Corey (bite history, no inhibition)

Corey is 12.5yrs old and was rescued in 2014 from the Irvine shelter, as QBSDR’s very first sanctuary dog. He was “rescue only” due to his bite history. Corey was his owner’s first dog, purchased from a pet store (which means he came from a puppy mill), and lived the spoiled dog life. He was given anything he wanted and always got his way, which created a spoiled and insecure dog. Prior to him ending up at the shelter, Susan had been in contact with the owner over Corey’s behaviors and advised that Corey should be muzzle conditioned and muzzled during interactions.  We learned that he had been bounced around from family members to friends, to even his groomer. He had already bitten and drew blood on 9 people. Unfortunately, during Corey’s last bite incident, he was not muzzled and ended up biting his owners mom on the arm as she was brushing him. He caused a deep laceration across her arm that required stitches. The shelter called Susan, saying her number had been left with the front desk, and that a corgi named Corey had been dropped off. Shelter staff saw the injury that was sustained and immediately determined Corey was not an adoption candidate. Two options were given to us - 1) QBSDR take Corey or 2) Corey gets euthanized. Number 2 was not an option as Corey deserved a chance, opening the door to QBSDR becoming a sanctuary for behaviorally challenged dogs. When first rescued, Corey had food aggression, resource guarding, dog aggression, human aggression, and was highly reactive towards sudden sounds (phone ringing, sneezing, vacuums, etc.). He did not like being touched and would attempt to bite if a hand brushed across his face or tried to pet him. He was insecure, scared, and untrusting of people. Time was spent muzzle conditioning, desensitizing to physical touch, restructuring his understanding of household rules, and establishing a relationship. Bonding exercises like walks, hikes, and helping him understand that he was no longer in charge was vital. It was crucial for Corey (and all dogs, really) that he had someone that he considered his leader/mamaBear/trusted+respected authority figure. Over time, Corey revealed himself to be a very sensitive dog and through time and consistency, has become one of our most respectful dogs. He is freakishly intelligent, loves to work, and continues to be very athletic, even in his senior years. He is deeply bonded to his person and shares his two favorite things with her: playing fetch, and catching wind on car rides with his head out the window. He has OBD (Obsessive Ball Disorder) and will play fetch until his legs fall off. He has hip dysplasia so although he may want to play as though he is still 2yrs old, games must end sooner than he’d like. He will continue to be on glucosamine for the duration of his life, and anti-inflammatories to keep him comfortable. Corey is a volunteer favorite, winning over hearts with his playfulness, and goofy smile.