Ralphie the demon dog, the internet’s favorite misfit pet, is learning some new skills. You may recall that the rescue pup went viral after Niagara County SPCA’s adoption post in which the shelter laid bare the French Bulldog’s troublesome behavior. Despite his shortcomings, Ralphie did get adopted by a “completely in love” mom. Unfortunately, the pup proved to be too much for his new owner to handle, and he was returned two weeks later.
Ralphie the Demon Dog Working With Trainer
But now, Ralphie is on a self-improvement kick thanks to dog trainer Chris Fiels, who owns YourEveryDayK9. Fiels and Ralphie began a six-week training program following the Frenchie’s return. The trainer is keeping Ralphie fans updated on the pup’s progress via the company’s Facebook page.
“I’ve had Ralphie for about a week now. Him and I have been doing very well together,” Fiels wrote as the caption for a video posted on Feb. 27. “We’ve been working on engagement exercises, some basics that he’s learned from the past, and creating some neutrality.”
“We have lots to achieve still, and as great as this all looks there is much to learn and explore with this young fella,” Fiels continued.
The video showed the trainer mopping the floor and vacuuming in the pup’s presence. Ralphie gets rewarded with treats for staying calm.
Niagara County SPCA celebrated Ralphie’s hard work.
“We’re told he’s learning some impulse control around vacuums and brooms and they’re working on his reactivity in his crate,” the shelter wrote on social media. “He has really great basic obedience skills which have made training easier. Chris said he’s very athletic, super treat motivated and kind of a fun guy. We concur.”
Next Steps for Ralphie
Fiels admitted that the duo has not gotten to work on the dog’s socializing skills yet, but the trainer is “very happy” with where Ralphie is at.
The trainer believes that Ralphie will someday be “an awesome pet” for a routine-loving person who knows how to create structure and keep boundaries in place for the pup. Ideally, Ralphie’s future owner will participate in the training program alongside Fiels in order to transition the dog “smoothly” into his new home.
In the meantime, the Niagara County SPCA is still accepting applications for Ralphie!
