‘Making up for lost puppy time’: Southern Labradoodle dogs thriving months after rescue

Dozens of rescued dogs looked a far cry from their original state when Tasmania’s largest puppy farm was shutdown earlier this year. Check out the video >>

For the first five days in his new home, Max the rescued labradoodle would cling to his new mum Jodi Langworthy and was scared of his new Dad, Mick Kelleher.

“From day one of the night we picked him up, we got him home and he wouldn’t have a bar of me, he was all for Jodi,” Mr Kelleher said.

“Over the next four or five days if I went to sleep on the couch he would slowly sneak over to me and that just grew from day to day and now I can’t get him off my lap.

“We’re best mates.”

Ms Langworthy said Max’s condition was among the worst the RSPCA had seen in the rescue, and he was still affected by his upbringing- suffering from anxiety that requires medication and still intimidated by new humans.

Tamania Labradoodle Max when he was first rescued. Picture: Supplied.

Rescued Labradoodle Max, three months after rescue. Picture supplied: Jodi Langworthy

“He’s fine with other dogs, but he just likes keeping to himself from people,” she said.

Mr Kelleher said the RSPCA had covered all of the dog’s vet bills, and had arranged a behavioural analyst to help Max with his anxiety.

Ms Langworthy organised the first southern Tasmania owner/foster carer meet up for the embattled Labradoodle puppies rescued by the RSPCA in an unprecedented operation to shutdown Tasmania’s largest puppy farm.

On Saturday dozens of the rescued labradoodles hesitantly walked into the dog exercise area at Blackmans Bay before warming up to each other and romping around the grounds.

“It’s great to see them so happy, considering,” Owner of two rescued labradoodles through Brightside Animal Sanctuary Trent Bassmann said.

The dogs of all different shapes and sizes looked happy, healthy and a far cry from their original state when they were rescued earlier this year.

Owners shared their stories of the changes they have noticed in their dogs over the past three months, watching their timid and scared dogs slowly gain confidence and make up for lost time.

Mick Kelleher with Max who is 3 and Alex Zammitt with Bentley who is 4 with both being in care since August. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

There were commonalities in many of the dogs behaviour when they were first rescued, including having a fear of men and a fear of doorways.

Four-year-old Bentley’s owner Alex Zammitt said he was very frightened of high-vis clothing, which was not unique to Bentley.

Bentley was shot with an air-rifle in Ms Zammitt’s backyard when he was first rescued, which had interfered with his rehabilitation and sent him blind in one eye.

Libby Bakker said her rescue Honey Sparkles, named by her children because “she looks like honey”, was “in her element” running around with the other dogs.

“It’s taken a good two months for her to come out of her shell and feel more confident.

“But now she’s definitely realised this is home and her life now. You can tell she is really thriving and making up for lost time, doing all those puppy things she has missed out on like raiding the washing basket.

“[It] is lovely to see her feel confident and safe to do that,” Ms Bakker said.

Originally published as ‘Making up for lost puppy time’: Southern Labradoodle dogs thriving months after rescue