When we first decided to foster a boxer – we were not sure what we were in for. As a high energy breed we were ready for some training and long walks however we got much more than we bargained for. The rescue said Hudson had shown slight signs of aggression but all in all was a very loving dog. He was an incredibly loving guy who was a very obedient dog inside…
However once we got him outside he would hyperventilate, cry, bark and then attack anything that came toward him. Slightly aggressive was the understatement of the year. If it was on 4 legs his immediate reaction was to attack and take down. It was terrifying. He would also stress out with anything coming his way – including people, cars, bikes.
We tried a few weeks with a trainer on leash obedience and distance training however it was not working… He was not getting better. And we were only getting more worried about the threats outside.
We were left with 2 options – wait for an attack that could end Hudson’s life or send him away for a behavioral adjustment.
The 6 week program was very difficult to commit to not only for the price but having Hudson gone for a long period of time and knowing his anxiety would be extreme.
Our first few updates were that he was still living in Pennys house… Which I’m sure was not ideal for Penny and her family – however after a few weeks Hudson was finally able to go into the kennel.
When we picked up Hudson we could not believe our eyes. We picked him up in a kennel where he had been surrounded by other dogs and was coexisting peacefully. He still was not interacting with them off leash but walking by, sleeping and eating near another animal was incredible. A few moments later we were training with another dog just a few feet away!
We still have to use the rules, boundaries and techniques taught to us by Penny and her team – and some days we still get a little flight back. But being able to walk down a busy road with our guy, passing kids, moving vehicles skateboards and other animals is something we didn’t imagine being so pleasing.
We can not thank Penny and her team enough for helping out our little monster and helping him obtain the quality of life we want to give him.