Rescue and rehab of dogs is often part of a dog trainer’s life. I have had numerous rescue dogs I have fostered — Ruby, one of my first, a red merle australian shepherd pup — stayed 2 years and left to become a service dog to a little girl with spina bifada in 2003. Rarely did subsequent fosters stay for so long, but their time here was spent learning manners, integrating into a pack of other dogs, cats, kids and activity and leaving carefully placed in future homes that would be good fits for temperament and energy levels. Bosco, the banner mascot for the new website look, was my Fall 2010 Project.
An irrepressible black and white border collie mix found as a stray by my cousin and accepted into Camp A Better Pet a day or two later, he lived with me and the gang from the end of September until mid December when he was adopted by a lovely couple in Ashtabula. During his time here he was a joy to teach — smart as a whip and the energy level to keep up with all I could throw at him. He was a ham and loved posing for the camera. He has a look in his eye that melts hearts. But he did come with a little PTSD and some emotional damage — it’s unclear how long he was a stray or what his previous life had entailed, but I soon learned that outfitting him with a Har-Vest and certain dog clothes had a significantly and sedating effect on the high energy dog. It’s clear from this latest outfit, kindly sent by his owner, Dana, that he continues to exude a confident pose while dressed to celebrate Flag Day.
