All George Wants for Christmas...

Dec 22, 2011

George needs your help to make his Christmas wish come true.  The handsome, snow white pittie mix with the light green eyes is hoping for the chance to turn his luck around and make his future a bright one.

George came to the shelter as a puppy...an adorable roly poly puppy without the ability to hear.  Being deaf does not have to hold a dog back one bit.  But being deaf in a shelter brings added challenges.   Without a home of his own, it falls to APA!'s Dog Behavior Team to get George the support he needs - and we are determined to do just that.

Any dog who comes to the shelter as a young or adolescent puppy and does not get adopted quickly reaches a threshold where the shelter environment no longer works for them.  Growing up in the shelter is far from ideal and, even with all of the behavior support a dog is provided, they cannot stay in that environment indefinitely.

George came to APA! when he was about 5 months old.  He is now 9 months old.

Mini George...

...and Medium George both like to go on outings.

Mini George...

...and Medium George are both very intelligent, thoughtful boys.

And, Mini George...

...and Medium George both love to nap.

From the tiny puppy George was when he came to us, to the bigger adolescent pup George is today, one thing has always been clear; this is a very special dog who deserves to live a wonderful life filled with all of the happy, normal doggie experiences.

Unfortunately, it has also become clear to us that George is not on the path to that life right now and that we need to intervene and change his trajectory.  We have done our best for George with our in-shelter behavior program and it's time to step up our game.

George has the opportunity to participate in a 16 day intensive foster style board and train program through The Canine Center for Training and Behavior.  Unlike most traditional board & trains where a dog stays at the shelter or training facility in a crate or kennel and is taken out a few times a day to be worked with, George will be living at four separate trainers' homes.  He will receive 1:1 training support in an environment that allows him to relax and just be a dog; something George has become too stressed in the shelter environment to allow himself to do.

Upon completion of this program, George will transition to a foster home with APA! where he will continue working the program and building the skills he's learned at TCCTB until adoption.  What's more, he will be far better prepared to thrive in his adoptive home when his people finally find him.

George's foster/train program will cost us $500 and we can tell you he is worth every penny and more.  Please help us raise the money to get this special dog the support he needs to find his way home!



*Follow George and the rest of the Louie's Fresh Start dogs on Facebook!