Warm Christmas for puppies and mum found hiding in tree

An abandoned dog and her five newborn puppies, which were found sheltering in a hole in a tree, are said to be thriving and learning how to socialise after being rescued.

The mother - a stray Shiba Inu now named Fern - was seen wandering for several weeks near Peterborough in November, before local residents finally managed to catch her.

All six were taken to Woodgreen Pets Charity in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, and are now being fostered by its behaviour and training specialist, Ciara Pollen.

Looking after them at her Bedfordshire home, Ms Pollen said: "Given their outdoor start, it's been lovely to see how resilient and curious they are now that they're safe and cared for."

Fern had been spotted wandering around for weeks, probably foraging for food, but no-one could get near.

Locals left out water and food for her, until she was eventually seen poking her head out from a tree in the early hours of 20 November, sheltering her puppies behind her, and all were safely rescued and taken into care by the charity.

Fern was initially nervous and underweight, the charity said, but with care, food and warmth, the whole family could be fostered.

It was thought the puppies were about three weeks old when found and the charity believed they were probably born in the wild, with Fern caring for them alone outside in the cold.

All six are now being looked after by Ms Pollen, whose task is to socialise the animals, as well as monitor their progress.

The puppies, named Maple, Ash, Chestnut, Acorn and Blossom, are coming on "literally in leaps and bounds", she said.

"Fern came to us very underweight after raising five hungry pups outdoors, so we focused straightaway on building her back up with a really nutritious diet," Ms Pollen said.

"She's now at a healthy weight and even starting to politely decline the odd extra mouthful, which says a lot about how far she's come.

"And the puppies have adapted quickly to home life. They've met children, cats, friendly vaccinated dogs, and experienced the usual household sights and sounds.

"They're finding their feet beautifully."

At home, Fern and the puppies are living with Ms Pollen's own dog, Fable.

"For Fern, living with a well-adjusted dog can be a big boost," she said.

"Nervous dogs often learn more readily from another dog than from people, especially everyday skills like walking on a lead, settling in the home, and interacting with people.

"For the puppies, this stage is all about positive early experiences. Their socialisation window from roughly four to 14 weeks is crucial, so we're giving them lots of gentle introductions to normal life - dishwashers and washing machines and cooking, nail trims and baths, car journeys, visitors, short separations from mum, and meeting other animals.

"I'll also be teaching them some early basics like house-training, confidence around new things, and simple cues.

"All of this helps them become well-rounded dogs who are ready for family life."

Life for a fosterer is busy, with the five pups needing feeding every four to six hours.

There is also the toilet training, and lots of sleep - up to 20 hours a day.

But, Ms Pollen said, foster care was a huge part of why Fern and her pups were doing so well.

"A home environment gives us a clear picture of how dogs behave day to day, which means we can match them far more accurately to the right adopters.

"For dogs like Fern who have been strays with unknown histories, this is invaluable.

"It also gives pets like Fern the calm, consistency and connection they simply can't get in a kennel environment."

While the charity believes Fern was abandoned while pregnant, it said it was unusual for such a breed not to be reclaimed.

The puppies are now thought to be pure breds and while Fern has a microchip, it was not registered to an address, so her past life remains a mystery.

But the future of mum and all five puppies now looks rosier, thanks to their rescuers.

"Because of the brilliant support from Japanese Shiba Inu Rescue UK, we already have a large pool of breed-experienced applicants for both Fern and the puppies, so we aren't taking new expressions of interest for this litter or for Fern," said Ms Pollen.

The charity urged struggling pet owners to seek support by either contacting Woodgreen or another charity if they needed help to look after their animals.

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