Photo: Niagara SPCA Facebook
Ralphie the “demon” dog is making some improvements.
The rescue pet, who became famous afterthe Niagara County SPCA shared a brutally honest adoption post about the pup, has been doing well during his first week of training withYourEveryDayK9, according to the company’s owner, dog trainer Chris Fiels.
Fiels started working with Ralphie after the pup was returned two weeks after being adopted. Once Ralphie ended up back at the shelter, YourEveryDayK9 offered to take the mischievous canine through a six-week training program.
“I’ve had Ralphie for about a week now.Him and I have been doing very well together,” Fiels said in a review video posted to YourEveryDayK9’s Facebook on Feb. 27. “We’ve been working on engagement exercises, some basics that he’s learned from the past, and creating some neutrality.”
YourEveryDayK9 shared a second video of the canine on Feb. 27, showing the pet running through some ofhis new training exercises. The Niagara County SPCA shared the clip andpraised Ralphie for his progress.
“We’re told he’s learning some impulse control around vacuums and brooms and they’re working on his reactivity in his crate. He has really great basic obedience skills which have made training easier. Chris said he’s very athletic, super treat motivated and kind of a fun guy. We concur,” the shelter shared on social media.
“We have not yet gotten to things like socializing yet, but we are advancing each week, so I am very happy with where he’s at,” Fiels said about the dog in his Facebook review, adding that he could see “how there could have been some issues in the past.”
According to the video, Fiels feels that Ralphie will eventually be “an awesome pet” for a person who has “more of a routine” and will “hold structure” and “keep boundaries” in their home.
Niagara SPCA/facebook
The trainer plans to have Ralphie’s future owners, whoever they may be, join the training program when they are ready, so they can work with the dog through to the end of the program to “make sure the transition is very smooth.”
Ralphie first made headlines in January because of the SPCA’s adoption post for the pup, which describedthe 26-Lb. dogasa “fire-breathing demon"and “awhole jerk- not even half.”
RELATED Video:New York Animal Shelter Seeking Forever Home for ‘Fire-Breathing Demon’ Dog Called ‘Ralphie’
“Ralphie is a terror in a somewhat small package,” the shelter stated. “Sometimes we can sugarcoat the less than desirable traits. This one stumps us, though. We don’t actually have too many nice things to say.”
The description should have kept admirers at bay but drew numerous interested parties instead, and Ralphie was adopted on Feb. 2.
“While the adopter had the right household dynamic, Ralphie proved to be more than she could handle,” the shelter explained in the post. “Kudos to her, though for making the right decision.”
Despite this, the SPCA said it wouldn’t give up on Ralphie. “While it is unfortunate that he is back to square one,we’re committed to helping him,” the organization wrote on Instagram.
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The Niagara County SPCA is currently vetting adoption applications. The shelter would prefer adopters located near the shelter, so it’s easy for Ralphie to continue training.
source: people.com
