Markus' First Gotcha Day
Markus posing with his Gotcha Day cake from Three Dog Bakery in Vancouver, BC
In our development with Markus, we’re constantly pushing for the next thing. We’re always trying new things to train and work with him - so much so that when something doesn’t go the way we expect it to, we can become discouraged or even frustrated.
Taking the time to reflect where things began helps us to appreciate where we are today and it gives us the boost for another day. Putting in perspective that Markus was a rescued dog who had difficulty being adopted because he was labeled as aggressive helps us to appreciate how far he’s come in his time with us.
The Paws & Reflect series is our way of pausing to appreciate all the progress Markus has made from his days as an aggressive dog at the rescue shelter. We revisit his past to help us put into focus all the great things he’s already accomplished with us.
Markus’ spending his first night with us after flying in from Korea
It's been a full year since we've adopted Markus. Thinking about what our concerns were a year ago, it's crazy to reflect on how much has changed in our lives and in our understanding of what it means to raise a dog.
A year ago, we had concerns about the type of dog Markus was going to be. When we had inquired about adopting him, we were told that he would be an aggressive do and for this reason, couldn't be recommended to us. They did feel as though he could be trained and we took that glimmer of hope and ran with it. We committed to training Markus and looking back at it now, the past year was filled with joy, but also moments where we've seen glimpses of that aggression and our patience was tested.
As a whole, we're glad to be able to look back a year later and definitively say that progress has been made. Yes, Markus still has impulses and moments where he'll growl or bark at other dogs, but it is a far cry from the dog that the rescue shelter was describing when they said he would be aggressive. To think that he was passed over at the rescue shelter for more than a year for this reason still upsets me to this day. It's almost as if Markus himself recognizes that he's been given a second chance and he puts on his best behaviour, but when pushed into fight or flight, his old habits resurface.
Still, we knew that things weren't just going to change overnight and we are committed to continue working with him. There are other things that we've accepted just isn't Markus and that's fine.
For example, he'll never be a fully off-leash dog. We'll never be able to take him to any random park and play fetch with him. His prey drive and instincts are way too high. And that's just who he is and we love that about him. Other things that are taking longer for him to pick up, there's also responsibility on our end to make sure he doesn't find himself in that type of stressful environment where he feels the need to defend himself. It goes both ways, but I think one of the reasons why he's adjusted to us so quickly is because we trust each other.
Don't get it wrong, though. Our time together has been amazing. There's so much joy in watching him discover new things and adjusting to life in this part of the world. Here in North America, there are so many things that we do and see on a regular basis that we just take for granted. Bringing Markus over from a Korean rescue organization and watching this three-year-old dog discover these every things for the first time like watching TV, listening to the radio, going up and down the stairs, playing with dog toys, etc. gave me a new appreciation for things that were to normal to me.
Markus with his graduation hat and his certificate after passing his dog training course
Being a dog owner is such a glimpse into parenthood. They don't call dog owners pawrents for nothing. Obviously there are major differences, but when things are going great, you're happy with the dog. When they graduate through dog training class, you're proud because he beat the odds of being told he would be aggressive by going through a 6-week course in a full class with other new dogs.
And of course, there are the tough moments that come with being a parent as well. When he gets sick and he's burying his head into your lap because a shot's being taken, your heart sinks for him. When you take him to the vet and he sits down shaking and not wanting to go through the door, you just want to hug him and somehow tell him that it'll be okay. When he needed to be put to on anesthesia for his teeth cleaning and came out woozy and with bandages and a shaved patched of bald fur on his leg where the IV was, you just want to pick him up. These are the things that you can't be prepared for, but in those moments, you realized just how much love you have for this dog that you've only known for a year.
It's been such an incredible journey so far and since it's Thanksgiving next weekend, I wanted to end this reflection by listing out a few things that I'm thankful for.
For Our New Friends
Markus (middle) going for a walk with his dog friends in Everett Crowley Park in Vancouver
Meeting new friends for Markus has been perhaps one of the greatest surprises for me, not because I think Markus isn't great at making friends (though it could be argued for a dog that was supposed to be aggressive), but it's the way in which we met those friends - through Instagram - that surprises me.
When we first started our Instagram account, it was for the purpose of sharing Markus' photos with our friends and family in a way they can check his latest updates without us having to send it to them one by one. The account kept gaining followers and in time, people were reaching out to us about meeting up locally. From there, we joined different groups of dog friends and we've met so many new people and dogs this year.
We're thankful because when we adopted Markus, we were told that he could be aggressive with other dogs. Now within a year, he's met so many new friends, which is important because he's not only getting exposure to different dogs, but we're also creating a group of friends for him that he's comfortable with. A pack, as it were.
For the Great Outdoors
Markus enjoying the Great Outdoors in the Twin Falls Hike in Washington
It's not like we were deathly out of shape when we first adopted Markus, but we also weren't taking hour long walks every day. On a daily basis, having Markus with us has gotten us to walk for at least an hour everyday out of necessity, rain or shine. I thought that with time and as the weather got worse, I'd eventually get tired of it, but we're still okay. I've learned to appreciate starting the morning with a half an hour walk. There's nothing like having to do something out of necessity to promote discipline!
Sometimes we also feel bad that Markus sleeps at home most of the week. There are weeks where there are just so many things to do during the week that it's hard to squeeze in anything extra in the evening for Markus. On those weeks, we force ourselves to include a longer trail walk or a hike over the weekend so that he gets to enjoy the outdoors and gets the stimulation of going to new places and meeting new dogs. This is important for his development, so we've set aside the Netflix and have committed to being outside more and it's been great for all of us.
And lastly on this note, we're thankful for the fact that we haven't had to miss any trips this year! My wife and I enjoy exploring the Pacific Northwest, but because Markus was a new dog adjusting to life here in North America, we weren't sure how active we were going to be this first year. We figured that since moving here was such a major change in his life, we'd allow him to settle a bit more before doing multi-night road trips, but Markus has been a superstar. He's adjusted incredibly well and because he's comfortable with us and seems to trust us, we haven't missed a beat with our road trips!
For the Pawcific Explorer
Markus is smiling and grateful for all the love that we’ve gotten on the Pawcific Explorer
We're also thankful for this blog and for all the support we've gotten. We started writing because we wanted to document our experience raising Markus as first-time dog owners for other first-time dog owners. It's also a great way for us to detail our time with Markus. Every dog has a different story and those that come with rescue organizations seem to all have very rich stories that are waiting to be share.
We wanted to share Markus' story with everyone, but in doing so, we also wanted his story to impact others. You see, Markus' story isn't just about the trips or the things that he does everyday, but it's about us, our friends and family, and you out there who are reading this blog.
So if you have a story about a rescue dog that you would love to share - one that has impacted your life and those around you - we would love to hear that story today.
We’re so grateful for your support of The Markus Project. We mostly choose our locations through searching and word of mouth. If you know of a park, trail or location you think we should check out, please share it with us. We’d love to know!
