Duke Mastiff DofB ?2021 RRemedies Centre

[Alexis]

I cannot wait to see Duke when I visit the kennels, we are not supposed to have favourites, but this boy just melts my heart. I have known him since he first cam in and have always walked him when I visit. He is a young boy, full of energy and love. I like to take him to the paddock after our walks and do some training and ball throwing with him. He responds really well to training and I think with more consistency he would be such a great boy. We always finish our time together with a cuddle in his kennel. Until next week Dukey boy!! xxx

[EllaG04]

Walked this handsome boy yesterday. I have known Duke since he first came into the kennels and since day one I have had a soft spot for this big friendly giant. When entering Dukes kennel he does get very bouncy and excited but I tend to give him a long lasting chew which helps him settle whilst I harness him. We then went for a walk where he was very well behaved. We had one funny 5 minutes where Duke gets bouncy and just wants to play. I crouched down to his level when he got over excited and the big soppy boy just rolled onto his back for belly rubs and then gave me some big slobbery kisses!! He then walked perfectly when passing other walkers with dogs. I do believe Duke didn’t have much socialisation before coming into the rescue but since being here he has showed all us that he is a lovely boy and has a willingness to learn quickly. I believe this boy would make someone very happy in a home life! I can’t wait to see this gorgeous boy (inside and out) find his forever home

[lloydj]

Duke ventured out today with Sooty and we had a few moments where he got over excited / stimulated and jumped up, but we worked through them and had a lovely walk.

Duke is such a lovely boy and is still adjusting to kennel life, but with support from his walkers and staff I’m confident will settle quickly .

[Alexis]

This boy has such a special place in my heart. I know deep down that he will find his forever home and whoever that is, will be the luckiest person alive. Duke is young and does need some work, but if you are prepared to give this boy a chance you will have the best friend you ever could have asked for. He is finding kennel life stressful (you can see it coming out slightly in the video below), but he is so trainable and just loves people. I try not to have favourites at Rescue Remedies, but I would be doing him injustice by not admitting he is etching a place in my heart. Once he settles on his walk, he is one of the easiest dogs to walk with. He also loves belly rubs and cuddles, so it would have been rude not to spend some snuggle time together in his kennel after our walk

[EllaG04]

Walked the handsome Dukey boy today! He was an angel!! This boy holds a special place in my heart. He is such a loving boy and just wants a fuss and to play all the time. He really would make the perfect companion

[Alexis]

My Night with Duke

On Saturday night I had the privilege of sharing a kennel with this incredible boy, as part of our annual sleepover fundraiser for the rescue. We kicked the evening off with some much needed pizza and chats with the other walkers before everyone took their dogs out for a quick stroll and toilet break.

When I opened Duke’s kennel door, the look on his face was priceless. His eyes wide with excitement and total confusion as if to say, “What are you doing here?!”. As you can imagine this is very out of routine for the dogs. We headed out for a short walk (and zoomies in the paddock), before I started bringing my things into his kennel. I thought the walk might have burned off some energy but no, boy has tons of it For the next 25 minutes it was pure chaos (but the best kind of chaos). Duke was beside himself with excitement at having company in his space. Once I had finally set up, he took his time inspecting every inch of my stuff… including testing whether my yoga mat was edible. Thankfully only good enough for a light tasting snack, thanks Duke!

Eventually he settled and there was a moment where he just sat in front of me, stared at me with those big soulful eyes of his. I could almost hear him thinking, “You are really staying here aren't you, you’re not leaving me.” It brought tears to my eyes watching him relax and finally let go. He curled up into the tiniest ball next to me (hard to imagine for such a big dog) and I wrapped him up in the blankets I had bought for him. Feeling him breathing beside me, being so calm and peaceful, was incredibly moving. It was almost as if, for the first time in a long while, he felt safe and could rest.

I drifted in and out of sleep for the next six hours and each time I woke up, Duke was right there next to my head. All I could think about was how resilient, trusting, brave and loving this dog is - in fact, all of the dogs are. It really humbles you to see them this way. Despite everything they endure, they still have so much love to give.

I’ve fallen head over heels for this boy and will cherish these moments forever. Beneath the bouncy, boisterous, playful exterior is the softest and most gentlest soul. I know his forever home is out there and whoever it is will be the luckiest person alive. Please give this boy a chance. He has so much to give. Love you, Dukey Boy xxx

[EllaG04]

Walked the lovely Dukey boy today! What a character. He really is a funny boy. He is SOOOO HANDSOME and really is a loving dog. He does seem to have alot of built up energy which sometimes does show on walks in a sudden burst lol! But except that he is a great all rounder. I really really hope this boy finds his forever home soon as he will make the perfect companion and he deserves it so much.

[Alexis]

Duke – Foster Update!

I was so fortunate to be able to foster this boy last weekend. Having spent the night in his kennel with him for our charity sleepover, I just knew he would love a break and some sofa cuddles. Duke is such an amazing dog. He’s a big boy for sure, but he’s also the biggest baby and snuggle bug you could ever ask for.

He was an exceptional house guest (as long as you’re not averse to dogs on your furniture!). He’s house-trained, clean, calm, snuggly, and quiet in a home. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better guest.

I wanted to break down our foster stay into a few sections to help showcase Duke if you’re thinking of offering him a home. I really wish I could adopt him myself and would in a heartbeat, but I already have two dogs and wouldn’t be able to offer him the time and attention he deserves.

Duke is a wholesome, affectionate, and handsome boy who just craves connection and human company. But he is a big dog, and you need to be prepared for that. He doesn’t pull on the lead when walked, but he does have bursts of excitement that sometimes come out of nowhere. This will need continued work. Myself and his other walkers are already helping him with it, but it’s something that will need ongoing attention.

He’s a mastiff breed and a strong boy, so he’ll need someone confident handling that side of him.

Here are some notes on our stay together:

CAR TRAVEL
Duke sits beautifully in the car. He’s curious and likes to look out the window, but for the most part, he lay quietly on the back seat. Because he hasn’t been in a car for so long, I think the two-hour journey was a bit much for him — he was sick a couple of times. However, on the return trip back to the kennels, he wasn’t sick at all, so I think it was just initial excitement. He’s completely non reactive to anything outside the car.

Duke in the car

WALKS
Duke is curious about everything and loves people. He sat perfectly for lots of strangers who wanted to say hi (he’s a big hit with the ladies… you’ve been warned!).

He doesn’t pull on the lead but will suddenly become excited about the smallest things — fresh grass, another dog, or just you stroking him. When he sees another dog, he’s interested, but will only react with excitement if allowed to get close. His reaction is pure enthusiasm, and I think being in kennels for so long has left his doggy social skills a bit rusty. This will need some work, but I know he’ll improve quickly.

There is zero aggression with Duke, it is all excitement.





FOOD
Duke loves his food! Mealtimes mean lots of drooling. We were working on sitting for his meals (he does this well for treats, but less so for dinner). He eats quickly, but not frantically, and he drinks a lot of water — though about 50% of it ends up on the floor, not in his mouth!

URBAN ENVIRONMENT
I live in London, which is very different from where he’s based in kennels. I was cautious about how he’d react to traffic, people, and city noise — but he was completely unfazed!

We walked through Primrose Hill, Regent’s Park, Hyde Park, and Hampstead Heath. He encountered birds, squirrels, and even a fox but was non-reactive to all of them. Off-leash dogs were only an issue if they had no recall; as mentioned, he just becomes excited and wants to play.

Cars, bikes, and cyclists didn’t bother him at all. He sat patiently at crossings and didn’t pull. We even walked through some busy streets and he was the perfect gentleman. Honestly, I felt so proud walking him. :)





SLEEP
Like most dogs, Duke loves his sleep. He spent a lot of time catching up on rest, as dogs in kennels rarely get proper downtime. He loves curling up like a little croissant next to you on the sofa, sometimes squeezing himself behind me so I was practically using him as a backrest!

He’ll use his basket later in the evening, but always sneaks back up for a cuddle. He can be stubborn about moving from the sofa, though!

At bedtime, he slept on my bed. I have two Staffies who take up more room than he did — and they’re half his size! He curls up nicely at your feet and barely moves all night. He doesn’t snore, just offers warmth and comfort.

Morning cuddles

TOILET
Duke is fully house-trained and will tell you if he needs to go out.

PLAY
Duke has a lot of excited energy, and it’s important to give him outlets for that. Playtime is perfect for this — he loves tug and fetch and is pretty good at releasing when asked.

I found that playing tug within the first 5–10 minutes of a walk helped settle him into a calmer rhythm. He’s great fun and will definitely keep you active! He also enjoys a good run — if you’re a keen runner, he’d love that — though being a mastiff, he tires fairly quickly and prefers a plod. That said, we did two-hour walks every day and he managed beautifully.

I really hope you can get a feel for who this boy truly is from my photos and videos. I adore him and just know he’ll make someone exceedingly happy. He adapts quickly to new situations and would slot straight into a loving home.

Duke, you’ve stolen my heart, boy! Love you, Dukey Boy!!

Duke the stunner

My best buddy

Kisses!

[Alexis]

Walked the wonderful Duke again today - it was so fantastic seeing him again after our foster weekend together. He was excited to see me when I got to his kennel, so harnessing him was a little trickier to start with (I had to fight off kisses and cuddles!) But once we set out on our walk, Duke behaved like the perfect gentleman. We had one little episode of lead grabbing, but a quick redirection with his favourite tug rope, allowed him to feed his excitement. After a few minutes of play he settled down again nicely.



After a great walk, we headed to the small paddock for some play and tug, which as you can see from the video, he loves! He is a strong boy, but he really thrives in guided play.



I'll see you next week my Dukey Boy! xxx

[Alexis]

Duke was on great form today. He was a little over excited getting out of the kennel, but who wouldn't be with the prospect of a long walk?! He calmed quickly and we had a fantastic time, stopping on the foot bridge for some kisses and cuddles (see video). He posed wonderfully for a photo - what a handsome boy! We headed to the paddock for some play time after his walk, Duke loves a game of tug and it really helps calm him down. Wended up having some chats in his kennel and discussed what treats he would be getting for being the bestest boy in the world :) Always a sad goodbye when I have to leave him, but I will be seeing you next week my Dukey Boy! xxx