Meet Our New Dog, Markus!

Markus smiling after the first couple of nights at his new fur-ever home

We did it!

Pammy and I adopted a dog this past Wednesday. We started this blog as our way of sharing quick ideas and things we're learning about our new dog. As our first official post, we wanted to introduce you to Markus and what you can expect from us and this blog heading forward.

This is Markus.

He's a Shiba Inu/Jindo mix, who looks to have the face of a Shiba Inu, but the size of a Jindo. The result? An oversized looking Shiba Inu. People in the neighbourhood and the parks haven't been shy to say to us, "Wow! That's a big Shiba!" ... thanks?

It's been a lot easier to find information about the Shiba Inu breed because they're more common and the Jindo side of Markus is one that we're slowly discovering. We know that Jindos are Korean dog breeds that weigh between 35 to 60 lbs., able to tolerate the cold, extremely clean, loyal and intelligent. We've yet to know if Markus acts more Shiba or more Jindo, but we're going to find this out pretty quickly.

Photo of Markus resting hard after a long trip from Korea, to Seattle and finally Vancouver

As a three-year-old dog, Markus (whose shelter name was Solar) is already fully grown, as you may have noticed from the photo. He was 32 lbs. when he arrived and we were told by the veterinarian that he's slightly underweight. Based on how much of his ribs we're able to see, he were told he could afford to put on a few more pounds.

Throughout this process, we'll be keeping a close eye on any habits or tendencies that Markus may have already developed. We're hoping that the fact that he's already three years old and the idea that Jindos are not easy to train doesn't mean that he's going to be a difficult dog to work with.

The Warnings About Aggression

We will especially be keeping a closer eye on any aggressive tendencies towards other dogs. We were told during the adoption process that one of the reasons why Markus went over a full year without being adopted was because he didn't play well with the dogs. We've read that Jindos aren't the friendliest breeds so we're not sure if it's related to his breed or if it is an aggressive habit that he's developed.

It needs to be said that the risks and difficulties of raising a dog with aggressive tendencies are great. The shelter did their due diligence by painting a vivid picture of what a regular day could look like with an aggressive dog. If you are considering adopting a dog as well, the behaviour that a dog may have already developed can't be overlooked, especially if it's aggression.

Dogs with aggressive tendencies don't get along with other dogs or potentially people. Picture yourself doing a routine walk. For every other dog or person that your dog encounters, it's possible that an aggressive dog will pull and bark towards them. This can become extremely cumbersome where routine activities like daily walks become an exercise of avoiding others.

Markus resting on his blanket with this toys in his new home

Having heard these warnings, we asked the organization if Markus has shown any potential of being workable. Their response was that Markus wasn't aggressive to people - only dogs, but also not all dogs. He seems to not get along with specific dogs and in the right environment with proper training, he could become a good companion. To do this properly, we can't have too much preconceived notions about what we might be or we'll never let him learn and develop as dogs should. 

So with that glimmer of hope, we went through with the adoption. We're committed to this challenge and we know that it's not going to be easy, but this opportunity to not only provide a new home, but rehabilitate this dog is one that we're looking forward to.

The Comeback Story

We hope to have many updates and stories to share about our new dog, Markus. Our goal is to share his adventures with you as they happen from the perspective of dog owners working with a dog that's said to be aggressive. This blog is his comeback story.

Living in the beautiful area we call the Pacific Northwest is a bonus that we get to enjoy. From a perspective of dog owners of an aggressive dog, we will share our experiences exploring our backyard, at local parks, hikes and beaches from the perspective of cautious (but hopefully not over-bearing) dog owners of an aggressive or reactive dog.

We hope to go deeper than just letting the world know that we went for a walk. We're going be very intentional mapping out our joys and successes, but also not downplaying any challenges or major decisions we make, so that Markus' story can become a guideline for others going through a similar situation.

Thanks for following along! In next week's update, we'll share with you about Markus' adoption process (there's a flight involved) and why rescuing was so important to us.

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!