Patches
Hello THS!
We would like to give you an update on Patches:
When we came in for the interview it was apparent that she had issues with biting and toy and food possessiveness. She was hiding under a blanket when we walked through the kennels (so much so that the THS staffer helping us didn’t think she was even in her spot) and she was also several pounds overweight, a little snausage as I liked to call her. Patches showed none of the aggression to us in the interview and we began thinking maybe it was just the stressful situation she had been put in that made her angry.
Unfortunately for us, when we got Patches home we started to see the aggressive behaviour we had been warned about. She wouldn’t let us come near her when she was in her crate, on her bed, or when she had toys around her, showing her teeth and growling as soon as she thought we were trying to get to her. She wouldn’t let other dogs come near us on walks and would bark and growl once they were any closer than 20 feet and both of us ended up with multiple hand wounds. We knew that we had to begin her training right away so we could start to enjoy our new pet, instead of being scared of her.
Now, just over a year later, Patches is a completely changed dog. She no longer is food and toy possessive (although she loves a good game of tug-o-war), we no longer have any fear that when we go near her she will do anything but give us love and kisses, she loves going on walks, is great off leash and plays with other dogs at the park (although she still tries to bark at the bigger dogs), and has lost a quarter of her intake weight at THS. Our friends and family cannot believe that she is the same dog we brought home a year ago. There is absolutely nothing I would change about her now and I cannot thank you enough for giving us this little bundle of joy and energy.
Thank you so much for all that you do,
Kristina, Fred & Patches