When she saw a photo of a black puppy at the Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas, she didn't hesitate for a second.
The puppy had been rescued from a farm in Korea and saved from the meat trade.
Training as an assistance dog
Desirea decided to take in the puppy, named Venom, and began his training as an assistance dog. She introduced him to both having a job and a loving home. When she adopted Venom, the rescuers told her he was a purebred Labrador Retriever puppy, which for Desirea made him the ideal dog to train as an assistance dog.
Initially, Venom was only meant to be a temporary foster. Desirea already had a Saint Bernard and hadn't planned on officially having two dogs. But sadly, a few weeks after Venom came to live with her, her Saint Bernard passed away from a health issue.
A surprising DNA test
Desirea then went through the process of officially adopting the puppy. As the months went by, Venom grew bigger and bigger. It became clear that he wasn't a 100% Labrador Retriever... Desirea was curious to find out for sure, so she had the puppy's DNA tested.
When the results came back, Desirea could hardly believe it! While Venom is 50% Labrador, he is also largely Tosa Inu, a Mastiff-type dog known for its large build. That explained everything!
Today, Venom's job is to calm other dogs and help them come out of their shells. He is a very social dog, and his presence helps to build the confidence of other dogs around him. Great work, Venom!
