Contributed by Tracy Smith
Tucker is six years old and is very much in need of the right home. He has the potential to be a great dog with the right handler and environment. First and foremost, Tucker must go to a home with no children and no other animals. It's not that Tucker hates other animals or dislikes children, but his training needs are such that he shouldn't be trusted around children at this time, and he needs all of his human's attention for his training.
Tucker also needs a handler that can earn his trust with a gentle voice and a gentle manner. Tucker has rebelled against a "no-nonsense" approach to training in the past by growling and bearing his teeth when being told what to do. The shelter has evaluated him as a fearful dog who will become aggressive if his fears are not respected and positive reinforcement not given.
Tucker is food aggressive and will need to be trained out of that behavior gently and patiently using techniques known to help dogs not be food aggressive. He has not been destructive when left alone in the home and he is house-trained, but he has occasionally marked his territory in the house. Tucker has learned to sit, lay down and shake, but he doesn't always want to listen. He will also dash out the door if you aren't paying attention and can slip that collar right over his head.
We believe Tucker is a misunderstood fella who needs a human with the right training approach. Kind, respectful and positive boundaries that teach Tucker the joys of pleasing his humans would suit him well.
