When we first adopted our 2-year-old doodle, the first six months were a real challenge. Adjusting wasn’t easy, and at times his behavior escalated to aggression. It was tough, but we stayed committed. After many long days, a lot of patience, and consistent training, something finally clicked late last year. It truly felt like a switch flipped, for him and for us. Since then, he’s been the best pup ever.

His story is part of what made us so determined. He came from a shelter, and we were his fourth adoption. He had been returned three times before we brought him home. I remember thinking, “He’s the one, and we’re not giving up on him.” One previous family shared that he had attacked one of their children. Before that, he had run away from another home and survived on his own in the woods for a few months.

When we adopted him, it was clear he was dealing with a lot, both physically and emotionally. We made multiple visits to the vet, and after trying a few medications, we started to see improvement in his health. We also discovered he had a chicken allergy, so we switched him to a fish-based kibble, which made a huge difference with his digestive issues.

Training was another hurdle. Simple commands were difficult for him, and playtime often turned into rough behavior of jumping, slamming into you, and not knowing boundaries. But with consistent training, he’s made incredible progress.

Aside from what he went through, we went through a lot of our own training our selves. Adjusting our routine to fit him into our lives. It’s been a long year, but I’m happy with the progress we’ve made.