Introducing: Chucho

This is Chucho. According to his paper-work, Chucho is a 1-year-old (possibly a year and a half) male Bull Terrier/Boxer mix. He is one of several dogs rescued from a shelter in Mexico by DINO Rescue.  I was called in by DINO to assess him and determine whether or not he needs work before being added to the available adoptions list.

Chucho spent most of his young life on the streets. Based on the behaviors I observed and had to address during my visit, his interactions with humans have been extremely limited and mostly negative. He does not know how to live and be with humans, and as a result, he is mistrustful and often disrespectful towards them. His foster family loves him and they want to help him, but they don’t know how to do that or even where to begin. So, I am going to be helping them and Chucho.

The first thing we’re going to work on is trust-building between Chucho and his humans.  Chucho is in a leadership position all the time; he cannot relax. Even when he’s napping, he is alert and tense, not relaxed. His humans need to learn how to make him feel safe and secure, and he needs to learn that he can trust them to provide him with that stability. To achieve this, over the next few weeks, Chucho will be learning basic obedience while the family learns how to become calm-assertive and project the correct energy and body language to him.

I am looking forward to working with Chucho and his foster family. It was very clear to me that both he and his family are trying very hard to help each other, and I’m honored to be asked to be a part of that journey.  It’s not going to be an easy road – there are going to be good days and not-so-good days – but the reward at the end of it is going to be more than worth the effort of reaching it.