On the 21st of November 2023 Grayson ( was Indie) set off from South Korea on a very long journey to the UK and his new forever home.
On the evening of Friday the 24th of November I met him for the first time in his travelling crate at Trowel services and instantly knew I had made the right decision in adopting him.
He looked so bewildered and desperate to escape his travelling crate, but unfortunately we still had a further journey to make back to North Yorkshire.
Lots of little pieces of chicken fed through the bars of his crate told him he could trust me and he was safe
Once home I got him out of his crate and realised how thin and boney he was and he had raw skin on his chest and a strange red eye. My heart went out to him as he was so trusting of me despite the ordeals he had gone through in his previous life
The next day he met his new brother Freddy for the first time and the meeting was a good one and they tolerated each other pretty well.
However over the next couple of months there were regular fights to see who was going to be top dog, but once Grayson established it was him (Freddy is a total pushover) he calmed down and they are now the best of friends.
Over the 12 months I have had him Grayson has become a very loving boy and although he is very much a Mama’s boy he totally adores my little Grandaughter. Right from the first day they met he has been gentle and loving towards her. Maybe that’s because she learned to say “Changan Sonyeon” which is good boy in Korean so he would be able to understand her.
The same however can’t be said for large dogs and men in hats who he often reacts to quite fiercely on our walks.
He has However achieved many firsts over the last year—
1. UK snow, 2. His first Christmas in a loving home,3. Learning to play nicely with his brother, 4. Going on organised Dachshund walks with 40 other Dachshunds, 5. His first trip to the beach, 6. His 6th Birtday Party, 7. Car journeys which he took to like a duck to water, so much so that I took him down to Cornwall with me (an 8 hour drive) leaving his brother Freddy back in Yorkshire with my daughter as he hates the car. 8. His first Remembrance Day service on the Quayside in Cornwall , 9. His first trip on a boat ( with a doggy life jacket for my peace of mind, and 10, Lots and lots of lovely walks which he has always been keen to go on but at first couldn’t go far as his paws weren’t hardened as he obviously hadn’t been on walks previously.
So as you see he is living his best life to the max.
He’s still very food obsessed and a scavenger given the chance, and the weird noises he makes when it’s meal times is beyond belief.
I think he has had his vocal cords cut or tampered with in Korea, as he doesn’t bark as such but makes a noise like a seal and makes funny little noises when he wants your attention.
All this having been said I wouldn’t change him for the world.
It’s the best thing I ever did adopting him and I hope by reading his story you may be tempted to adopt also.
It’s not all plain sailing I would be lying if I said it was but you have the wonderful support of the post adoption team and every other “Pawrent” who has adopted through this wonderful charity to help you navigate the ups and downs until eventually there are only UPs ——Go on do it you know you want to, I promise you you won’t regret it.
P.S. I called him Grayson not after Grayson Perry as most people think but because he’s GREY and he’s my new SON