Why Don't We Talk About The Dark Side of Adoption?
Gus is an incredibly adorable schnauzer poodle mix that Lucas and I adopted about five months ago. He's full of life and is the perfect adventure dog. He loves to sprint through the woods and is an avid fetcher of sticks. His nicknames include, but aren't limited to, Guseroni, Gusifer, Gustaverson, and The Mole. Bringing him into our lives has been one of the best decisions I've ever made but he came with a lot of baggage that has been really tough to handle at times.
We rarely hear about the dark side of adoption. The only videos shared on Facebook are those that show what a big change the rescued dog makes once it finds its forever home. We never talk about what happens if your dog isn't absolutely perfect when you decide to make it a part of your family.
Lucas and I prepared as much as possible for adopting Gus. We looked online for months, trying to find the perfect fit for us. We wanted something hypoallergenic, preferably on the younger side so we would have them in our lives for longer, and we weren't afraid of a lot of energy. When Gus' picture popped up on Petfinder, he looked like an absolute madman. His description said that he was around two years old, hypoallergenic, and would need an active family. The rescue mentioned that he had a problem with nipping and had been abused but we brushed that part off and decided he was the one for us.
We met Gus for the first time at a Petco in Salt Lake City. He was super excited to see both of us and jumped up to say hi. He was absolutely adorable and had the cutest little nub to wag when he was excited. We decided he was perfect, filled out the adoption forms, and made our way back to Bozeman.
The first problem showed up about an hour into the car ride back. We had stopped at Starbucks and, after finishing our drinks, had put them in the cupholder in the backseat (our bad, don't @ me). Flash forward a couple minutes and I turn around to see Gus gnawing on one of the lids. I go to grab it and he gives me a warning bite on the hand. In all fairness, I shouldn't have grabbed a "toy" from a dog I barely knew so I'll take full responsibility for this one. The rest are on him though.
Gus is incredibly protective of just about everything; his space, his toys, and most of all, Lucas. He growls at everybody and is a real bear to try to get toys back from. He isn't tolerant at all and is not a big believer in affection. He barks every time someone opens the door and I dread people coming over because I know he'll be a jerk. At this point, you're probably wondering why in the world we would keep this dog.
The short answer is that, if he didn't growl or bark, he'd be the perfect dog. He fits our lifestyle incredibly well, is super smart, and generally great to have in our lives. We finally got sick of all the bad characteristics though and called one of the dog trainers in town for a consultation. As soon as she walked in the door, that little black terror was whipped into shape. It's been three days since she came to our home and I don't know whose dog this is anymore. He has completely stopped guarding his space, moves out of everyone's way, and has almost stopped growling entirely (he did it at the beginning of this paragraph so yay). If I had known how effective she was going to be, I wouldn't have resigned myself to being growled at months ago.
No one ever talks about what happens if you get a dog like Gus when you adopt. Your confidence regarding dog ownership sinks so low and every time they act up, it gets even lower. You are suddenly very aware of how much people judge you for his behavior, even though you're not the one who made him this way. On a more positive note, the consultation with the dog trainer has been an absolute god-send. Here's to hoping it sticks and we finally get the dog we've signed up for. He just moved out of my way when I went to the kitchen so I think we're on the right path.
We rarely hear about the dark side of adoption. The only videos shared on Facebook are those that show what a big change the rescued dog makes once it finds its forever home. We never talk about what happens if your dog isn't absolutely perfect when you decide to make it a part of your family.
Lucas and I prepared as much as possible for adopting Gus. We looked online for months, trying to find the perfect fit for us. We wanted something hypoallergenic, preferably on the younger side so we would have them in our lives for longer, and we weren't afraid of a lot of energy. When Gus' picture popped up on Petfinder, he looked like an absolute madman. His description said that he was around two years old, hypoallergenic, and would need an active family. The rescue mentioned that he had a problem with nipping and had been abused but we brushed that part off and decided he was the one for us.
We met Gus for the first time at a Petco in Salt Lake City. He was super excited to see both of us and jumped up to say hi. He was absolutely adorable and had the cutest little nub to wag when he was excited. We decided he was perfect, filled out the adoption forms, and made our way back to Bozeman.
The first problem showed up about an hour into the car ride back. We had stopped at Starbucks and, after finishing our drinks, had put them in the cupholder in the backseat (our bad, don't @ me). Flash forward a couple minutes and I turn around to see Gus gnawing on one of the lids. I go to grab it and he gives me a warning bite on the hand. In all fairness, I shouldn't have grabbed a "toy" from a dog I barely knew so I'll take full responsibility for this one. The rest are on him though.
Gus is incredibly protective of just about everything; his space, his toys, and most of all, Lucas. He growls at everybody and is a real bear to try to get toys back from. He isn't tolerant at all and is not a big believer in affection. He barks every time someone opens the door and I dread people coming over because I know he'll be a jerk. At this point, you're probably wondering why in the world we would keep this dog.
The short answer is that, if he didn't growl or bark, he'd be the perfect dog. He fits our lifestyle incredibly well, is super smart, and generally great to have in our lives. We finally got sick of all the bad characteristics though and called one of the dog trainers in town for a consultation. As soon as she walked in the door, that little black terror was whipped into shape. It's been three days since she came to our home and I don't know whose dog this is anymore. He has completely stopped guarding his space, moves out of everyone's way, and has almost stopped growling entirely (he did it at the beginning of this paragraph so yay). If I had known how effective she was going to be, I wouldn't have resigned myself to being growled at months ago.
No one ever talks about what happens if you get a dog like Gus when you adopt. Your confidence regarding dog ownership sinks so low and every time they act up, it gets even lower. You are suddenly very aware of how much people judge you for his behavior, even though you're not the one who made him this way. On a more positive note, the consultation with the dog trainer has been an absolute god-send. Here's to hoping it sticks and we finally get the dog we've signed up for. He just moved out of my way when I went to the kitchen so I think we're on the right path.
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