When Angela first saw her adopted dog, Griff, she knew he would be much more difficult than she could have imagined. He trembled and was afraid of the new environment. The dog just looked like a broken soul.
Angela knew he had been through a lot physically. Griff was missing all his fur and it turned out he had a serious skin infection. The poor rescue dog also had many behavioral problems.
Griff had never been handled before and was almost like a wild animal. The first day Angela took him to the veterinary clinic for a checkup, they couldn’t even get him out of the kennel because he was so upset.
The first few nights that the rescuer spent with her adopted dog were quite stressful for them. Angela spent most of her nights sitting on the floor near Griff’s kennel. She held the door open and offered him food.
However, she failed to put the leash on his head. Griff really surprised her when he first started showing a slightly mischievous side. He sat in a small basket and looked contented and relaxed. When she got closer to him, the rescue dog did not move, which made Angela very happy. She knew Griff was beginning to trust her.
Angela set a few dog milestones at the very beginning. First, feed the dog out of hand. Second, make him walk on a leash. The poor dog was terrified, but soon got used to it. Now walking and staying outside has become his favorite pastime.
One of the biggest challenges for the duo was teaching Griff how to go up and down stairs. The first time her adopted dog approached her, Angela couldn’t believe he was actually approaching her. Winning the dog’s trust was the best feeling for a foster mom. Griff was now ready for adoption and was looking forward to moving into his eternal home.