Eager to meet them, he followed a sign that said “Reception” and found himself in a wooden shed-type building with a counter, behind which sat a young woman with long blond hair tied up in a ponytail.
‘Hi, I’m Maisie. How can I help?’
‘I’m here about a rescue dog? I’m thinking about adopting one.’
‘In that case, you need to see Jakob. He runs the rescue centre side of things. I’ll give him a shout for you.’
A few minutes later, a large bear of a man appeared. He didn’t smile, but nodded a greeting and got straight down tobusiness, firing a succession of questions at him until Elijah felt like he was being interrogated by the police.
‘Sorry, had to ask,’ Jakob explained gruffly. ‘It’s part of the adoption procedure. We need to make sure you’re the right fit. These dogs have had enough upheaval in their lives, and our mission is to find them their forever homes. So,’ he continued, ‘to recap: you’ve never had a dog before, you’ve got a secure garden, and although you work, you’re home in the afternoons and evenings. You used to run marathons, but you’ve had to give it up, so you’re looking for an active dog that you can take on long walks. Have I got that right?’
‘Spot on,’ Elijah said.
The man pressed his lips together thoughtfully, then said, ‘Okay, I’ve got a couple of dogs in mind. Would you like to take a look?’
‘Yes, please!’ Elijah’s pulse quickened as he followed Jakob outside and across a yard towards the kennel blocks, and as they approached, the noise grew louder.
‘Not all the dogs in the centre are available for re-homing right now,’ Jakob explained. ‘Some have medical needs which we’re in the process of treating, others have behavioural issues that need to be addressed before we can put them up for adoption, and some have yet to be assessed.’
Elijah glanced into each kennel as they walked slowly past, and was relieved to see they were spacious, clean, and had both indoor and outdoor areas, although the outdoor bits were covered over to protect the dogs from the elements. Each one contained a comfy bed, a water bowl, a selection of toys – and adog.
A succession of inquisitive noses and hopeful eyes peered out, and as each little face tugged at his heartstrings, Elijah had a sudden urge to take all of them home with him.
‘Okay, here’s the first dog I’ve got in mind that might be perfect for you,’ Jakob announced, coming to a halt in front of a pen containing a tall, golden-coloured dog. ‘This little lady is called Xanadu, and she’s a Greyhound/German Shepherd cross. She’s two-years old, intelligent, active, and friendly. She’s got a sweet nature, although she can be a little boisterous at times.’
Elijah gazed at her. Xanadu came up to the bars and stuck her nose through, her tail wagging.
‘She’s lovely,’ he said, and was about to ask if he could meet her properly, when the dog in the next pen caught his eye. The animal wassmilingat him. Its tongue was lolling, and its mouth was turned up at the corners. Elijah had seen dogs panting before, but this wasn’t a pant. ‘Is that dog smiling?’ he asked.
‘Biscuit?’ Jakob laughed. ‘He does that a lot. He’s a friendly chap. In fact, he was one of the other dogs I thought might be a good match for you.’
As though understanding that his future happiness might be on the line, Biscuit lay down and rolled onto his back, exposing his fluffy belly, and wagged his tail. His happy expression had become a pleading one.
Elijah’s heart melted. ‘What breed is he?’ he asked. Not that it mattered, because Elijah liked what he saw.
‘A Bernese Mountain Dog. He’s three years old, nearly four, and loves everyone. There’s not a nasty bone in his body. He’s a real people-pleaser. But don’t let the goofy expression and fluff ball appearance fool you – he’s going to need a fair bit of exercise. These dogs were bred as working dogs.’
‘That’s exactly what he’ll get with me, plenty of exercise,’ Elijah said, crouching down and holding out his hand.
Biscuit, perhaps sensing that his “please love me” act might be getting him somewhere, leapt to his feet with alacrity and shoved his wet nose into Elijah’s palm.
Elijah laughed when Biscuit licked his hand.
Jakob said, ‘Do you want me to fetch him out? See how he behaves without a barrier between you?’
‘Absolutely!’
‘I’ve got to warn you that Berners can shed heavily, especially in the spring and autumn when they blow their undercoats. You need to be prepared for that and groom him regularly,’ Jakob advised, his hand on the bolt. ‘And they don’t like being left alone for long. He’ll be able to cope with a few hours, as long as he has plenty of mental stimulation and physical exercise. In other words, wear him out and he’ll be okay.’
‘I think I can manage all that.’ Elijah, never one for late nights, would simply get up a little earlier and take the dog for a nice long walk before work, for an hour, maybe. Then another, longer one when he got home. ‘Exercise is one thing any dog of mine will get a lot of,’ he assured him.
Jakob opened the door, using his body to prevent Biscuit from escaping, and once he’d brought the dog out, he gestured for Elijah to come closer. Biscuit, bless him, sat at Elijah’s feet and smiled again.
‘He’s gorgeous,’ he said, kneeling down to ruffle the dog’s ears. His fur was soft and dense, and Elijah buried his fingers in it.
Biscuit licked him on the nose.
‘I think it’s safe to say he likes you,’ Jakob laughed.
