A Scottish rescue dog who spent 449 days with the Dogs Trust has finally been chosen for adoption.
Three-year-old Toffee, who is described by rescuers as as sweet as his name suggests, has spent Christmas with his new family in Kirkintilloch.
New owner Christopher Dodds said: “All our previous dogs have been rescue dogs, so we were prepared for it to be a gradual process getting to know Toffee.
Read more: 10 adorable rescue dogs who need a home at Dogs Trust in Scotland
"It’s a very rewarding experience and to anyone considering adopting a rescue dog we would say think seriously about what is involved, as it can be tough at times, but it is totally worth it. Toffee has changed our life for the better and we love to celebrate the small things he achieves.
“Toffee has a cheeky personality and he’s our best friend. He loves the sofa, where he gives the best cuddles, and he enjoys meeting new people now. Everyone in the street says hello to him when we are out on walks.
"Life with Toffee is organised chaos, but we wouldn’t want it any other way and he is without a doubt going to be spoiled this Christmas.”
When the "beautiful" Boerboel dog arrived at Dogs Trust's Glasgow rehoming centre in December 2021, Toffee was anxious with little known about his past, including whether he had even lived in a house before.
Read more: Dogs Trust pauses rescue of XL Bully breeds in Scotland
He was unsure of both strangers and dogs and began spending time with Dogs Trust rehabilitation trainer Rachael Ogilvie, who used positive reinforcement training to help Toffee learn that new people and dogs aren’t so scary.
Throughout his training, Toffee’s reactive behaviour began to change and with time and patience he flourished, allowing his true personality to shine.
Toffee was muzzle-trained as an extra precaution and was slowly introduced to new people as well as other dogs.
After months of hard work, he progressed to being able to run off-lead with his new canine friends. Rescuers said he became more confident and the unsure dog transformed into a "bundle of fun with a mischievous streak", who never failed to put a smile on the face of his canine carers.
One of Toffee’s comical party tricks – of tilting his head to the side when he hears his name – was the very thing that first attracted the Dodds family to their soon-to-be new pet. After spotting him on Dogs Trust Glasgow Instagram account, they arranged a visit and fell in love with the cheeky boy who they say “lights up a room”.
The Dodds met with Toffee-pops, as he is now affectionately known, numerous times at the rehoming centre to build a relationship which then progressed to home visits and staff bid an emotional farewell to Toffee as he went to his forever home.
Sandra Downie, manager at Dogs Trust Glasgow rehoming centre, said: “While in our care, Toffee spent a lot of time with our training and behaviour team, and we witnessed him change in front of our eyes.
"It is what our job is all about, getting to know our dogs and their individual personalities so we can find the right home for every dog in our care. We can’t imagine a better match for Toffee.
"He really has landed on his paws, and we are thrilled he is happy and loved in his new home this Christmas and wish the same for our current residents.”
To see all the dogs currently waiting to be adopted at Dogs Trust Glasgow, visit its website. To buy a Christmas gift for a rescue dog at the centre you can view the charity's wish list at amazon.co.uk
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