Ginger, a 2½-year-old Golden mix, has had a difficult young life. At her owner’s home, she was crated for 10 hours a day, never trained, never socialized with people or other dogs, and barked excessively, most likely out of fear. We tried her in two different homes, but, for one reason or another, she did not fit in with either family. After getting all her standard vetting done, we decided that we had to enroll her at Partners Dog Training School for behavior modification and obedience training. She did very well at Partners, but when she finished her 3 weeks of “boot camp”, the designated fosters were unable to follow through with the training. They kept her for a few days until we found the perfect adopter for her in Surprise. In the recent past, she had lost both her husband and the first dog she adopted from AGR, so she was open to having another dog. She was also willing to make the hour-long drive from her house to Partners once a week for 8 weeks. With one-on-one lessons with the head trainer and then in group classes, she learned to work with Ginger herself. In fact, this routine is what AGR requires of foster families who want to adopt a dog we have had trained at Partners. To help control her anxiety, Ginger was started on Prozac. It took some time to stabilize her with the right dosage, but the medication has done the trick. The adopter related:

Ginger has become the joy of my life. She is so enthusiastic and full of energy. If I would, she’d play ball 24/7. She loves her yard and is so active that when I bring her inside she takes a nap so she’ll be ready to go again. I think she’s pretty much over her anxieties, but sometimes they show up on our walks, which are twice a day. She won’t use the doggie door unless I prop the flap open – I’m not sure why. She does a little pirouette when I give her her meds. She’s probably the most affectionate dog I’ve ever had and loves sharing the couch and bed. She cocks her head when I’m talking to her and is so attentive. I’d take her everywhere if possible, and she loves going along. She likes to bark at the neighbor yappers and the birds but will stop when I correct her. AGR events have been great for both of us and we’re looking forward to more.