Chica was living her life on the streets of Instanbul, Turkey, when she on night was run over twice. Three men returning home thought it was fun to harm an innocent dog. That dog was Chica, now called Elsa. She survived, but just barely with broken legs, cruched hip ball and a severly crushed L7 spine. She got paralysed and was taken to a shelter that couldn’t do anything for her. That’s when the rescue organisation “He’art of Rescue” stepped in. They flew her to Valencia in Spain since the Turkish vets didn’t have the knowledge to operate on her.
In July 22, 2015 my husband and I adopted Chica/Elsa and she’s now living a happy life with her new brother and sister Eddie and Embla. Check her out on http://www.elsasstory.me and on Instagram emblaandeddieandelsa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHa0nQlQz4I Elsa 3 months ago.

• Name: Elsa (she used to be called Chica)
• Birthday: 2013-07-21 (she will share birthdays with Rima Nur, the founder of Heart of Rescue).  UPDATE! On 22nd of July 2016 I got a phone call from a car dealer in Istanbul. He’s a friend of a volunteer who helps He’art of Rescue. He told me that he found Elsa on the streets when she was about two months. That was in July 2014.  So suddenly Elsa got one year younger! Her new birthday will now be 21st of May 2014. He told me that Elsa – or Chica as they named her – spent the day time with him and his colleagues and some other stray dogs.
• Breed: I guess it’s german shepherd/border collie mix. Perhaps something more.
• Age: 2 years (we guess).
• Gender: Female
• Color: Brown/black/white
• Her personal color on collar and leash: turquoise (of course, she’s from Turkey).
• Commands she knows so far – in Swedish:

1. Sit (sitt).
2. Come (kom)
3. She is also very good with eye contact. It only took a few seconds until she picked up that it’s worth while to look into my eyes – she will have a treat then. I use a clicker to train her and she is so clever – it’s the border collie in her that plays a role I guess.

• Small steps forward:
• Present: On Wednesday 22nd of July 2015 she was flown from Istanbul to Sweden with Rima and gorgeous Ray who has been used as a bait dog, only because he is almost blind since birth. He will continue his now happy life with Jeanette, her mother and a dog sister in Norway.
• Background history: Elsa lived her life as a street dog in Istanbul until Februari 25th-2015. That day (or night) she was hit twice by a car driven by some young men. They did it on purpose. Elsa was left on the street with broken left front arm and a broken spine (L7 was shattered). She was paralysed and unable to walk, to pee and poop at will. Fortunately she was flown to Valencia, Spain and had two operations.
• Personality: Gentle, friendly, loves to be cuddled, quite food aggressive (we have to work on that), super smart! Update 18th of September 2016. Her food aggressiveness has become much better as long as Eddie isn’t starting a fight with her over the food.
• She can sit, even if it hurts since she is so skinny.
• She has started to invite Embla and Eddie to play.
• She climbed into the driver’s seat yesterday (27th of July) from the trunk, through the net behind the back seat. Hurray!!!
• She walks to the front door when she wants to go out.
• She gives us kisses all the time – even the dogs sometimes. ❤
• She tries hard to pee and poop.
• August 11: today she ran and jumped and tried to join when Embla and Eddie were playing.
• September 18, 2016. She is still incontinent and has to wear diapers while indoors, but after an operation in December 2015 by a Swedish vet she is much better. She can sit on command and has no problem sitting or standing. When she arrived to us she would lay down as soon as I stopped walking when we were out. Now she has no problem at all to stand up and just wait. She lays down when she’s bored – who wouldn’t? She is daddy’s girl and loves to lay on his belly. She is very vocal and talks a lot!!! She loves her bed even if she sometimes jump up into our beds. That’s all right, she can stay there if she wants to, but she always leave my bed when I come into the bedroom.

Rehab:

1. Laser treatment from my brother whose profession is osteopathy. Starts August 5. ✔️
2. Vibration plate (also from my brother) ✔️
3. Water therapy and physical therapy booked. Starts August 10.✔️
4. Walks in hilly terrain (hooked to Embla’s collar)✔️
5. Swims in lakes (hooked to Embla’s collar)✔️
6. Medium long walks✔️
7. Playing in the garden✔️
8. Walking up indoor stairs✔️
9. Massage✔️
10. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE✔️
11. FOOD!!!!✔️
12. Chewingbones✔️

Insurance and registration:

1. Agria – dogs. https://youtu.be/9reb23C97HU?list=PLtTiIvYQ3JIoVkMKrRRTEUo5DQKqf44k9✔️
2. Chip number: 276093400582210✔️
3. Registered at the Swedish board of Agriculture (tomorrow – they closed at 4pm).✔️

Weight:

• 22nd of July:16.8 kilos
• 23rd of July: 17 kilos.
• 29th of July: 18.6 kilos!
• 10th of August: 19.4 kilos!
• 18th of December: 20,2 kilos!
• 15th of January: 21.0 kilos!

Waist:

• 26th of July: 41 cm
• 29th of July: 48 cm

Future goals are that she will be able to:

1. walk properly –
2. run freely –
3. enjoy life –  
4. gain weight to 20-22 kilos. –
5. be happy – 
6. be able to pee and poop on will
7. don’t have to wear nappies indoors
8. have no pain ✔️
9. to “know” more commands ✔️
10. “get a hobby” – like agility
11. make many dog friends –