Enter Ralph
Ten years ago, we adopted a dog from the Humane Society. His name was Ralph. He was part Wolfhound and Airedale. Very smart, stubborn and the gentlest eyes. Ralph was not like any of the other dogs we loved over the years.
Ralph chased all small animals and could not be in the same room with them. I couldn’t take him to pet smart for grooming because they would not honor my request to isolate him from other pets. My first and last visit there consisted of Ralph screeching and barking while I had him pinned in the corner. Not to mention the shaking and upset poodles with their owners.
Constant attention
When we were out with Ralph he had to have our undivided attention or he would slip out of his harness, out of sight and to the woods to do his own thing. Thank God he always wondered back home unscathed. He was just doing what his breed were groomed to do.
After gaining understanding of his peculiarity, along with trial and error, we were able to give Ralph a home with limited roaming utilizing the corrective action of a shock collar. He didn’t have to be shocked, only a tone or maybe vibrating.. don’t get me wrong, there were times he challenged the collar and found out it’s reach! My husband and I both got doses of what it felt like as well – out of curiosity.
Breaking barriers
We were able to get Ralph to co-exist with the cats but he still enjoyed killing a raccoon or two. That was likely due to the one raccoon that hurt him. He was relentless after that. Ralph would fight to the death if he had too.
Ralph tracked deer, which caused us to pause as we were afraid he would get shot doing this. That is part of the reason for the shock collar. In his later years he lost a bit of his sense of smell. Deer would run past him in the front yard and the dog would not know it. With age, he also lost the desire to roam.
Giving Ralph love and understanding rewarded us with the best dog you could ever ask for. Intimidating yet gentle, quirky attitude, witty.
All things Ralph
One time I made an Alfredo dish for dinner. My husband was outside so I went to tell him dinner was ready. My husbands brother, who was staying with us, came out for dinner just in time to find Ralph near the dish on the stove. When he said Ralph’s name, the dog snapped around to look at him all innocent with a noodle hanging from his head.
When we first brought Ralph into the house he went right to the picture of my grandfather and started nudging it. My grandfather had died in the house four years earlier of old age (104). I told my husband there was something up with that!
He was a great pet
