Charlie (bite history)

Charlie aKa CharChar is almost 9.5yrs old and came to QBSDR in Nov. 2020 at the age of 7yrs old. He was surrendered by his second home after he began attacking the Alaskan Malamute in the home and biting his owner in the process. We’re not sure of the circumstances behind his first rehoming, just that he was posted on FB marketplace and taken in by a family friend. It was reported that Charlie had severe fear aggression and resource guarding in his second home, barked excessively, and growled at children that came too close.  We never saw issues with fear aggression when he came into our care, but we did see extreme levels of anxiety, particularly separation anxiety. Charlie was very needy and clingy to anyone that gave him ample amounts of affection or attention. He would get so clingy that he would put on the full brakes, refusing to leave the person, and when walked away on leash, pulled in the direction of the person he clung too.  He would cry and whine a very high pitched, distressing whine and would become so anxious, he could not relax. Being that anxious and clingy was a very unhealthy state to be in, so to help him overcome those moments of anxiety, gain confidence, and develop a sense of independence, anyone he clung to was instructed to ask him for space. If Charlie jumped up or tried to climb into laps, sat on feet, sat under a person’s chair, leaned against their legs, or nudged their hand with his snout to demand pettings, they were to ask him for space. Asking him for space opened the opportunity for him to learn how to cope in a different way VS being inadvertently rewarded or praised when petted, comforted, or coddled with baby talk. As Charlie began to gain a sense of independence and learned to coexist with everyone around him, he began to relax and play with toys in the yard, or chew on chews. Like every other dog, CharChar was taught the fundamental rules and boundaries, which helped him develop a greater sense of confidence in himself, trust and respect with the people in his life, and to look to those people for direction and guidance.  As Charlie continued growing into the best version of himself, he began alerting us to things that needed attention like someone in the driveway, when a dog was getting out of line and needed correcting, and laying down into a relaxed state to help other dogs experiencing anxiety learn to relax as well.  Charlie also found purpose in life as a teacher - not just to other dogs, but to people as well.  On multiple occasions, he was one of the visiting dogs at the Dog Psychology Center, helping teach students during workshops. He was also a helper dog at the ranch during assessments of other dogs and during QBSDR training workshops. Charlie continues to blossom with every passing day, and although he has a bite history, we believe he would make an amazing companion dog to his future person, in a calm household. He’s a medium energy dog, so his exercise needs aren’t over the top. He’s a petite guy, so his weight would need to be kept at a healthy, lean level. His future home would also need to be committed to maintaining his training, mindful and intentional about their physical interactions with CharChar, and recognize when Charlie would need more tough love VS coddling or comforting. Charlie is a fun-loving guy, and we know his fun-loving person is out there, and that they’ll find each other in due time.