I haven't heard much from Victor since he was adopted. Victor is a long haired shepherd, not my favorite look, but he is a strikingly handsome dog. He was rather dog aggressive for quite some time. I had him living with Bud, who could handle him without either of them getting hurt, but it wasn't until Hercules came along that Victor really learned how to relate to other dogs. Victor (right) absolutely adored Herc.
What Herc (left) absolutely loved was playing fetch. We would go out to the pasture and I'd use the tennis ball thrower. Herc would run after the ball with Victor a half stride behind him the entire way. I wish I had a picture of them running together, but all I ever got was a blur of long hair and flying slobber. If Victor managed to get the ball first, there would be a scuffle. Actually it was a huge, loud, snarling wrestling match between the two boys. Fights between male dogs are usually more sound and fury than actual blood. I never get involved and they usually stop when I walk away. Victor and Herc never actually hurt each other beyond pulling off tufts of the other's long hair. Before long, Victor learned that the fun was in the chase and he didn't ever seriously try for the ball, he just wanted to run with his buddy Hercules.
Victor was a stray from far down in the mountains of southwest Virginia. He was the only dog I've taken from down there who had
heartworms. We treated him for the
heartworms and got him neutered. He lived with me for several months although I nearly put him down after he attacked another dog with absolutely no provocation. It seemed that when Victor got worked up, he would just explode in a burst of aggressive energy directed at the nearest dog. Hercules probably saved his life because he provided Victor with an outlet for that energy and he eventually learned to get along with other dogs.
To make an anthropomorphic analogy, if Victor was a gay kid, Herc was his first crush. It was a mostly one-sided relationship and Victor would have been devastated if Hercules had left him. Fortunately, Victor got adopted first and he now lives in Washington, D.C. Such a change of life this dog has had. The owners are a nice young couple and they had experience with shepherds. They have taken him to a trainer who has experience with rescued shepherds as well and he seems to be making good progress, although they say that he still needs work on "independence and socialization." I can believe that from what I observed with Victor and Herc. He really needs a lead dog.
Hmmm, maybe they just need another.
I haven't heard much from Victor since he was adopted. Victor is a long haired shepherd, not my favorite look, but he is a strikingly handsome dog. He was rather dog aggressive for quite some time. I had him living with Bud, who could handle him without either of them getting hurt, but it wasn't until Hercules came along that Victor really learned how to relate to other dogs. Victor (right) absolutely adored Herc.
Victor was a stray from far down in the mountains of southwest Virginia. He was the only dog I've taken from down there who had heartworms. We treated him for the heartworms and got him neutered. He lived with me for several months although I nearly put him down after he attacked another dog with absolutely no provocation. It seemed that when Victor got worked up, he would just explode in a burst of aggressive energy directed at the nearest dog. Hercules probably saved his life because he provided Victor with an outlet for that energy and he eventually learned to get along with other dogs.
To make an anthropomorphic analogy, if Victor was a gay kid, Herc was his first crush. It was a mostly one-sided relationship and Victor would have been devastated if Hercules had left him. Fortunately, Victor got adopted first and he now lives in Washington, D.C. Such a change of life this dog has had. The owners are a nice young couple and they had experience with shepherds. They have taken him to a trainer who has experience with rescued shepherds as well and he seems to be making good progress, although they say that he still needs work on "independence and socialization." I can believe that from what I observed with Victor and Herc. He really needs a lead dog. Hmmm, maybe they just need another.
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