Jacky and Djeko, a perfect match
We have a male American Stafford, Djeko, who is now 8 years old and has been with us since he was a puppy. After 1.5 years, Djeko grew up with a female American Stafford, Djana, whom we also had from puppyhood. Sadly, Djana passed away at only 6.5 years old. We, and especially Djeko, missed her presence enormously.
Looking for a second dog
Because we had two dogs for years, we started feeling the itch to get a second dog again. Since we didn’t want a puppy, but rather an older dog for Djeko, we decided to adopt a dog that would be a good match for him. That’s how we ended up at the Haags Dierencentrum and took a look at the website.
The first meeting with Jacky
And sure enough, there we saw our sweet girl: Jacky! On the website, we read that Jacky has a hypoallergenic diet, can’t eat everything, finds swimming a bit scary, and can show mixed behavior toward other dogs. It also mentioned that she gets along well with children.
Why Jacky is a good fit for us
For us, these weren’t obstacles. The hypoallergenic diet was no problem, and Djeko could afford to lose a few pounds anyway. Djeko would take care of the swimming, as he’s a real water rat. Mixed with other dogs? Djeko is a real softie and just walks away if another dog growls. And the fact that Jacky gets along with children was great, as we have grandchildren aged 6 and 11.
The appointments at the Haags Dierencentrum
We made an appointment at the Haags Dierencentrum and went the first time without Djeko, to see if Jacky would be a good fit for us. It went so well. She came up to us enthusiastically, and we had a wonderful time playing and walking with her. The second appointment was more exciting: the introduction to Djeko. This went great. She walked up to him happily, and they walked neatly side by side.
Waiting a little longer for adoption
Because Jacky had eaten something she shouldn’t have, her allergy flared up. Her ears started bothering her and she was scratching a lot, so she needed medication. Because of this, we couldn’t adopt her right away. After five appointments with just us, four appointments together with Djeko, and a meeting at our home, we were finally able to adopt Jacky on August 9, 2025, after she had spent 499 days in the shelter.
Enjoying life together
We are now 3.5 months further along and are enjoying each other’s company immensely. Jacky is incredibly sweet, and things are going very well between her and Djeko. Djeko has lost weight in the meantime, Jacky has started swimming thanks to him, and she can’t break her Jolly Soccer ball anymore. She is super sweet with children and people and no longer jumps against doors to open them.
Home alone and daily rest
Jacky and Djeko can stay home alone together just fine without whining or howling. When we go upstairs in the evening, they stay downstairs together on the couch. In the morning, we are greeted by two sweet dogs who have behaved perfectly: no wet socks, nothing destroyed, and no accidents.
Gratitude
In short, Jacky is doing great. Thanks to the right food and treats, the scratching and ear problems have decreased significantly. She enjoys the garden, especially the garden table, her walks, and all the attention.
We are enormously grateful to all the staff at the Haags Dierencentrum for all the information, friendliness, and especially for the good care Jacky received all those months. We will take good care of her and hope to enjoy her company for many years to come.
Greetings from us and a paw from Djeko and Jacky
