I previously wrote about what it means to me to have a dog. My dog, Jack, on the other hand, gives me plenty of practice if I ever need to raise a special needs child some day. Yes, on some days, he is that bad.
I got Jack through a rescue foundation based out of Cornell Vet school. My ex-girlfriend, Amy, got me in touch with a woman who had two lab/rottweiler mix puppies that had been abused. This was quite nice of Amy because she was my ex-girlfriend at that time as well. There is something about me that makes everyone wants to be friends after, I don't know...
Anyway, back on track. Two abused puppies. I already covered how I met them and how terrified Jack was (go back and read the past post... I'll wait right here). So while Jack was no bigger than a shoebox some asshole thought it would be a good idea to physically abuse him. When I got him, I did everything I could to socialize him, dog park, hikes, swimming with other dogs, having my friends come over.
At first, I thought I had succeeded in socializing him and making him normal. He was nice to people who came over, he very seldom barked at other people or dogs while we were out at the park. He actually did his training at obedience class and wasn't a holy terror. I was thinking that I "fixed" him.
I was, naturally, 100% wrong.
Jack is a special boy. He'll growl at someone like a normal dog, but Jack will quickly hide between my legs if they get anywhere near him. He'll bark at people out the window, while out for walks (up until he gets tired - then he stops summoning the energy to bark), sometimes at the park, even while sitting in the backseat driving. In over two years, he has never shown one single shred of aggression and I honestly don't think he's capable, but he certainly likes to bark.
Jack will fixate on a spot on the ceiling or wall and stare at it for HOURS. Randomly he'll just bark at it for a little bit. Sometimes I wonder if he can see ghosts or something.
Jack hates unfamiliar places. Even some places he is familiar with, like my mothers. Jack lived with his "grandma" for six weeks last summer while I was in the process of buying my house. I thought that would cure him of being afraid there. No way. He shakes whenever someone comes in the house (my mother gets approximately 500% more visitors than I do), and on multiple occasions I have seen Jack pull off the dog equivalent of shitting his pants. Yes, he was so afraid that poop involuntarily slid out of his butt. I'm not even sure if he realized it.
I'm not sure if it's because Jack is so special that we have such a tight bond or if I would be that way with any affectionate dog. He ran into the street last week, which is the first time that has ever happened. No cars were coming, thank god, because I don't know what I would do if he got hit by a car. I want to make sure that Jack is still kicking around when I'm 35 and have kids (maybe I'll have kids by the time I'm 35? I have 8 more years so I'm guessing yes.) The person who ends up having my kids, though, will have to at least be able to tolerate Jack.
Remember everyone, there are a lot of special dogs like Jack out there in shelters or rescue agencies who need a family and some love. Don't get your dogs from puppy mills! Bad bad bad!!
I got Jack through a rescue foundation based out of Cornell Vet school. My ex-girlfriend, Amy, got me in touch with a woman who had two lab/rottweiler mix puppies that had been abused. This was quite nice of Amy because she was my ex-girlfriend at that time as well. There is something about me that makes everyone wants to be friends after, I don't know...
Anyway, back on track. Two abused puppies. I already covered how I met them and how terrified Jack was (go back and read the past post... I'll wait right here). So while Jack was no bigger than a shoebox some asshole thought it would be a good idea to physically abuse him. When I got him, I did everything I could to socialize him, dog park, hikes, swimming with other dogs, having my friends come over.
At first, I thought I had succeeded in socializing him and making him normal. He was nice to people who came over, he very seldom barked at other people or dogs while we were out at the park. He actually did his training at obedience class and wasn't a holy terror. I was thinking that I "fixed" him.
I was, naturally, 100% wrong.
Jack is a special boy. He'll growl at someone like a normal dog, but Jack will quickly hide between my legs if they get anywhere near him. He'll bark at people out the window, while out for walks (up until he gets tired - then he stops summoning the energy to bark), sometimes at the park, even while sitting in the backseat driving. In over two years, he has never shown one single shred of aggression and I honestly don't think he's capable, but he certainly likes to bark.
Jack will fixate on a spot on the ceiling or wall and stare at it for HOURS. Randomly he'll just bark at it for a little bit. Sometimes I wonder if he can see ghosts or something.
Jack hates unfamiliar places. Even some places he is familiar with, like my mothers. Jack lived with his "grandma" for six weeks last summer while I was in the process of buying my house. I thought that would cure him of being afraid there. No way. He shakes whenever someone comes in the house (my mother gets approximately 500% more visitors than I do), and on multiple occasions I have seen Jack pull off the dog equivalent of shitting his pants. Yes, he was so afraid that poop involuntarily slid out of his butt. I'm not even sure if he realized it.
I'm not sure if it's because Jack is so special that we have such a tight bond or if I would be that way with any affectionate dog. He ran into the street last week, which is the first time that has ever happened. No cars were coming, thank god, because I don't know what I would do if he got hit by a car. I want to make sure that Jack is still kicking around when I'm 35 and have kids (maybe I'll have kids by the time I'm 35? I have 8 more years so I'm guessing yes.) The person who ends up having my kids, though, will have to at least be able to tolerate Jack.
Remember everyone, there are a lot of special dogs like Jack out there in shelters or rescue agencies who need a family and some love. Don't get your dogs from puppy mills! Bad bad bad!!
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