haute puppy

 We have had this puffball since Thanksgiving and have diligently been working with a trainer to curb his vicious ways.  We were unable to get him under control on our own.  Although he knew commands like sit, stay and settle, he couldn't leave his street side mentality at the front door and would attack me when I fed him or any time for that matter.  He would bark and go wild whenever someone would enter our apartment.  Anytime there was a knock at the door or a noise he didn't like he would haul ass through all the rooms barking and going wild. At times, it was bad....very bad.  Somedays I wanted to give him back to the shelter but I knew with the amount of times that the hubs and I had been bitten he would be put down 1,2,3.  I can't get rid of him now.  He had some terrible owners before us.  He was a stray on the streets in Philly and was adopted by someone that never house trained him and locked him in a room for the summer until they returned him to the shelter.  Then we found him and he became our badass problem.  

 Alas, we contacted Christine a couple of months after we had him to help us deal with his food aggression, dominance, trust and fear issues.  Christine came twice and loaded us down with lots of homework.  We had to modify his feeding schedule, walking routine and lots of other day to day activities.  We have him on a homeopathic anxiety med and will be switching his food from Purina 1 to a freeze dried human grade food.  Once we move and settle into our new digs we are also getting the little guy his own treadmill too.  Our trainer has faith in him that he will be able to do 30 minutes of mentally burning exercise on the treadmill while I get ready for work in the morning!!!   I am really excited that he one day he could potentially be fully rehabbed!

In the 5 months we have had him he has never been groomed.  He was far too crazy to take to the groomer.  We leave his rabies tag on him when walking him for fear he will bite someone.  I couldn't imagine unleashing this terror on a groomer.  Christine begged to differ though and referred us to Gretchen at doggie & kitty style.  Sure enough, my little guy did almost just fine... up until she went to touch his face.  He had enough for the day but he did manage to get his nails clipped, bathed, trimmed and brushed.  He saunters through the neighborhood like the show dog he was meant to be.  He's one haute puppy now and I can't wait to take him back to Gretchen.