Dog's Name & Age
Russo is his name, and he's almost 3
In a Word, My Mutt Is…
Sweet
Best Characteristics of the Breed
He's a "north country blend" -- Shepherd, Rottweiler and a dash of Husky
Most Challenging Characteristics of the Breed
He's a bit headstrong
When, Where and How I Got My Mixed-Breed Dog
We got him from a shelter. He was 10 months old at the time, and he'd lived there since he was a puppy. We shouldn't have adopted him. With a childhood like that, he could have easily been deeply disturbed. But we felt sorry for him. He has the "big black dog" problem, meaning no one wanted to adopt him. But he's turned out to be a great dog -- he's so sweet and smart.
I'd Describe My Dog As…
Russo was extremely shy at first, but never aggressive. He would hide when people came over to the house. But he's gotten over that, and now makes overtures to people. When we first got him, he chewed a pair of slippers. I showed him the slippers and said "NO!!" and he hasn't touched a shoe since then. He housebroke in two days. His only bad habit is that he doesn't like to get in the car when we're done with our daily walk. He's like a toddler who doesn't want to go home. But we're working on this -- it's getting better!
Advice
- Don't judge a book by its cover. Russo might look scary, but he's a total sweetie pie
- If you are adopting a dog, look at him carefully. Is he calm or hyper? Is he able to focus his attention on you? If so, he's probably going to turn out just fine.
