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★- Chipper- ★

That's MR.- Momma's Boy to- you!
 
 
Barked: Sat Nov 24, '07 6:04pm PST 
Hi Everyone wave I'll start.....

My name is Chipper. I was adopted by my mom and dad in March 2006 and I am their first dog ever. When I first came home, I was a perfect angel behaviorally. I was housebroken, no accidents at all, I was quiet and I was a love bug. I love kisses and pats! But, I also had some issues. I came to the shelter as a stray and they found me to be heartworm positive. I was treated by the shelter just before mom and dad brought me home. When I came home, I was on strict cage rest for 2-3 weeks. I was very tired and achy.

Well, as I settled in to my new home and the heartworms died, my true colors began to show. I bonded really tight and quick with mommy. I liked dad, but I didn't trust him. One night daddy tried to take away a raw hide from me and I lost it. I bit him in the hand and barked and growled at him. I didn't hurt him, it was more of a snap. I didn't even break the skin. The next couple of weeks were tough. Daddy couldn't move in the house without me growling at him. I wanted him no where near me or mom. Mom thought that this might not be the right home for me, so she called the shelter that they got me from. They said that she could bring me back, but I wouldn't be adopted out again. I would be put down.

Mom couldn't do that, so off to obedience classes we went. It was an OK class, but mom didn't like it. It was for dogs without behavior issues. And, they made me wear a rope choke collar. Mom and dad hated that collar. They made me wear it in class, but they were not comfortable with it. To make matters worse, 4 weeks into class, I got kennel cough. Really bad. I couldn't shake it for 5 months. During one of my coughing fits, mom brought me to the vet and they took x-rays and found that I have a collapsing trachea and the right side of my heart is enlarged. EEK! I spent 5 months on and off antibiotics and cough suppressants and finally got healthy. Needless to say, we dropped out of that obedience class and didn't go back.

One night in August 2006, the shelter called for a check up on me. Mom explained that I was dog aggressive, people aggressive, food aggressive, I resource guarded and I protected mommy with all my might. Even from daddy. The shelter suggested that mommy get in touch with their trainer and join the "Ruff Dog" class he offered. So, she did and Thank Dog!

We met Terence my trainer/behaviorist. He saved my life. He taught mommy and daddy how to handle me and showed them everything they were doing wrong. He made them hand feed me forever! Even Bully Sticks! He helped me understand what mommy and daddy expected of me and he helped socialize me. He gave me a pinch collar, but that is just temporary. We are now working to get me on a harness.

I am doing much better now. I tolerate other dogs and most strangers. I go to training class every Wednesday night and I just started an agility class. I still have attacks of collapsing trachea, but no more upper respiratory infections.

Chipper's mom here....We have been working with Chipper for just over a year with a trainer every week. I am by no means a professional trainer. I am simply a devoted dog owner who has been blessed with a very difficult dog. I look forward to sharing our experiences with you, and I look forward to hearing your experiences! This will be a great group. Don't forget to post your progress along with questions and problems. big grin
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Burkett's- Cookies 'n'- Creme

Dare to take a- stand
 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 25, '07 2:52pm PST 
I came from a "breeder", most likely a puppy mill. Some people bought me from her when I was a puppy with breeding me in mind. Their other German Shepherd was mean to me and wouldn't let me eat, so I was SKINNY. The people kept us outside. I don't remember or course, but I think they abused me. They were at least decent enough to realize that I needed a better home, so they advertized me in the paper. A man came and bought me because he wanted a guard dog. Even though there wasn't any reason to be, I was so afraid of him the I peed whenever I saw him. I wasn't house-trained, so he spent two weeks teaching me at his home. I was so timid that I wouldn't bark, even at strangers passing by. He taught me by barking himself and giving me treats when I did. He believed somewhat in negative training, but he and his mom are good people. I began to get less afraid of him. I lived this way for a couple of years, and then one day this lady who had two kids came to visit him. He married her after a few months and then those two kids and her went to live at his house. I liked them, especially the little girl. (The funny thing was that I wasn't used to kids!) Life went on. Then the little girl started teaching me tricks after a couple of years. The first thing I learned was "shake". When I was 8, she taught me basic obedience, how to catch a Frisbee, and a few simple tricks. When I was 9 she taught me not to pull on the leash and even had me just about ready for the CGC test! We took the test in October of this year, but it was done indoors in an enviroment much like a vet's office. I though it WAS a vet's office. That's why I didn't pass the test. But we're working on that, and we'll take the test again when we're done. My mistress reads a lot of books on training and behahvior issues and about dogs and dog breeds as well. That's my story!
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Gray Dawn- Treader

Don't Tread on- me
 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 25, '07 3:03pm PST 
I don't know much about myself. I just remeber I was wandering on Bark Street in Kingsland, and the shelter people found me and brought me to a big noisy building. The next day at the shelter, three people went to see me. A lady, a little boy, and a little girl. I didn't understand what was happening, but I knew I just had to go home with them. They said they were looking fur a Sheltie, preferably purebred. They left, and - would you believe it - without me! I admit I wasn't looking my best, but I was still cute. They came back a couple of weeks later after I had been moved to a different cage. I figured that since they didn't take me last time, why should they take this time? So I just stared at them in my funny way. My cage-mate, a Chi mix, was beggin to go home with them. They left the room. I knew they would...but wait! A few minutes later, one of the shelter workers brought me out of my cage! They brought me to two people and handed the leash to them. Yes, it was the family I had chosen! I tried to convince them that we needed to get out of there fast, but when I tried to lead them out, I slipped on the tiled floor. They left with me in a few minutes and brought me to their home, which is also Cookie TN's home. I live there happily now, they say that once I quit pulling on the leash and jumping up on people that I will make a fine Canine Good Citizen...well, why wouldn't I?wink
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Sadie♥(given away)

Sweet to humans,- Top Dog to- Snoopy
 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 25, '07 3:07pm PST 
My human got me from the same shelter as Gray. She was looking for a dog to replace the once that she gave away. The one she gave away was a JRT named Bo-Jack and he had too much energy for her. My human is a nice old lady. She went to the shelter looking for a little dog and she got me. She isn't interested in teaching me anything, she just wants me as a pet. I live several blocks away from Cookie and Gray Dawntreader. My human isn't the kind interested in put dogs on Dogster, so Cookie and Gray's mistress put me and Snoopy on for her. Cookie's mistress has taught me "beg".
♦Snoopy♦

Loopy Snoopy
 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 25, '07 3:10pm PST 
Hey, thiz iz Sadie'z brother Snoopy. My human, Sadie's human's son, got me from a BYB unfortunatelys. You can see more about that on my page. My human doezn't teach me tricks eitherz. Cookie's mistress taught to sit thoughz.
Gracie

Service with a- Smile! : )		 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 25, '07 3:34pm PST 
Hi, I'm Gracie and I'm a 5 year old service dog.

Me and my siblings were registered and well bred but our dogmom wasn't doing so well so some of us were given to my humom/partner to hand raise. Mom worked hard with us and had us sitting, laying down, coming when called and mostly housebroken by the time we were ready to go to new homes. Mom kept me as her pick of the litter and from how well I did on my puppy temperment tests.

Mom trained me in obedience and to help around the house. Mom hadn't originally had me in mind for a service dog but I began alerting her to her medical condition and I could help her out with things she dropped like her cane, bring her purse and pills to her, put laundry in a basket and put trash in the trash amung other things. When Moms Doctor said that he would suport her having me as a service dog for her disability, we worked a bit on and easily passed the public access test. I also got my CGC title.

I go almost everywhere with my mom/partner and I'm always happy and ready to help out!cheercheer
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Liwanu "Mack"

Must find the- wabbit!!		 
 
Barked: Mon Nov 26, '07 12:46pm PST 
I'm Mack, I just turned 9 months. I live with my humom, dogmom, her boss, her boss's kids and her boyfriend, two cats, and a little furball brother. My Mom delivered me and my siblings and took care of us all until my siblings went to new homes. Originally she was going to keep my blond brother Diesel but she wasn't able to let me go to someone who just wanted me for my good looks. When Diesel and I started fighting at 4 months old she tried really hard to make it work for all three of us. Unfortunately, we kept at it and Diesel ended up hurting me. I was always on top and could have won but I listened to mom when she said to back off. Mom decided to have Diesel taken to the humane society with a letter explaining all about him and containing her phone number so they could call if he wasn't placed. He had a home in 4 days. Mom says that I wouldn't be deemed suitable for adoption because of my aggression/separation anxiety so she decided who had to get a new home that way. Sometimes Mom still cries because she misses him but she loves me as much as ever.
Mom says the whole story is too long to post right now, she'll put it in my diary later.
It comes down to the fact that I'm fear-aggressive/resource aggressive and very hard-headed among other issues. Mom is in financial difficulty and can't get me to a professional so she is researching everything she can find to try and help me. Some day I want to be a search and rescue dog as well as getting my CGC. Big dreams but we're working for them.
ARCHX Asher,- RL1X, RL2X,- RL3

Learning is- changing what we- do
 
 
Barked: Tue Nov 27, '07 7:08am PST 
Hi all,

I'm Asher's mom. I don't know too much about his past. He was picked up as a stray by the Humane Society. He had a chip, so they called his owners. They said he was a runner and the HS should keep him.

Asher was taken out on an adoption event and nipped at someone, so the HS called us. It is not unusual for a small dog to be nervous at events like this and they wanted to give him every chance.

As days went by, we dicovered that Asher was a biter. Not a nipper, a full blown biter.He bit everyone in my family several times, deep puncture wounds that would drip blood and swell.

He was very touch reactive on certain parts of his body, specifically his tail and face.

The situation was so bad that we decided he could not be adopted. The director of the rescue said I could either keep him or send him to the bridge. It was a tough decision, but we kept him and continued to work with him.

Ash is involved daily in behavioral modification and takes prozac. his progress has been nothing short of amazing, and at this time, he is a Rally O dog!
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Jedi Knight- CGC ThD CA

PhD CGC- Evaluator		 
 
Barked: Tue Nov 27, '07 7:27am PST 
Jedi is a rescue. She was dropped off (in April) at the vet at 4 months old with her siblings, as the breeder couldn't place them. She was full of worms and hadn't been around people. We found out about her through some friends and she was chosen for us. We were initially going to foster her, but decided to keep her (which was my goal, it just took my husband a little longer to come around).

We have worked with her and love her lots. No terrible problems, just puppy- ness. She is playful, smart, and gets along well with other dogs.
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Sadie♥(given away)

Sweet to humans,- Top Dog to- Snoopy
 
 
Barked: Mon Jan 7, '08 12:39pm PST 
BUMPing this thread up for newer members.
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