pet adoptions gone wrong

Four years ago, my husband and I needed to get a dog. It was an urge we simply could not ignore any longer. We located a dog friendly apartment with a spacious back yard and paid so much more for the right to get a dog. We researched breeds and shelters. We prepared completely for the new arrival, and since we were both dog owners in the past, we were ready. We knew the questions to ask and that patience was a virtue when looking for the next member to your family.
After several unsuccessful trips to the humane society and various other shelters, we ran into who would now be our dog. She was a tall, broad shouldered pitt-bull/german Shepard mix. She had the most beautiful markings and captivating eyes. Once you looked at her, you wanted her. She was perfect to look at. Appearance is not everything though, and we were fully prepared to find out that she was too hyper, too shy, too anything and not what we wanted.
We did take her back and spend some alone time with her. After checking out the room we were in, she seemed perfectly comfortable in the small room with us and simply sat down. She didn't bark, there was no whining. She seemed perfectly well mannered. Once we were satisfied with her, we called the volunteers back and returned her to her kennel while we found more information on her. It should be noted that she walked great on her leash for these people.
We asked all the usual questions about how old she is and her name, which was Pudge. We asked about previous medical conditions and temperment issues. We even asked how long she had been in the kennel. We were so miss-informed. Her name and age were correct, but everything else was wrong. They stated that she had no medical concerns, she ended up with a bladder infection and flea infestations. We were told that she loves everyone, she dislikes blacks, dogs, cats and just about everything else that moves. Bikes and vacuums are the bane of existence in her world. We asked about how long she was there, and they stated that she has been there for a while and that they have handled her with ease the entire time. After I got her home, a note on the adoption slip indicated she had been there for a single day.
Now we were in for it. The dog that I had now named Cherished Trisha was with us and had a host of temperment issues that were not going to be as easy to cure as her medical issues. Not being one to give up on any living thing, I enrolled her into puppy classes, which we were kicked out of when she tried to attack one of her classmates, and eventually hired a personal trainer for her. My poor personal trainer, she worked constantly with this dog who was smart enough to figure out the tricks that she tried to use. Poppers and shake cans quickly fell into the list of items that had no effect at distracting her. Treats were of very little interest to Trisha. Trisha was proving to be a handful for everyone. Physiological exam as well as physical exams would prove a terrible problem, Trisha had been either a bait dog or a fight dog, and now we were trying to retrain the aggression out of her.
We gave her frequent walks designed to show her new situations and people. We worked with her non-stop. We became more alert to the factors that would scare her and set her off. We slowly weened her off the muzzle that we had been using to protect her and the public. We were winning the battle, if not the war. Then it happened. Trisha turned two, and after living with us for a year and a half, she finally realized, we were not going to hurt her or allow anyone or anything else to hurt her.
Now at four years old, Trisha sits behind me as I type out her life story. The scars of her past are still riddled on her body. The trauma is still in her mind, but the security that she is loved keeps her safe. Though not all her problems have been cured, she is getting better. We can now pass people on the street with no problems. We can pass dogs that are tied up or on leashes with ease, although the loose ones still make her very nervous. We can leave her alone and the house remains intact.
It would have been nice to know all these issues before we adopted Trisha. It would have been great to have gotten a dog without issues. If we had been a different family, Trisha's recovery might not have happened and she may have ended up in the shelter again, or worse. Through it all though, I am glad we got Trisha. She is loyal and sweet, now. I just wish it would have been a little easier.