Just like every other French Bulldog, little Raphie looks like a bundle of joy and pure sweetness. But, as we often say, you should never judge a dog by its breed.
And that's definitely the case with this guy. Because while Ralphie has the potential to grow up into a very good boy, he's got a lot to learn about actually being one.
"He's a jerk"
Rescue workers at the Niagara SPCA in Niagara County, New York, are under no illusions about the kind of dog they've got on their paws. And because Ralphie needs a very special owner with all the patience in the world (and a bit extra on top), they knew there was no way they could sugarcoat his adoption post.
And so they said this:
"Ralphie is a terror in a somewhat small package. What could go wrong with a 26lb dog, right? We're sure you're thinking: my ankles will be just fine. We'd caution - proceed at your own risk"
Rescue workers say Ralphie's 'difficult' personality is probably the result of poor training and socialisation. They believe the previous owner didn't establish enough boundaries and may have inadvertently reinforced Ralphie's negative behaviour, which made him think he was the boss of everything and everyone.
Every dog can learn a few new tricks
Ralphie isn't an old dog, so there's plenty of time for him to learn some new tricks. The centre has received dozens of applications for this 'little terror', and adoption officers are carefully reviewing the suitability of these potential owners.
We hope that Ralphie's perfect pooch parents are in that stack of applications. But whoever or wherever they are, we wish them lots of luck. They're going to need it.
This article was first posted on 31.01.2023.
