is his ideal weight, his scars have all healed and he is the picture of health. He was also castrated at the first opportunity!

He adores us and we, in turn, adore him. As long as he can rest his head on your lap to know you are still there then he is happy.

This is one dog who won’t be going back into any refuge.
People don’t often think you can get pedigree dogs in those places but you can, and they are full to the brim with dogs like Diablo who, through no fault of their own, find themselves cast aside, unwanted.