I myself own 3 dogs:
2 Huskies and 1 Shepherd
Balu
Balu came to me in 2018 and was my first dog with a not-so-rosy past.
My motto back then was: I want to know if I can apply and implement what I learned in my training.
During training, you meet many lovely people, including my now good friend Lisa. We stayed in touch after the training to keep each other updated and continue to exchange tips. That's how it happened that in 2018, Lisa posted a "cry for help" in our WhatsApp group chat, looking for a new home for Balu. Balu was the dog of her aunt's neighbor, who turned to her for help because he urgently needed to leave his home.
Balu's backstory was exactly as one would expect. Dog owners who had never had a dog, didn't know about breeds, and absolutely wanted a dog that was beautiful and presentable.
Balu is indeed beautiful; he looks like a black wolf. Unfortunately, his genes also fully showed through. What else can you expect from a Husky-Shepherd-Newfoundland mix that was an "oopsie"?
Of course, the owners couldn't handle him, so Balu decided to take care of himself. He loved chasing the neighbor's chickens, and he also loved redecorating the house a bit more modernly when he was home alone. The owners didn't appreciate it and tried all sorts of aids like electric collars (which are legally forbidden in Austria), etc. In the end, Balu ended up in the garage where there were no windows, he had no interaction, and received no love.
The final decision was - the dog had a serious problem, he should be euthanized. This is where the neighbor stepped in and started the cry for help.
What can I say. This dog cost me enough nerves and grey hairs, but in the end, it was worth it. He is the best thing that ever happened to me, and we are still learning from each other every day.
Rocky
Rocky came to me in 2019 and wasn't really planned.
2019 was a good time. I invested a lot of time and energy into Balu, and that's how I met a friend at the time. She had a horse farm where we spent a lot of time. With a horse farm, you naturally meet many new people. That's how we met an acquaintance who had taken in a German Shepherd from a bad situation.
You can say what you want, but there's also love at first sight with dogs. She couldn't keep Rocky herself because she was looking for a dog to guard her stable. We don't know much about Rocky's past, but at that time, he was definitely not suitable for that.
The fact is, I didn't have to think long and took him into my pack after a brief sniff-around with Balu. He was an Old German Shepherd weighing only 25 kilos and had chronic stress that had already reached its final stage. He had 4 previous owners, about whom we don't know much.
He was terrified of everything, whether it was a brush or a normal collar, and he probably didn't even know what it meant to be an Old German Shepherd. I had to fight this stress for half a year just to be able to start working with him.
The first time was a great challenge, but with Balu by his side, it went quite quickly and effectively.
Meanwhile, he weighs a proud 45 kilos and lives up to his reputation as a "shepherd dog."
Ares
With Rocky, my "dog planning" was actually complete, but we all know it never turns out as you imagine.
In 2020, my son was born and completed the family.
Then in 2022, I saw an ad on Facebook. Husky urgently seeking a new family due to his owners' separation. It had to happen quickly, otherwise, he would end up in the shelter, and we all know how many Huskies are in shelters, waiting forever for a suitable home.
I have no idea what possessed me, but I decided to go see this dog. First rule, he had to fit into my pack and also with my son. If he couldn't handle small children, I couldn't take him in.
We went to the former owner and saw Ares. A stately, unneutered, one-year-old Siberian Husky male in full splendor greeted us.
After about 2 hours, it was decided, Ares would move in with us. Despite the separation of his former owners, Ares settled in very quickly and became part of this pack.
The best part of the whole story:
Ares was my son's favorite from the beginning; the two found each other and have been inseparable ever since.
