Beanz

Welcoming Beanz to the Family

On the 18th of November, we officially welcomed Beanz into our family — a day I’ll never forget.

But the story of how I found out about Beanz is one I’ll always remember.

On the 15th of November, while I was at work, there was a fire at my workplace. I ended up working from 7 a.m. until nearly 9 p.m. that night. When I finally got home, completely exhausted, my parents asked me what I wanted for dinner. They started pulling out different cans of beans — which confused me at first — before showing me a picture of a gorgeous 8-month-old Border Collie. He had a little green bandage on his front right leg, a messy coat, and a tiny scar under his right eye.

That’s when they told me that we’d be going to collect him on the morning of the 18th. I was so excited I could have cried!

Meeting Beanz for the First Time

When the 18th finally arrived, we drove to the foster kennels where Beanz was staying. I remember feeling a mix of excitement and nerves — eager to meet him but also worried about what he might have been through before finding us.

When we arrived, I immediately noticed how skinny, scared, and nervous he looked. We chatted with his foster carer (who I mentioned in my first blog post), and they explained that he was underweight and had a larger paw due to a crush injury from the farm he was rescued from.

We popped on his collar and harness, and just like that, Beanie Boy was coming home to start his new life with us.

Bringing Beanz Home

On the way home, we stopped at the garden centre to pick up some essentials. Because Beanz was a surprise, we hadn’t prepared to bring him home that day. Thankfully, we already had a lot of the basics since we also had a 14-year-old Beagle who could show him the ropes.

We picked up toys, puppy treats, and plenty of KONG toys — his foster had told us he loved them, especially the KONG Balls and Knots Teddy Bears. We also got him a new lead and collar, as the one we had belonged to our Springer Collie Cross who had passed away a couple of years earlier.

When we arrived home, we introduced Beanz to our Beagle. They acknowledged each other politely, and she wisely gave him the space he needed to settle in. We offered Beanz some toys and a Lickimat but made sure not to overwhelm him. I sat quietly on the floor, letting him approach me when he was ready.

By the end of his very first night, he was curled up on the sofa, fast asleep — as if he already knew he was home.

The First Nights

At bedtime, we popped Beanz into his crate. We crate-train our dogs so they always have a safe space of their own to retreat to. The first two nights were tough — poor Beanz was so upset. We sat up with him until he finally drifted off to sleep, and after that, he slept right through until 8 a.m.

We soon discovered his favourite bedtime treat: a KONG stuffed with peanut butter, his dry kibble, and then frozen. It became part of his nightly ritual — and helped him settle for nearly two years!

Discovering Beanz’s Quirks

Beanz is such a sweet boy. He loves people and other dogs, but over time, little signs of his past started to show.

For the first few months, he wouldn’t come into the house unless he was on a lead. With patience (and plenty of treats), we helped him build the confidence to come inside on his own.

Another quirk is his fear of bare feet — if anyone’s feet come near him without shoes on, he’ll growl and run away. It’s never really improved, and I suspect it might be linked to something in his past. We’re still working through it gently, and I’m determined to help him feel safe.

Progress and Hope

Beanz’s final quirk (More on that in the next post), thankfully, has improved so much thanks to our wonderful trainer, Chloe. She’s helped us understand him better and guided us through his training with so much care and patience.

Every day with Beanz reminds me of how far love, patience, and understanding can go. He may have had a rough start, but now he’s surrounded by people who adore him — and that’s what truly matters.

Until the next post

Beanz’s Mum & Beanz 🐾

The day we brought Beanie Boy Home

Beanz Loves a cuddle