This is Augie Leotta Altamore. He's named after my husband's favorite uncle. We adopted him almost 3 years ago. He was 3-ish at the time. We hadn't had a dog for many, many years (and I wasn't planning on any more pets but . . . ) so it's been a bit of an adjustment - and a huge learning experience - but worth it in the end.
Pet Resource Network out of Otsego told us he was a Schnauzer. Well, that was partly true but there's obviously more to him - probably a touch of poodle.
I'm not a number cruncher but if I was I'd probably have heart failure when the total spent so far on this little guy showed up on the calculator.
The first dog we had many years ago lived to be 17. Our cat lived to be 17 and we have easily spent way over what was spent on both of those pets combined - and multiplied by . . . . I can't even guess.
Because Augie was used as breeding stock in an Amish puppy mill he had some, well, let's call them "behavior issues." He bit a friend who is MARRIED TO A LAWYER!!!! We immediately hired a trainer who came to the house and what followed was a long, long (filled with many hours) period of intensive modification. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
He's come a long way but like our trainer said, "Augie may never be the world's dog." That's ok. I wish it wasn't so but that's life, eh? He's great with other dogs but needs to get to know you before there's any petting happening. Our standard line to people has become "ignore him, let him sniff you (if you're ok with that), put your hand down so he can check it out but no petting yet." Or if we're on a walk while he's on his leash we just go into the "Stop, in the Name of Love" stance.
He's been a lot of fun, is very loving and playful and all about being a "lap" dog. So I guess we'll keep him.
Awwww. He is so cute. I am glad that you guys rescued him. Rockefeller will probably never be "the world's dog" either since he too was rescued. But he is a heck of lot better off now than he ever was before...same with Augie.~~Bliss
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