05/29/2025
I never intended to adopt a dog that needed maintenance hairdos to be healthy and happy. In fact, I avoided it.
Enter Neyland.
He joined us last year for a board and train. He had bitten his family several times. His stay with us was pretty uneventful...I sent him home proud of his progress. He did great around other animals, allowed pets from new people and even went to the lake with my family for a boat ride. But...things unraveled pretty quickly once he settled back in. He knew his commands, but the biting continued. When the family decided they couldn't do it anymore, we offered to let Neyland come back to stay. I thought we could find him a home after brushing up his training.
Nope.
This dude. He loves hard. But he also bites, hard. The past few months, he's gotten me several times. My husband, our son, groomers, too. Things that have been thrown at this situation - training, muzzles, boundaries, exercise, vet care, tests, meds (diff combos), desensitizing him to triggers, Animal Communication and Energy Healing.
The toughest thing is that this isn't lack of training. We aren't missing behavioral cues. He just can't regulate when he's overstimulated. While 98% of the time, he's fine...we know that he can go quickly from fine to fury. We know how to watch for it. Animal communication was difficult, as more than one communicator found him "foggy" and "confused" (while not on meds). We continue to utilize EFT and Scalar Wave.
All of this to say. He needed us. He is teaching me so much. While we may never be sure what the underlying issue is, we can see progress in this dude. He can sometimes just move away or "correct" instead of bite now. He responds appropriately to me moving around him in the house, without guarding anything. He can get half a haircut while not frantic now. He has so many dog friends. He does great at doggy daycare.
If he were a human, I believe they'd say he struggles with mental health or has a brain issue of some kind. I am still researching and working with him. While he's mostly good, I know he is a tough dog. Your average family couldn't handle him, and most wouldn't want to after a bite. Right now, he can't be adopted. But he's safe with us.
There are days I think we can’t do it. Days I absolutely don't understand this dude. But, there are moments we really connect. He loves learning and cuddling (on his terms). He has a full, fun life. And we're managing.
I'm sharing this to introduce you to Neyland (we're still deciding on a name change). And to remind anyone with a challenging dog that you aren't alone. Talk to other folks. Ask for help. Think outside the box. Stay open. Sometimes it takes a village. Sometimes progress is slow. Sometimes it's really slow. Some days are great. Somedays he bites both you and Rebecca before you can get his half a haircut finished.
