Do some of the dogs at the Home seem intimidating? We tell you everything we know about a dog – the good and the bad – but that doesn’t mean they won’t make great family dogs. Here is a story  about Vinnie, who would have been a terrible prospect on paper…

I had been desperate to get a dog for years and finally my partner and I had managed to get on the property ladder, so I eagerly started looking. I had never considered a German Shepard before, but when I read Vinnie’s horrific story online, I immediately had my heart set on providing him a home that he urgently needed.

On first meeting Vinnie, I was quite intimidated, however gradually over a month my partner and I built up a relationship with him and he started to trust us. On bringing him home he quickly showed aggression towards people and dogs, which made walks a nightmare and almost impossible for friends and family to come to our house. With the cruelty Vinny had endured I could understand why he was displaying this nervous aggression, but this did not make it any easier to deal with. With the help of the Bath Cats & Dogs Home behaviourist, Steve, we persevered by using techniques that required positive association of people and dogs.

Six months on….
Vinnie is doing great. He is off the lead on walks all the time, socialises beautifully with all dogs and enjoys affection from everyone. He is very obedient and on calling his name he runs back to us instantly, his loving nature and loyalty are a credit to him. We will never truly know what cruelty he endured prior to the dogs home, but within the space of six months his perception of the world has changed and he no longer see people or dogs as a threat. We have since got Vinnie a friend, Rufus a Vizsla puppy, and the pair are now inseparable. I would like to thank everyone in the dogs home, and especially Steve for all the help and input you have given Vinnie to make him the happy dog he is today.