As expected, Shadow did not do well with his test around other dogs. But there is some good news.
Yesterday morning, Mom and I took Shadow to a local park to have him evaluated by a rescue group. The big test was going to be how he did around another dog.
On the plus side, Shadow was fine when he was looking at other dogs from a distance. As soon as one of the rescue workers brought a dog near him, though, Shadow lost it.
He began growling and tugging on his leash. He really wanted to fight the other dog. Mom and one of the rescue workers were working together to hold him back.
To Mom and I, this result was not surprising. As I wrote before, Shadow has not done well on walks when he sees other animals. But there is good news.
The rescue workers believe Shadow can be trained. They agree he needs to be in a home with no other animals or children. They also realize he needs to be with someone who can work with him.
At the end of the meeting, they gave us a surrender form that would enable us to sign him over to them. Once the form is received, they will begin looking for a foster placement for Shadow.
In the meantime, we will go ahead with his neutering scheduled for Friday. The rescue group is also going to put us in touch with a trainer who will be better able to assess Shadow’s training needs and develop a timetable for when he could be ready for adoption.
Given the abuse he has suffered, yesterday went as well as I was expecting. I’m glad they believe Shadow can be trained and that they think there will be a suitable placement for him.
Around people Shadow is a good boy. In the car, he kept licking my ears and seeking attention. He interacted very well with the rescue workers, until another dog got too close for his comfort.
So, we will keep going. Hopefully, Shadow will soon be getting the kind of help he needs.