Marvin came to Downtown Dogs as the last resort to save his life. Marvin was abused by his first owner and surrendered to rescue. Marvin was, then, adopted to a family that returned him to the rescue for unmanageable behavior. He was placed in a foster home with an older gentleman. This proved a mistake as the foster was unable to manage Marvin. With no more fosters available and all the rescue's partner kennels full, the conclusion was that Marvin was unsuitable for adoption and the board would vote on his fate.
One volunteer decided to call on the expertise of John Sievila, founder & master behaviorist/trainer of AZ Partnership K9 Academy. John conducted a thorough assessment of Marvin and found no indication of aggression towards humans or animals. But where would Marvin go? That is when John called me, Gina, owner of Downtown Dogs, and presented me with a full rehabilitation project for Marvin. Being an owner of 3 boxers, I wasn't about to decline the project, or Marvin.
However, how would I find time to own/run a daycare/boarding facility and work with a special project dog every day, twice a day? Enter Jacqueline, daycare pack leader and trainer-in-training, with Downtown Dogs. With my hectic schedule, she didn't hesitate to jump to the task and committed herself to train and practice the skills John has taught, everyday. The goal: get Marvin trained enough to be adopted for life. Below is Jacqueline's experience with Marvin, in her own words. My hat's off to you, Jacqueline! You did a phenomenal job!
Marvin came to us from Rescue after living in several different homes, never having found his permanent place. His exuberant, lovable personality makes him an instant charmer and a joy to be around. The moment he came through the door I was done for! Of course, Marvin is most certainly a dog's dog and loved every minute of playtime with his friends at doggy daycare at Downtown Dogs. Under the guidance of John and Mike Sievila, I worked on basic obedience, house manners and applied alpha principles with Marvin. His dominant personality posed a challenge, but in the end the early mornings, late nights and hard work paid off. He successfully completed the Basic Obedience classes with Arizona Parnership K-9 Academy, and within a matter of weeks he was adopted to his forever home. He now lives with a loving owner and an older Corgi brother in a spacious home. His owner will be enrolling in the Intermediate Obedience class this winter where Marvin will build a strong bond with the leader of his new pack while working on more advanced commands. After having been bounced from home to home, this is truly a happy ending for a sweet Boxer boy who deserves it.
