Dagen
DAGEN HAS BEEN ADOPTED! – At just 1 year old, Dagen found himself in rescue for being an unruly adolescent Shiba with no manners. All thanks to a complete lack of training, exercise, and leadership!
As an under-socialized dog, Dagen struggled in his first foster home. He was reactive to strangers, and things were not progressing in the direction of co-existing nicely with their other Shiba. Dagen had to be moved before his reactivity to people worsened, or the bad blood between the Shibas turned him off to dogs completely!
At the time, we didn’t have the right foster for him, so Dagen was moved to the home of our beloved Director, Mary, her hubby JC, and their 2 Shibas, Kumo and Koda. Mary and JC definitely were not looking to adopt. They had just “foster failed” with Koda last year, and it always made sense to remain open in case they needed to foster a special case, like Dagen.
Dagen was traumatized by loosing his first family, then moving to a home that wasn’t right, and then a 3rd home; all in a relatively short period of time. Dagen was on edge and needed time to relax, build confidence, and relearn that dogs and strangers are ok. With Mary’s training background and rescue experience, we knew she could manage the slow introductions to Kumo and Koda, reconditioning Dagen’s response to dogs and strangers, and teaching this ill-mannered pup to be a good boy.
It was a ton of work and took about 8 months, but Dagen loved to rough house (appropriately) with Koda and JC, how to adapt play for his elder, Kumo and was also making new human friends. He was finally ready for a new home, but JC and the boys had other plans. JC made it clear there was no ways Mary was breaking up this Shiba bro-fest on his watch. So then there were 3…and doesn’t look like Mary will be fostering again anytime soon unless she moves somewhere with a higher legal limit for dogs 😉
