Ralph

My story

Meet Ralph! Ralph was transferred to Animal Friends from a local partner shelter after being removed from a home where there were 7 total dogs living in poor condition. Believed to be a breeding operation, the dogs had not been properly socialized and all exhibiting varying degrees of fearful behaviors towards humans. Ralph was transported to a local shelter where the staff made every effort to work with him to be more comfortable around people. Unfortunately, Ralph was not showing much progress. Because Animal Friends has a reputation for working with fearful and under socialized animals, they reached out to us to request we take over his care and we readily accepted this sweet, shy boy! Ralph has lived in the Behavior Office since the time of his intake and has made positive progress. He loves to play with his toys, especially his little yellow ducky which is his favorite, and you can often find a tornado of toys strewn about his office! However, Ralph is a unique dog and, like many dogs from similar situations, will require an adopter who understands his individual needs. Ralph’s lack of socialization when he was young and the circumstances in which he lived mean that he will likely never be a “normal” dog. Ralph will require an adopter who maintains his routine and manages his needs carefully to protect his wellbeing. We believe that Ralph can live a happy, full life in a loving home with the proper management, expectations, and willingness to take additional steps to care for him. We feel strongly that an adopter with experience working with fearful dogs, particularly commercial breeding (puppy mill) survivors, would be best suited to meet Ralph’s needs. Adopters should also have a fenced in back yard and should live in an adult only home. Dogs that have been used for commercial breeding may have unique challenges as they learn to live in a home with a family. Many “normal” dog experiences will be new and can be overwhelming to them. Prospective adopters should be aware of potential challenges. These special dogs may need time, patience, training, and health care that can exceed the expectations of a pet owner. Ralph is a part of our Foster-To-Adopt Program, which means for 3 weeks our behavior department at animal friends will work with you and Ralph on his behavior and positive reinforcement training to facilitate a gentle transition into his new home. Ralph is also a part of our Rosie's Rule program. Animal Friends has teamed up with Fi Smart Dog Collar to provide GPS-enabled dog collars for Animal Friends' canine residents who may be at an increased risk of becoming separated from their handler. Once outfitted with a Fi Collar, Rosie's Rule dogs will keep their collar through adoption with a one-year subscription to the Fi App - at no cost to their new family. Interested? Fill out an application -> thinkingoutsidethecage.org All of our animals are altered, microchipped and up to date on vaccines before being made available for adoption. Animal Friends Inc. 562 Camp Horne Road, Pittsburgh PA 15237 PA Dog Kennel#: 1042

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Ralph, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.