2/21/07 - I just wanted to let everyone know my FTA that we adopted in April, Brutus ( formerly named by us Brutus Tyler because all wild children need to have two names) is really turning out to be a wonderful dog. All the changes on how we treated him have made a huge change in him. He still needs a lot of work but I am proud to say we are coming along well.  And I am happy to say that he is a very happy dog with lots of wiggles, boxer bends and some kisses when he feels the need.
 Brutus got very protective of his house and would take over and try to run out anyone new coming into the house. he would jump and snap at people standing hair up and all. Kim Barnett came to help us learn how to be a leader to him, so the journey began.  He is typically leashed and in the sit position when someone new comes over. They ignore him and he has to be calm and paying attention to me before he can be let go. Once they are in he is a fine and loving dog. it's that first 10 seconds of meeting some new.  Today some friends of our came into the house. They are not here often so Brutus doesn't know them well. They know the rules to "ignore" the dogs when they first come in. They are NOT dog people so I usually let the dogs say hello and they are gated. They came in before I got to Brutus.  They ignored him as directed with no talk no touch no eye contact. He did NOT jump on them, make any nasty noises or put his hair up. He was very good and even got to stay around them.  Brutus was excited for just a few minutes and then was calm. This was a great day for Brutus. Non regular visitors and no leash and he behaved.
I have been home a lot over the last week more than normal and he won't leave my side. And he has been SOOO good.  We have started leaving him out of his crate at night in the room he shares with Yellow behind a gate. He has been good for the last couple weeks.  One morning I left him loose when I went to work knowing my husband would be up ion a couple hors and he was great too.
I just wanted to share how the "project dog " I was not looking for is becoming the wonderful dog I always hoped to have and the great dog I knew he is inside.   Angela

1/13/07 - It has been a while since I have updated on Brutus. This dog came into our home an stole our hearts, then became our "wild child" and with the help of Kim Barnett now is just becoming a very good dog. Our day starts by getting Brutus from his crate we call his "house" and Yellow out of their room. Brutus doesn't come flying out of his crate he wait patiently for me to invite him out. He's sweet like a little kid that's just woken up and is all smiles. That's how he is every morning with all wiggles and boxer bends. We have an electric fence so they can go out to potty. I don't always have time in the morning for walks but he gets one at night. He has breakfast and goes in his house until Daddy gets up around 9. They are with Daddy most of the day until he goes to work around 3. Then I get home around 6:30 we go for our walk. Walking has been a challenge for us. Brutus has become aggressive with strange dogs and our neighborhood has a bunch of them. Kim came up to help us and she taught me how to correct him and what to do if he escalates. Yellowdog also get excited on a leash and controlling 2 dogs can sometimes be interesting but we are improving with each walk. We have come so far in 2 months! I am back to enjoying my walks with the dogs, not dreading it like I was for a short time.

Then we have play time. Brutus is so smart that is amazes me. He has that specialness about him that makes me smile when he uses something I teach him in other ways. (good and bad) But I love that he uses his brain. He and Yellow are great buddies. They play a lot and wrestle up a storm. We are in the process of teaching that jumping play needs to be outside.  So they'll have "face fights" laying in front of the couch. The noises just make me laugh. Brutus loves to play tug. Humans aren't allowed to play it with him because he is so dominant. He'll bring a tug to Yellow. If she doesn't really feel like playing she'll stay laying on the carpet being dead weight. Brutus can tug her off the carpet and drag her into the kitchen while standing on hardwood floor! Silly dogs!! Seeing them snuggled next to each other is a joy. Sometimes her head on him or vice versa. But they dog stay very close to each other.

Brutus was having people aggression issues too. These showed up around the same time the dog aggression did. Brutus was not wanting people to get into the house. He would lunge at them, snap at them, and jump at them. I got very scared he would bite someone. It was so weird because he was great at the summer parties where of between 15 and 30 people. He was definitely trying to be the leader when this started. Kim and I spent time on the phone and I brought him to training day with her before she came. (I wanted her to see before hand what she was getting into and to see if she could help us, which thankfully she thought he was "quite fixable") I am so lucky that most of my friends and family come over they know the rules. The dogs have to sit before they come in the door, they are not allowed to talk to the dogs, touch them or make eye contact with them until they are calm and the person coming in is settled. With a lot of consistency this has worked so well. I am NOT afraid to new have people in the house anymore. Once in the house he is fine with them (always has been). It was that initial meeting that was the rough part. Once in the house Brutus accepts them as part of the pack. He is nothing but sweet adorable and kind. People are so taken by him they can't help but fall in love with him. I can't tell you all the time and effort this has taken on a consistent basis. Sometimes very tiring for me. I know it will be like that for a very long time but I made a commitment to this dog and we are going to work it through. I feel every animal comes into our lives for a reason, whether it be to teach us something, be that special companion, or help us find a new part of ourself. Brutus's job is teaching me the importance of consistency for the long haul. My horses taught me patience that prepared me for Brutus, but he is teaching me that consistency is vital. And when I look into that sweet boxer face, he gives me those wonderful kisses, or that nubby of his going a million miles per hour, my heart just swells. H

We take our really long walks on the weekends. Last weekend we walked about 5 miles on the rail trail. There were tons of dogs, people, bicycles and kids. Kim told me she thinks one of the things that will help Brutus is to have him around dogs more so we can practice ignoring/ tolerating them. The trail is the perfect place for that. Most people have thier dogs leashed so that is the place to go. When meeting a new dog, I have to correct, have him sit with back to the new dog and not look at them. Brutus is 80+ pounds and very tall, so doing this started out rough but is working well. I know sometimes he can still kind of see the dog but he is calm. I also ask him to lay down and he is better that way too.

My friend Allison has a dog that is very nervous and a little flakey. Sweet dog with her own issues since she severely was attacked by an American Bulldog. We very much would like to walk my dogs and her dog Lexi, together. She met Brutus when he was "nice" before he got "naughty" and she was terrified of him. Poor thing peed all over the place. We have walked them together once but kept them far apart, so last weekend on the trail was going to be a good test. Brutus was his not nice self for a minute when he first saw her but in less than one minute he was settled down able to walk 5 feet from her without being naughty. Lexie was on a retractable leash walking all over the place. Brutus was next to me on his short leash without any issues at all. Lexi was coming next to him, in front of him, behind him, and even sniffing his butt. He was perfect. Amazing the power of walking together. I was even able to stop have him sit and have Lexi come over so I could pet her. He was so perfect he just acted like she wasn't there though she was inches from him. And he was looking right at her. The entire walk was wonderful. They even drank from a steam next to each other. I am so proud of him, we are getting through this naughty Brutus slowly but solidly. Before I dreaded getting him out where there were other dogs, we now welcome the challenge.

A few days before that walk he met my cousin's little dog on our walk with my parents. This was snack material. He was so wicked I had to pin him twice in the beginning, then a quarter mile into the 5 miles, he started to calm and accept her. As we got into the walk more some mild corrections kept him in focus to me. Well before end of that walk he was able to walk next to her 2 feet away without a human in between. She stated out nervous and scared (I wonder why, giggle giggle) she was walking calm and happy with her tail where it should be not hidden between her legs. Again the power of walking together.

I wanted this update to let everyone know maybe the dog that comes to your home, isn't the one that stays, but with commitment, love, determination and the right teacher the dog you hoped to have is in there waiting for someone to show him how to come back.

I would like to thank Kim Barnett for all the time and effort she has put into helping Brutus and me. Without her we might not be living the life that we want to.

7/5/06 - Brutus is just more wonderful with every new experience. My parents have been staying with us for
the past 5 days meeting Brutus for the first time. They have fallen in love with him. They can't believe how good he is for being 11 mos. They love his cute silly face.  He has totally accepted them into the family. Then a few nights ago my Gramma who is 79 came to stay the night. Brutus was nothing but kind and gentle to her. He even offered to play with her by bringing a toy to her on numerous occasions. Never tried to jump on her and waited when asked, to let her go up and down the stairs first. I was amazed to see this level of gentleness from him. She slept in his room where his crate is and from what Gramma said he was a perfect roommate. Hardly made any noise at all. 

We had a party last night. A total of 13 people here on our deck and in the house. Brutus and Yellowdog were allowed to stay around everyone as long as they were well behaved.  Yellow is always good but all the people with Brutus could have been a different story. They were just wonderful!! No jumping, except on one, person one time. They just hung out and enjoyed being pet by everyone. Once the food came out for dinner, Brutus was crated and Yellow was gated with him in their room. We had a treat of marrow bones for them. After dinner was over they were allowed back around everyone. You couldn't ask for 2 more behaved dogs. (Everyone was a dog person) This was a big day for Brutus having so many around and having run of the place.

Then came the relationship with my almost 2 year old nephew Benjamin. He was just fantastic with him! Brutus enjoyed taking the toy that Ben offered him on many occasions. While at first he thought it was a game and was dodging us as we tried to get it for him, he did let us finally catch him and had no problem when when we asked him to give it up. Of course he was praised and got a treat for giving it up. Brutus LOVES ice. He was enjoying chunks of it all evening. Ben also loves ice. I caught the two of them in the cooler TOGETHER taking the ice out piece by piece. The two of them shared it. Ben give a piece to Brutus and he would drop it. Ben would pick it up, give it to Brutus, as Brutus so gently took it from him. There would be bigger chunks on the deck and the two of them played with them together. 

Ben and Brutus have met before, and with his 74 pound puppy body as tall as my nephew we put a leashed Brutus the first couple times. It has gone well and he has been good so far. My sister and brother in law are comfortable with Brutus with Ben, so at first it was close supervision to make sure Bru was behaving without his leash. He was great! Seeing them last night was just wonderful to my heart. Little boy and big dog doing their own thing. Groceries for a family gathering $150, one cooler full of ice $7, Little boy with buddy boxer playing in the cooler together= priceless.

As the evening got darker many of the neighbors had fireworks. How spectacular it was seeing and hearing everything going on around us. Brutus was perfectly fine with all the noise, but to see him watching the fireworks intensely and with curiosity was funny. He was perked and alert sitting at the end of the driveway.  Calm in his manner, just very interested in what was going on. Then Ben went over to him to stand next to him just for a minute. Bru made quick eye contact with him then turned back to watch the fireworks.  I couldn't get to the camera fast enough before Ben went toddling off on his own.

Earlier in the evening Ben was petting Brutus, leaning on him and tickling him. Brutus was the perfect dog. 

Every wonderful thing I've read about and heard from others about boxers has proven to be true. Seeing this great dog starting to live up to all the stories just melts my heart. Don't get me wrong, his nickname is "my wild child" because he can be very wild at time, ripping plants out of pots, digging holes, making his own paths through my garden, trying to invite himself up on lap and standing on the back of the couch (a no-no in our house) to chase the cat. These things are all puppy things that we are working on, but when it comes to his good kind heart, he is the best. Thank you everyone for bringing him into our lives.    Angela   

5/1/06 - Well, it has been 4 weeks since Brutus came and he has been such a joy. He loves it here and he is such a part of the family. He is going to be one of those Once-in-a-lifetime dogs. He is so used to the routine of everything now and he is so well balanced.
I try to walk he and Yellowdog every morning before I go to work. My husband takes them hiking for hours every few days. He loves to hike. On the weekends I take them to the tennis court so he can run loose. I have been trying to walk them most nights too. He is a breeze with the gentle leader. He knows he has to sit to have it put on and to take it off. He does great!! When we go out, I am first (we are doing a mountain of Cesar Milan which he does perfect with) and when we come home I am first. When he is fixated on one of the cats he is easily distracted from her. It is so funny to watch him have to sit NOT facing the cat knowing she is right behind him. He still likes to find the casts and bark at them but he is much more gentle about it. The cats are getting used to him as well. He has had plenty of opportunity to hurt one and it hasn't even crossed his mind. He stiffs them all over. He is very good at sit and stay 80% of the time. A huge improvement from when he first came. I have taken him to the barn to meet Charlie, my friend Debbie's boxer. He was very patient with Brutus's puppy antics. Brutus is the same size as Charlie. Brutus was nose to nose with my horses too. He did bark at them a little but it was out of interest, not aggression, with no growling. he was great with me in the stalls while I cleaned them. I had a lead on the ground to step on if he decided to go and he was very happy to be there especially when Charlie and Yellowdog were there. He was very much wanting to see the chickens that are free range, up close, but I did not let him get too close. The rooster will attack Brutus. Brutus has been hooked up with 2 leashes to Yellowdog to help teach the boundaries of the yard. My husband put the fence flags up and has started the fence training process/ boundaries. He thinks he may have had experience with it before because he understands it. I have had him out in the yard dragging a long lead playing with him with a soccer ball, and he has been great. He has no desire to take off at all. One of the cats went by him and he started to chase him. Though I had my foot on the back of the lead he stopped before the fence line and let the cat go. THAT was impressive.
He has pretty much stopped jumping on us and his manners have greatly improved with new house guests in that area. He does like to box other dogs. Not all understand that and they let him know. But he gets it quickly. This morning after the tennis court, he was favoring on a hind leg off and on. I found nothing in his foot anywhere, but touching one toe made a huge ouch. Off to the vet we went. He is perfect at the vets!!! They x-rayed him and found nothing so he is on antibiotics incase of some kind of infection. The toe is a little swollen. Then we went to Petsmart to get a Frisbee for when his foot feels better. He met a bunch of other dogs and saw a bunch of cats, birds, people and children. He was excellent. He met another boxer, 4 year old female. He was petted by kids from ages 4-10 yrs old. He was nothing but perfect. Never tried to jump on anyone. There was a
small white foo foo dog on a flexi-leash that was not controlled at all. The owner had no idea what this dog was up to because it was in the aisle with Brutus and I wrapping her cable around me and almost tripping both of us.( she was in the next aisle over) He was a perfect gentleman looking up at me saying "What are we going to do now?" He didn't even try to box it!! This woman was oblivious to it all until I told her she might want to lock the leash up..... Brutus was great. Another family that had a boxer came over commenting on how well behaved he was. We were chatting a while, and the young teen daughter sat on the floor with him and he was in her lap. Not his whole body just his front paws and head. Then he laid sideways. Talk about calm-submissive. I was the proudest mommy!! He gets a gold star!! The 40 minutes in Petsmart was nothing but great.
While Yellowdog and Daddy were on their hike, Brutus and I were outside all day. He listens so well and as I said, has no desire to take off. Chino the crazy dog came over (he just shows up) they played and played. Chino is taller than Brutus and has as much energy. They tire each other out. I didn't see him favoring his leg at all while they were playing or right after. Daddy and Yellowdog came home and they all played a little. Brutus and Chino were FLYING around the house, Brutus leapt into one garden, down over the stone wall into the next garden and over the 3rd garden going about 90 miles an hour with Chino behind him. He was having a blast!!! They must have done 3 complete laps around the house going that fast!!
Every new experience has turned out to be pleasure. He is meeting new dogs and doing great with them. He and Yellowdog are great friends. My husband loves him to pieces and so do I. He is the perfect match for us.
Tuesday he goes to get neutered and get his boosters. I hope after that we get to adopt him completely. He feels like he has been here forever. I hope this is were he will stay, forever. A happy tale for sure.
 

4/6/06 - Wow, what a great few days this has been getting to know this wonderful sweet Brutus. He is  settling in very well. I can't believe how smart he is. He is learning to sit when he has to taken away from humping Yellowdog. I take the leash to lead him from her and tell him to"no" and  "sit" and "stay."  He tries to get up but I tell him to sit down again and he does it.  That was yesterday. Today he only tried to do it twice and was so easy to leave her that I just had to get up from the chair and say "no". Wow am I impressed!!! He is learning to let me out of the door before he tries to go outside. He has had no accidents in the house and even told me he had to go out but trying to bring me his gentle leader.  He sits for me to put it on him. I just got it yesterday.  He walks next to me so nicely you would never realize he is a puppy. Brutus so wants to please.
 
 He hardly bothers the chinchilla at all anymore. His cage has it's own stand 12 inches off the  ground. Brutus can look at him and even be nose to nose through the cage. Sometimes he barks when the  chinchilla comes to the side of the cage but he is easily settled from that. It is interest, not aggressive.  
 
 We went to the vet today and checked out all the stuff. He has some ear irritation we have drops  for as well as eye redness and drainage, and maybe some kennel cough. Have no idea how that came  but we are going to treating it. He has a little lump in his side and the vet will aspirate it and  biopsy that when she neuters him. He gets neutered in 3 weeks.  Heartworm, Fecal and Lyme are all  negative.  He was so good at the vet! They fell in love with him and he was a peach for everything  and he is 67 pounds of puppy. He saw a cocker spaniel 20 feet in front of us. Not only did he NOT  bark and go nuts, he sat right next to me with a loose leash the entire 5-7 minutes they were  there.
 
 I haven't had a puppy in a long time and when he first came I wasn't sure if I  was puppy ready. I  am not puppy ready but I AM certainly Butus ready. He is the best "puppy" I have ever met in my  life! I can't say enough great things about this dog. He knows "down" now and he is getting better  at "stay." 15 seconds of stay with me 5 feet away last night!! Just in one day! He knows "no", and  he knows "shh easy, or you will wake up daddy". He and Yellowdog are getting to be better and better friends, they lay just a couple feet away from each other chewing stuffed kongs.  They sleep together. I think she is teaching him not to jump too. He only seems to jump on new people when they first come in (we are working on that) but he sees Yellowdog doesn't do it to us, so he doesn't either.
 
 After the vet appointment we went to my office. I work in a doctors office. We didn't have any patients this morning so I brought him in so the whole crowd could meet him. He was so nervous in the elevator but he was perfectly mannered when an elderly lady and her son were going to the same floor. He was as clam and sweet as he could be meeting the dozen of them as they all pet him.  Even the one who doesn't like big dogs came over and petted him a lot. He couldn't have been better behaved. Didn't even try to jump on anyone, not once.

 He is the PERFECT dog. 
 
 I want to thank everyone at BAR for all you have done to bring this precious dog into our life. Not one person goes unrecognized for the hard work, their dedication and their wonderful souls.