Toby is an inveterate jokester.
Photo by Tica Clarke Photography via dogster.com
Here’s a wonderful story from dogster.com about a high-spirited shelter dog who seemed unadoptable after some 20 failed attempts. For two years, six-year-old Toby was back and forth between potential homes and the shelter. He was returned for being “impossible,” “difficult,” and “a troublemaker,” among other reasons. His list of crimes is downright impressive:
- Getting kicked out of doggie daycare for instigating fights.
- Jumping into a full bath tub, getting soaked, and then galloping through the house encouraging a very wet game of chase.
- Starting a game of chase that involved all the other previously calm foster dogs, who were whipped up into chasing the running and darting (and smiling!) Toby.
- Hating hiking and coming home stressed with diarrhea every time.
- Being kicked out of boarding at a kennel for fighting.
- Relentless counter surfing.
- Rolling up tight in the human sheets on a bed and then yanking all of the covers off the bed if ignored.
- And his best effort: Jumping on a counter, opening the spice cabinet, pulling out spice bottle by spice bottle, taking the caps off the spices, mushing the spices into a pile, and then peeing on that pile.
But, against all hope, one person who saw through all Toby’s shenanigans arrived on the scene to take him home for good. What a great story of perseverance and dedication. Toby’s new owner, Robin, knew what she was getting into and had a plan. . .