Griffin's Journey

My last update on Kilo was July 2022, and for months, things were status quo.  We made a good team and had a routine that worked well – walks in the morning, daycare for Kilo, work for me, and quiet evenings at home. My handling skills improved greatly, and Kilo reached a level that earned him off leash privileges during our morning walks when the park was mostly empty.  Pro tip – a silicone shampoo travel container is an excellent and non-messy peanut butter treat dispenser which helped tremendously with Kilo’s recall. 😉

Kilo lived with me until mid-December when he was adopted for a second time.  His new family had 2 little boys, and I expressed reservations about Kilo’s fit for a family that might not have time to continue his training.  The adoption proceeded and I stayed in touch with his new family.  I even visited Kilo in March, thrilled that he so clearly remembered me and seemed to be doing well with his family.  Unbelievably, just a few weeks later his adopter reported that there had been 3 bite incidents since my visit and they notified the rescue that Kilo would be returned.

There is a lot I could say about where blame should be assigned – both on the adopters who did not maintain appropriate boundaries and the rescue that did not follow through to ensure Kilo was continuing his training – but ultimately, the past cannot be changed.  It was not safe for Kilo to remain with that family and having just brought home a new puppy, I was not in a position to foster Kilo again.  Thankfully, his daycare providers were happy to have Kilo board with them for 5 weeks and I was able to spend some time with him before he left for a 6-week training program in Florida.  He’s been with the trainer for 2 weeks now, and I follow his progress on Instagram.  Kilo is incredibly smart and it looks like he is enjoying his training and the abundance of exercise he’s receiving.

Truthfully, I’m not sure what the future holds for Kilo.  He is a large, powerful dog with a bite history.  He is also a loving goofball who adores his humans and other dogs.  While I am excited that he is receiving what appears to be excellent training, that training needs to be continually maintained.  Adopting Kilo is a commitment and a lot of work.  I hope that someone sees how very much he is worth it. 🧡