More about Niamh

Say hello to our lovely but very sensitive soul, Niamh.

Niamh is an Irish Water Spaniel – a breed that is usually active, playful and deeply loyal. However, Niamh is very shut down here at Battersea and is not showing her true character and is looking for incredibly patient, understanding owners and a quiet, consistent home environment where she’ll have time and space to gain in confidence.
Niamh’s worry is extreme at times, and it has taken staff that she has slowly built bonds with some time to get her to the point of being able to go out for very short walks in areas of the Old Windsor centre that she knows well. She wouldn’t be a suitable dog for those looking for a first dog to join the family, as she will greatly benefit from owners who have previous knowledge of undersocialised and very nervous dogs.

In her previous home, Niamh was affectionate with her owner though it was mentioned that she could be a little worried by things such as some noises, and unfamiliar faces. She was very intelligent and had learnt some great basics including how to pick up items to take to her owner. When Niamh is fully settled and more confident in her new home, she will probably enjoy using her brain and having further training to keep her occupied.

Day by day, Niamh is improving in small steps - she is making progress in building bonds with her handlers and confidence in general though still has a very long way to go.
We had thought that having another dog friend may help her and, although she sometimes likes to potter with other dogs on walks, if she is very stressed or panicked having another dog around can be a bit more stressful for her. We have also seen that she’s not keen on sharing space and has told a dog off for being close to her in an indoor setting, so she does need to live as the only dog in her new home.

Niamh enjoys a gentle game with tennis balls with people that she knows well, and we’re sure that in time she’ll become more playful again given the opportunity. She has not shown much interest in food but does like some small tasty treats; in her previous home she enjoyed a boiled egg and would carry this around in her mouth.

We can't predict exactly how she will adjust in a new home or how long it will take for her to settle. Her new owners will need to be very patient, allow her to go at her own pace, and give her the time and space she needs to feel safe. We recommend keeping her world small at first, delaying walks until she's comfortable and settled, and then gradually introducing her to places and environments but keeping these consistent and predictable. While she may continue to grow in confidence over time, it's also possible she may always need a little extra understanding and support. She’ll need her own secure, private garden as she will not be able to go for walks at present, and a garden will give her opportunity to explore, sniff and maybe eventually play like any other dog, but in a safe area that is just hers.

Niamh really is a special girl who is looking for a specific home; she’ll be an incredibly rewarding project and her new owners will be privileged to see her flourish.

If you have already completed our online rehoming form and would like to know more about Niamh you can e-mail our rehoming team on bow.rehomers@battersea.org.uk to register your interest.

We ask every customer to first complete our online form we discuss an individual animal, so if you have not filled in our form yet you can find the details on how to do so here https://www.battersea.org.uk/rehome/dogs.

Please be aware that we have a large amount of interest in rehoming our animals, so we are only able to contact those that are a match for the dog you have contacted us about.