Meet Boyd!

Boyd was a very BIG project for BSR...one that involved personal trainers, behavioralists and very dedicated fosters.  Pulled from a shelter in the midwest after an obstruction surgery, Boyd came with a hefty load of PTSD and fear issues.  His erratic behavior was tied to the onset of evenings and he would act out against his foster canine sisters as well as his owners, snapping and snarling.  Clearly, something in his past had triggered this repetitive behavior, and BSR worked to give him skills to re-focus on more positive actions when he was scared, like concentrating on "place" commands.  More than once, BSR's dog care committee discussed whether he could even be helped!  Eventually, it was decided that Boyd was our classic definition of an at-risk dog that would never be adoptable by the average applicant.  He needed to be placed with a long term foster who would adopt him when he became more stable, but still be able to help him find his calm center under BSR's care.  That person was an experienced BSR foster who had recently moved to a farm in Colorado, and who felt the calm, rural environment could help.  Soon, Boyd adjusted to the relaxed life and routine of the farm and his new family, and his stresses began to subside.  Boyd is in every way a success story!!

August 2019 Update!

by Matt Coleman

​Here’s an update on Boyd. He came to me in Colorado with severe anxiety and food issues. He growled and grumbled a lot, never quite at ease. He was on a few medications to help with all of this.

Look at him now. He’s settled into the routine on the farm quite happily! He’s been weaned off of his meds and is much calmer and happier without them. Boyd loves to lay in the grass in the sun, he loves the snow, and he’s just a joy to be around. Still spunky for a middle-aged dog. He loves to run and hike and go for walks, in between naps on the couch. (Just like me).

He has two buddies, a Jack Russell terrier and a chihuahua mix. They’re all pretty inseparable.

Thanks for Boyd—he’s such a great dog.