Nelly

Date posted: August 22, 2026

Gender: female

Date of birth: April 4, 2019

Breed: Kokoni mix (approx. 35 cm, 9 kg)

Location: 45289 Essen (NRW)

Origin: Greece / Karditsa

Background

Nelly originally comes from Greece and was adopted to Germany in 2019. Since then, she has lived with her family and has known her home, her familiar people, and her daily routine for many years. Now, a big change is coming for Nelly, as the family's daughter is expecting a baby. Since it is known that Nelly has difficulty with children, and especially their restlessness and unpredictable movements are challenging for her, the family has decided not to take any risks and to transfer Nelly to a foster home before the baby is born. The decision to rehome her is final, so we need to find her a suitable new home as soon as possible. After almost seven years, Nelly will lose her familiar surroundings. This is a major upheaval, especially for a sensitive and insecure dog like her. Therefore, we are specifically looking for people who understand Nelly and can offer her a safe and, above all, permanent home. Character & Personality: Nelly is a sensitive dog with two very different sides. With her trusted people, she is extremely affectionate and cuddly, and enjoys physical closeness. She loves being petted, demands attention, and enjoys snuggling up close to her people. She also enjoys small search and puzzle games. She is quick to learn and can relax and calm down in her familiar surroundings. Outside of this security, Nelly perceives her environment very intensely. Sounds, movements, and changes hardly escape her notice and are often commented on immediately. In particular, noises in the house or stairwell, but also other external stimuli, can cause her to bark and sometimes bark for extended periods. However, this behavior should be considered in the context of her previous daily routine. Over many years, Nelly has not sufficiently learned that her humans handle such situations for her and that she is not responsible for controlling her surroundings or reacting to every noise. The barking should therefore be understood less as mere "barking enthusiasm" and more as a task that Nelly has taken on for herself so far. Precisely for this reason, she needs people in the future who can calmly and confidently convey to her: "I saw that, I'll take care of it, and you don't have to sort anything out." With clear structures, consistent management, and appropriate training, Nelly can learn to relinquish responsibility and orient herself more towards her people. Her high sensitivity to stimuli is also evident outdoors. Loud or sudden stimuli such as fireworks, thunderstorms, scooters, motorcycles, trucks, or joggers can unsettle her. In such situations, she doesn't need someone who reinforces her insecurity, but rather a confident, reliable person she can rely on. With strangers, Nelly initially needs distance and time. She doesn't want to be bothered or touched without her consent, but rather be able to decide for herself when she wants to make contact. Once she trusts you, she shows her exceptionally loving, cuddly, and affectionate side. Nelly walks well on a leash, although she may stop and need some time to get her bearings if she feels unsure. She feels particularly comfortable on walks in quiet surroundings, such as on country lanes. She shows a hunting instinct towards hares and squirrels. Being left alone is currently difficult for Nelly and this should be gradually rebuilt in her new home without pressure. Ideal Home: We are looking for a quiet home for Nelly with people who are experienced with insecure and sensitive dogs and can read their body language well. Ideally, this would be a rural or at least very quiet location with as little traffic and external stimuli as possible. A securely fenced garden would be a great benefit to Nelly, as it would allow her to move around and spend time outdoors without constantly confronting her with overwhelming situations. Her future owners should provide her with security without reinforcing her insecurity. Nelly needs a calm, confident, and reliable environment, clear structures, and above all, people who don't expect her to become a completely different dog within a few weeks. At the same time, one should also see behind her insecurities the dog she is with her trusted people: affectionate, clingy, playful, eager to learn, and very closely bonded to her caregivers. We are deliberately not looking for a place for Nelly where people simply want to try it out to see if it works. After almost seven years in her previous home, she needs people who are aware of the responsibility involved and will give her the time to build trust and truly settle in. Anyone who respects Nelly's sensitive nature, provides her with security, and doesn't make her life bigger than she can handle, will gain a very affectionate and loyal little companion who can form a very special bond with her people.