The Rehabilitation Of Rosie

[Adrianna & Calvin]

So Calvin and I have two good friends, Linda (human) and Rosie (pit bull). Rosie was a stray dog taken to the city shelter last summer by the police after she was run over and left for dead. She was a very lucky girl, she caught Linda's eye and was saved from certain euthanasia. Linda is an older retired woman, and perhaps not the first person you'd think of to adopt an adolescent pit bull, but love conquers all! Linda took her from the shelter and broke into her retirement funds to get Rosie the surgeries and rehabilitation she needed.

Here is the video of Rosie's arrival at the shelter, where she would likely have been euthanized due to her injuries. Warning, graphic and sad:

During Rosie's rehab she was noted to be rather seriously dog-reactive and unfortunately 'made contact' with another dog, and got the dreaded Dog-Aggressive Pit Bull label. Through some great work by Linda, and some amazing work by Calvin, Rosie has been able to have a dog friend in her life. It took months of baby steps to get them close, and then a bit longer to get within sniffing distance, and not that long after that we were going on joint walks. Linda calls it Rosie's Great Romance, and here's the video to prove that time, patience, reward-based desensitization and a socially adept calm dog can conquer all, too!

 

[Dogster]

Rosie is beautiful!!!! It's so sad, seeing her in a horrible condition. I'm glad she got the help she needed. Linda did a fantastic thing by rescuing Rosie!! Btw, I LOVE that video!!! Calvin and Rosie make the CUTEST couple!!!!

 

[jackienmutts]

Awww, I love a good love story!! Rosie is beautiful, as is Linda!! And Calvin gets my nomination as hero of the year!! He's made my day!! Can you transport him here so I can use him for Makena?? I love that Rosie has a friend now, as every dog needs even just one!! It's a beautiful story, thanks for sharing !

 

[Puppylove]

Stories like this melt my heart...

People like Linda should be worshiped!

 

[sara]

I have some serious eye leakage going on here.... Computer screen is swimming...

I had a rescued Pit Bull be a Calvin for Oliver LOL. He was Ollie's only "outside" friend for quite a while. It really does make a difference if you can find a dog who is calm, confident, and socially adept.

 

[Adrianna & Calvin]

Aw thanks for reading her story. I'm just so proud of her, and of Calvin. Rosie is very people-friendly, you can even see in the first video (all bloodied, and with a tire mark across her back!) that she is weakly trying to wag her tail. So Linda was devastated when Rosie turned out to have some issues with other dogs. She's totally one of those "you lookin at me??!" types, and she's not afraid to back up her words with action. Like Jackie said, every dog needs at least that one friend, and I think it becomes important to the dog's guardian, too, as they feel (unnecessarily) they have to prove their dog is a good dog. Linda was just bursting with pride when they went on their first 'date' together, a joint walk to get Italian ice

And Sara you're right, the right dog makes such a difference. He was straight out of the Turid Rugaas playbook from the beginning -- offering soft friendly greetings when she was calm, sniffing and meandering when she started to get riled up. Once we got them close, he studiously ignored her rude behavior (bumping into him, rushing up too quickly), things that 90% of other dogs would have reacted to, and gave low-key positive feedback when she was appropriate. I was frankly surprised to see how 'normally' she played, given the social awkwardness she displayed previously. I think once she trusted him, all of the stiffness melted away. It's not in the video, but she even rolled over for face-wrestling.

One funny thing on that first date, when we were walking home, there was a reactive dog across the street who made trouble. Calvin was a little ahead, deciding whether to pee on this stone planter with his left or right leg up, and Rosie spotted the tough guy on the other side of the street and exploded. Calvin, being deaf and unable to see that far across the street anyway, had his head pointed the other way and went on investigating his 'pee mail'. Once Rosie got herself in hand, I'm sure she marveled at his calmness in the face of such provocation!

The next day was when he happily mistook her for a trash bag

 

[Jean Cote]

Wow, that first video was extremely sad to watch. Glad there was a happy ending with the 2nd video though!

 

[jackienmutts]

That's just fabulous, and sounds so similar to just how Alfie reacted to Makena when they first met. Just kinda looked at her like "wow, you're really a loud one, aren't you?" and went about the business of walking and sniffing, totally ignoring her (I was at Shep Rescue with her, and long story very very short, ended up fostering him). We walked them for quite a while, and they ended up walking together, and she became quite interested in him - he seemed to understand how to deal with her, and he was only around 10 mos old. He's now almost 7, but he's also always been one of those dogs who just "gets" other dogs, and seems to understand what they need. Love those dogs!! She also somehow met one other dog, her "Calvin", a Choc Lab, in the neighboghood, just in his front yard - weird for her, cuz she doesn't just 'meet' other dogs. It was instant love between her and Bear, and they had playdates weekly for several years until Bear moved. I was so sad, cuz how do you explain that to a dog? She still, after 2 yrs, stops and stares at his house when we pass by, waiting for him to come out. She'll always be a work in progress, and thanks to dogs like Calvin, there's always hope! And thanks to people like Linda, dogs like Rosie are given chances (yes, I saw those tires marks and was horrified).

They're so cute together .... funny, he looks like the more prim and proper one, and she looks like the 'big lug'. What kind of dog is Calvin? (besides a cute one?)

Adrianna, what you said above about dogs with dog-issues, and always feeling like you have to prove your dog is a good dog .... I was saying that exact thing to a friend just a few days ago. Makena is wonderful with people, just lovely. Her only problem is with other dogs, and she's come so far, no more huge outbursts if the dog is kept 6' away from her - that's all I ask. We can walk closer, in our time, but we can't be approached - you know the drill. And yet some people insist (cuz their dog is friendly , you know that drill too). And of course, I feel I must constantly defend her, as I get that feeling from them ... if your dog doesn't like my dog, then I don't like her. I suppose it's constant education, because for lots, they assume you have a "bad dog" and need to train it (out of them) or something, I'm never sure. We just always work in public (parks, etc) so I figure the more we do, maybe others can learn and be more cognizant of others (meaning other reactive dogs too). One person and one dog at a time.....

 

[Dogster]

Awww, they're both ADORABLE!!!!

 

[MaryK]

The first vid so sad, horrified she was left like that, to ghastly to contemplate. The second vid, made me cry again but this time for happy. That's a Love Story which I LOVE to see.

And what a beautiful girl she is, all healed, clean and with that 'love' glow about her. Calvin is one very special dog, just beautiful

 

[Adrianna & Calvin]

They're so cute together .... funny, he looks like the more prim and proper one, and she looks like the 'big lug'. What kind of dog is Calvin? (besides a cute one?)

I think he's maybe a Corgi/BC or Corgi/Aussie? He is definitely a double merle, so two breeds with merle, one of whom must have short legs. It's possible he's a dwarf by happenstance, but usually those random genetic mutations cause much more severe bone issues, so I think there's a merle Cardigan Corgi in there somewhere. He's from a rural area where there were probably working dogs so another herding breed is my guess. Comically, Calvin does give 'eye' and stalks, though lord knows he's basically stalking a blur at most distances Rosie is definitely the 'brawn' in the relationship!

And of course, I feel I must constantly defend her, as I get that feeling from them ... if your dog doesn't like my dog, then I don't like her. I suppose it's constant education, because for lots, they assume you have a "bad dog" and need to train it (out of them) or something, I'm never sure.

A few years ago, when I still had my big Catahoula X, I was sitting in the park with him when an illegally off leash adolescent dog came charging towards us. I yelled for the guy to call off his dog, he looked at me dumbfounded, and I pointed to my much larger dog and said -- he ain't friendly! and this made the guy take swift action. Now my dog actually was ok with other dogs, but he was older and didn't need a young whippersnapper rushing him, and besides I wanted the guy to stop being a jerk and put his out of control dog on a leash

Anyway, as I was leaving a little while later, there were two college-age girls sitting not far away and as I passed them, one said, wide-eyed and scandalized, "Your dog's NOT friendly? That's terrible."

Now I admit to being a bit of a momma bear, and I was instantly furious for all of the reasons you'd probably be. But I said quite calmly, "So you like everyone that you've ever met, even strangers that run up and shove you? No? Oh but he's supposed to, right? No one in the world has to control themselves but him, I guess." They both looked at me, stunned, and said nothing. I don't see why every single dog has to be a behavioral angel sent straight from heaven, when humans regularly scream at each other over parking spaces and lines in Starbucks. [stamps foot, steps off of soapbox]

 

[MaryK]

Very true A & C. Why should dogs have to like everyone they meet? Actually they do better at liking people than a lot of people do!