Don’t be mistaken – Ralphie is no ordinary dog.
Beneath his hauntingly cute face and adorable infantile expression lies a real demon. At least, that’s what his caregivers have to say about him.
Yes, he’s a Frenchie. And no, he doesn’t possess that innocent, quirky Frenchie demeanor. Instead, he’s a fierce fighter for no apparent reason.
For some reason, Ralphie held a grudge against the entire world…until he found his perfect passion!
A Nightmare Disguised In A Dog
Ralphie’s demanding and hostile nature was the reason he had been returned to the shelter twice. He was simply “too much” for his former adopters, who ultimately decided to part ways instead of keeping him.
Then, new hope emerged.
When his third adopters submitted an application to Niagara SPCA, New York, his caregivers hoped they would be Ralphie’s perfect match. Unfortunately, just a few weeks later, he was returned again.
For reasons this New York shelter can’t explain, Ralphie grew into a severely aggressive dog. As there are no signs of him being abused or neglected in the past, their best guess is that his cute look got him whatever he wanted earlier in life, and now he likes to “boss” everyone around.
“At first glance, he’s an adorable, highly sought after young dog. People should be banging down our doors for him. We promise you, that won’t be the case. Ralphie is a terror in a somewhat small package,” Niagara SPCA wrote on Facebook.
Though the SPCA tries to maintain a positive tone, Ralphie is often labeled a “fire-breathing demon” who even bites at any opportunity.
In one of the videos they posted on Facebook, the shelter showed Ralphie’s aggression towards a staff member.
“This is Ralphie. In this video, a staff member is trying to go in his kennel to retrieve a toy he has gutted. He’s not just jumping here. He’s trying to bite their fingers as they unlatch the kennel,” the New York shelter wrote in the video description.
In their posts, the shelter urged “only serious adopters” to apply for this Frenchie, as he’s definitely not a match for everyone, especially inexperienced owners, or families with small children and pets.
Over seven hundred emails and applications later, Ralhpie’s caregivers began to lose hope.
Then, a man reached out!
Finally, The Perfect Match
Jason Lin, a dog trainer with over ten years of experience learned about Ralphie’s situation and immediately decided to take him in.
Even though he’s not an “ideal” adopter according to the advertisement (as he has five dogs of his own), the shelter was more than happy to match him with Ralphie.
“After reviewing 700+ emails, speaking with several dozen potential adopters and sending applicants on to Ralphie’s trainer to review, we found who we believe is Ralphie’s perfect adopter,” the shelter wrote on Facebook.
Thanks to previous training sessions Ralphie had taken in the shelter, along with Lin’s daily work, he eventually acclimated to the new environment.
Jason managed to channel Ralphie’s fierce nature into many exciting activities, including playtime with other dogs, daily outdoor exercise, and walks. But one in particular drew Ralphie’s attention the most – skateboarding!
For some reason, this tiny fighter loves to hop on a skateboard and just casually stroll down the street with his dad. When he’s on a skateboard, he’s practically a different dog.
Although some people remain skeptical about his transformation, Ralphie’s perfected skateboarding skills prove that he can follow commands and change.
After all, he’s just beginning to experience a new life. With Jason and his new furry buddies around, I’m absolutely sure that he’ll soon erase that “demon” label from his resume. He just needs time.
You can keep up with Ralphie’s daily activities on his Instagram and Facebook.