31/08/2026
UPDATE!
We think we have found a wonderful home for Toby.
I just want to say a huge thank you for all who shared and I cannot thank you all enough for caring. 🙏❤️
He is a boy who deserves the best he can get and so far as a fosterer and rescuer I have failed him..
Up and onwards for this boy who was pulled from a hell hole.
I did not have high hopes so his return bus was already booked as I had short window.
But it is now cancelled.
Thank you all again. I could cry now. 😭🙏
Cry as I can feel releaved that this boy has a future.
**TOBY’S LAST CHANCE – 3 DAYS TO FIND HIM THE RIGHT HOME** 🐾
This is one of the hardest posts we have had to write.
EDIT - according to his microchip registration at birth but whatever he is or NOT is an old English, he needs help!
Toby is a beautiful purebred **Old English Sheepdog** who has already been through far too much in his life. He came from a troubled and abusive past, and our friends worked with him for a long time before we all felt he was finally ready for the next chapter — a safe, loving forever home.
He was assessed, worked with and even cat tested before travelling. Sadly, once settled into his adoptive home, things did not go as we had hoped.
Toby lived there for around two months. He became very attached and protective of his family and started showing guarding behaviour around toys and his home. Unfortunately, he also proved that he could not safely live with cats.
Toby can also be reactive on the lead towards both dogs and people. This is not every dog or every person — he can be selective — but his new home must be prepared to manage this calmly and work with him rather than expecting him to be an easy, social dog from day one.
At the same time, Toby was suffering from an extremely painful ear infection, which undoubtedly added to his stress and discomfort. His ears have now been thoroughly flushed under general anaesthetic, the infection is under control, and he is actually a very good boy about having his ear drops.
Underneath everything that has happened, Toby really is a **good but confused boy** who has never had the stability and guidance most dogs grow up with.
We are a kennel-free, foster-based rescue. Over the years we have taken in many challenging dogs and, with time and the right people, they have gone on to find wonderful homes.
Sadly, Toby is struggling in his current foster environment.
He is living within a large multi-dog household and, although he is absolutely fine with the female dogs and most male dogs, he has developed a strong dislike towards one particular male.
Despite careful management, the tension is increasing rather than improving, and we cannot allow another dog in the household to continue living under that pressure.
Importantly, Toby has **not shown guarding of the house or property in his current foster home**. Until now he has also been eating alongside the other dogs without problems.
But it appears his gurading his humnans when they have food and then he directs his frustration towards that one particular dog.
He has not bitten his foster carer and, although we were told he can guard toys, he does allow us to be taken from him.
But Toby needs a very specific home.
🏡 **We are urgently looking for either an experienced foster home or an adoptive home with:**
• Adults only
• No cats
• Ideally no other dogs
• Experience with large, strong dogs
• Ideally knowledge of Old English Sheepdogs or guarding behaviours
• Someone calm, confident and consistent
• Someone willing to work with him on boundaries and prevent guarding of people, toys, the home or property from developing
Old English Sheepdogs can be incredibly intelligent, strong-minded and stubborn dogs. Toby needs somebody who understands that this is not a dog who simply needs “more love”. He needs love **and** structure, calm handling, boundaries and someone prepared to work with him.
He desperately deserves the chance to show who he can become in the right environment.
💔 **Toby has just THREE DAYS.**
If we cannot find a suitable solution, we will have no choice but to return him to his home country and place him back into kennels.
For a dog like Toby, returning to kennels would be devastating — and his chances of finding an experienced adopter there are non exisitent.
We do not make this decision lightly.
After helping more than **400 dogs** find homes over the years, it is heartbreaking to admit that our foster setup simply isn't the right environment for Toby.
Sometimes loving a dog also means recognising when the environment you can offer is no longer helping them.
Please — **no judgement or criticism. It will not help Toby.**
What WILL help is sharing this post.
Somewhere there may be an experienced Old English Sheepdog lover, trainer, fosterer or large-breed home who looks at Toby and says:
**“I understand this dog. I can help him.”**
That is the person we desperately need to find.
🙏 Please share Toby far and wide.
**3 DAYS. ONE VERY SPECIAL HOME. ONE LAST CHANCE.** 🐾💔
If you can help please send a direct message - we might miss the comments.
Bernadett @ Setter Saviours
