Name: Niro
Age: 2.5 
Litter: Konig Kennels, Diamond Dogs - Ripley/Bo
Price: $750.00 (This covers the costs of extensive behavioural training as well as boarding and keeping him up to date on all shots and vet visits.

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The Good:
Niro is a beautiful, healthy breed representative. He has had extensive behavioural training, has had a full check up as recently as 2 months ago, and is up to date on all shots and deworming. He is fixed and fully house broken. Has never been crated while alone here and has never caused a problem in any way.

Niro is a huge loveable guy. He is very tender and soft. Loves children, and has taken to me very easily. Follows me from room to room. And is extremely responsive to voice commands. 

Niro is more of a laid back Mastiff in personality. He loves to be outside, but stays close to his person. He would rather be uncomfortable on the hard floor by your feet than away from you in a cozy bed. He is very food driven. Has an exceptionally low prey drive. His demeanor is happy go lucky, but still cautious and careful. 

He has come into our household and accepted his place on the bottom rung with the other dogs. Never ever challenges my girls in any way and is completely subservient to them. He has wonderful manners with new animals and quietly introduces himself.

Niro is great with my kids. Very patient. He allows them to brush him and walk him around on lead. Following quietly. When they get loud and hyper, he does not do the same. He has met a baby while here and gave her a sniff and then left her alone. He comes from a home with many children and a daycare so he is quite used to loud atmosphere and lots of people moving around. 

He is a very sweet guy, and I'd like to keep him but Robert De Vries says no. Lol

 

 

The Bad:
My observations of Niro over the past few weeks... He is very jumpy and scares easily. Too easily. He gets barky when feeling nervous. He will calm down when you tell him enough, but it does take a few tries. He came back to me counter surfing. This has been broken however, it could resurface if it is not stayed on top of. The biggest problem he has is he spooks so easily. 

He does not like new people and needs a lot of support on introduction. He becomes fearful with lots of growling and not wanting to be touched. 

He does not like men. It took us a good month or more for him to not freak out at my husband everytime he came in the door or got up off the couch. He still spooks if my hubby moves fast or gets loud. 

He is very scared when someone comes to the door. Barking, and carrying on but not out of confidence. Its total fear of what is going to happen. I am working on this too.

***NOTE: THIS DOG HAS NOT COME FROM AN ABUSIVE SITUATION. MORE DETAIL WILL BE GIVEN IN PERSON. 

 

 

The Ugly:

Niro came to us because he has nipped twice. First time was more like his teeth hit the skin and the force caused a mark more than a bite.

He then went into an intensive retraining behavioural program which he did very well with and got rave reviews from his trainer. The family learned different ways of dealing with him and a lot has improved.

Second time he was in a state of fear (over a stranger at the door and the situation was not the norm at his house) and a child came from behind and touched his back and he whirled around and bit her face. The child is alright. She did have bruising and very close to broken skin in one spot. However, even in that incident, he stopped as soon as he realized who it was and he ran away knowing he had done wrong. He also still used bite inhibition because if he intentionally did it, the wound would have been way worse. 

Because his home has lots of children and a day care, he can not stay. 

Niro's spookiness and fear have lead him to defend himself in inappropriate and unsafe ways. Although, a few times here I have seen this coming and it is a predictable behaviour, I have instructed my children to never touch Niro if he is scared and growling. Because in all other circumstances he is wonderful gentle calm and predictable.

THE PERSON WE WANT:
I actually believe that with further effort and desensitization, Niro can achieve a calmer approach to feeling insecure. 

Someone who is willing to work with him further toward desensitizing alongside a professional is a must. 

Preferably someone who has a lot of time to devout to be with him. He comes from a home where he is typically never alone, although he has done very well here and he is alone a lot. But we also have 2 other dogs that he has become very close with. 

Someone with Older or No children and typically does not spend a ton of time with young kids. If the kids are old enough and responsible enough to respect and read the dog. So no toddlers or even some 5 and 6 year olds are still too young. But 10 or 12 is fine. If they can understand and be on board with training, basically.

Someone willing to walk at least once per day and keep him socialized.