'German-speaking' dog abandoned in Yorkshire learns English

Hector has spent the past three months brushing up on his English command skills

An abandoned dog that only understood German commands has been learning English to help him find a new home, the RSPCA has said.

The one-year-old American bulldog, named Hector, was left tied to the gates at the charity's East Ardsley branch in West Yorkshire.

Staff found he did not respond to English, so they tried other languages.

Care manager Lucynda Hodgson said it turned out he was "quite well-trained and knew several commands in German".

It is hoped his language training will make it easier for him to find a new home

"We started to introduce him to English words and used hand signals alongside verbal commands so he started to pick it up really quickly," she said.

"He's a very intelligent dog and is very loving."

She said Hector was now looking for a new family, but any potential owners must be non-smokers - he appeared to have cigarette burns on his body when he was found.

Hector, who weighs 40kg (six stone), also requires a good-sized garden, she said.

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