We thought we knew what a Velcro dog was... and then we met Ralph! He is the sweetest, most cuddly pup we have ever known.

Ralph has been with us for a couple of weeks now, and his transition from breeding dog to family member is truly remarkable! He showed up nervous, unsure of himself and unfamiliar with being in a house. Ralph now is getting used to our routine and seems to relax and will even roll over on his back for belly rubs.

For the first few days, we took things slow. He got to be a pro at walking up and down stairs, and suddenly hallways weren't so scary. Ralph was very nervous, but survived his first bathing in the shower and seemed to enjoy being brushed. It took Ralph a few days to eat regularly, but now he seems to look forward to meal time and lines up with his foster brothers and sister.

We are still working on some household manners, such as not marking in the house and coming to an understanding that shoes are not chew toys. He will trade for other objects and he is making real progress.

Ralph is a bit pushy and wants all the human attention for himself. He uses his large frame to push our other dogs out of the way if we give them pets. He was a little growly and did a bit of resource guarding of people and their affection (towards dogs, not towards people) at first, but he seems to be getting used to sharing people's attention and understanding that there is enough to go around for all the fur kids in the house.

Ralph's large frame can be a bit overwhelming when he jumps up with excitement to show his love and appreciation for a little attention or the chance to go for a walk. He has this cute way of wrapping his paws around and hugging your waist or leg with a big smile on his face. We are working on breaking this habit and giving him lots of praise when he manages to contain himself and can keep all four paws on the floor.

He does surprisingly well on walks without much pulling unless he spots a squirrel or bunny! Ralph has an extremely high prey drive and could easily pull a smaller-framed person holding his leash right over. 

This hot weather isn't keeping Ralph down! He has been for a few boat rides and done a little swimming in the lake. He seems to enjoy it, but his all-time favorite summer activity is plopping down in a kiddie pool.

We are trying to get Ralph more comfortable with being in a crate. Currently, he'll go in to get a cheese treat, but doesn't like being in there and barks. At night, he sleeps on our bedroom floor and on a dog bed with our other pups and does well. We do have to pick items up off the floor as he will chew if he wakes up in the middle of the night and is feeling bored. 

Ralph will have his vet visit in a couple of weeks for his wellness exam. Then he'll be on his way to getting set up with an appointment to be neutered. Fingers crossed, that may help with some of his tendency to want to do a lot of marking, although he has already made great strides from day one.

We are so excited for Ralph's future. This sweet guy has such a big heart and so much love to give. He is going to make a wonderful addition to a very lucky family!