My name is Napo!

BEAUTIFUL FRENCH BULLDOG FOR ADOPTION

MEET NAPO-NAPPY-NAPOLEON !!

EXPERIENCED OWNERS ONLY, NO CHILDREN. NO EXCEPTIONS.
PLEASE CROSS-POST AND SHARE THIS BOY FOR ME. I TOOK HIM IN AS A LAST RESORT AS HE WAS GOING TO BE EUTHANIZED. LAST RESORT DOGS ARE WHAT I LOOK FOR AND SPECIALIZE IN AND I BELIEVE NAPO CAN AND WILL BE PLACED.

PLEASE READ ENTIRE POST CAREFULLY AND THROUGHLY BEFORE INQUIRING. I CAN NOT, AND WILL NOT VEER OFF OF ANY OF THE PARAMETERS OUTLINED IN HIS BIO. ALL QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED IN THE THREAD SO I DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT MYSELF FOR OTHERS.

Napo is 8 1/2 years old. Neutered, UTD on all vaccines, crate trained and 100% house broken. In the photos in the thread are copies of his original owners so you can read not just from my bio, but their first had experience with him. Just because I'm not experiencing the same issues with him as his owners did means nothing. The issues exist and are there. I just normally have a different experience then the owners because I have 28 years of dealing specifically with fear, fear aggression, outward aggression, resource guarding, dog aggression, human aggression and separation anxiety.

Right now Napo is with me and my efforts are focused soley on getting him to a baseline or back to ground zero because his last trainer sent him so far back Napo has actually regressed as opposed to improved. This trainer's archaic, barbaric and antiquated techniques do not, and have never addressed Napo's underlying issues. This is the third dog this year I've taken in from the same trainer after he set them backwards. Freedom, space, respect, and decompression are at the core of Napo's rehabilitation with me. The owners informed me every time he came back from the trainer he was just a bit worse. Who it is doesn't matter. I need to keep this about Napo. But behaviorally issued dogs should NEVER be dealt with from an obedience or dominant standpoint. Because of Napo's few specific issues does NOT mean he is aggressive across the board. So having him drag a 6' leash around for the past two years, and being "pop-leash" corrected on a walk every 30 seconds has nothing and does nothing to do with the issues Napo has. What it does do is create fear in an already anxious dog that is being corrected out of the blue, in which many inexperienced trainers believe that this type of "alpha" "pack leader" bullshit tv trainer mentality will transcend across the board and the dog's issues will magically disappear. Not the case here. Not the case ever.

If the person or couple lucky enough to qualify to adopt Napo follows my procedures and protocols there is a very likely chance Napo will never bite again. I've done it with Vegas, and 1,000's of other dogs that had a bite history much worse then this dog.

Napo's history: Napo has bitten three times in his 8 1/2 years. Once at two years of age. And two times two years ago. The first time resulted in no breaking the skin and was over a bone. The last two incedents two years ago were both while resource guarding his vomit. Yes it is very common for Frenchies to throw up when they eat too fast (which Napo does) And no it is not unheard of for dogs to be protective of their vomit. What we as humans find disgusting dogs simply see as food or a meal. And there is no more primal behavior then eating to a carnivore like a dog. Domesticated or not. Some dogs just resource guard food period. It wasn't dealt with at a young age so the correctable psychological behavior is now physiological do to repetition, pattern, habit, and time. (length of time) Although I can take Napo's food away from him at any given time does not mean he will not exhibit the behavior again. I take food away from 200 lb food aggressive Neo's. The real issue is his vomit. The vomiting issue has for the most part been resolved with the special bowl he eats from twice a day and the smaller bites that go down easier. What Napo throws up is not rancid, rotten spoiled food. Just what gets stuck in this throat. So for him what comes up is solid undigested food that he still views as his meal. Totally normal. Unknowingly to the owners. They just went to do what any normal dog owner would do to clean it up, and it was after the 2nd bite they discovered the pattern and that was his trigger.

How do we deal with this trigger ? Do we do what his last trainer did and instill fear with a negative enforcement correction ? Or do we give positive reenforcement ? NEITHER. We practice abstinence training with a dog of Napo's age, and the length of time he's exhibited the behavior. So two options are given if this were to happen again. 1) He is given ample time to re-consume his meal if he so choses. Or 2) he is led away from the vomit and it is cleaned up while he is out of view, in another room or in his crate. Napo is extremely food motivated so a higher value reward then his regular kibble will lead him away and the mess can be cleaned when he is secured. We are not trying to solve the problem. We are working around it. And if anyone disagrees with this technique that's fine. You don't have to adopt him. Napo is a sweet, calm, good natured, loving but a slightly anxious dog. And at his age I do not believe trying to "train this out of him" would be humane. I am looking for someone he learns to trust and will build their relationship with him.

Napo is on Clomipramine for his separation anxiety. The family has informed me it has made a substantial difference in his anxiety so I promised them he will remain on it. They say he is happier and much less anxious. It is NOT for his resource guarding. Drugs should NEVER be given for any type of dog aggression period. And the vets that continue to do so are doing it to make money or they are misinformed. I have the upmost respect for all vets, but they are not behaviorists and need to stop giving training advice and defer to a specialist just as we defer to them when our dog is sick. One of the worst bites I ever sustained was to my calf from a client's Shepherd/Rottie that redirected on me and would not let go while on Prozac. After a slow wean I had great success with that dog and the couple even has a child now. "Off use" or "off label" uses for human drugs has been studied extensively and many cures have been found and symptoms alleviated. Putting a dog with any sort of aggression on any drug not only gives the owner a false sense of security. It's how people get bit. There is no miracle cure for aggression. ANY dog can revert back at ANY time and will do so in it's lifetime, especially with a prior history. What we do with dog aggression is what people in AA do. We maintain it. Time, patience, boundaries, training, love, trust, repetition & repeat. Owning a behaviorally issued dog is a lifestyle, and maintenance ritual that you stick to for life.

Napo is fine with other stable dogs as I show in his video. He seemed ok when I cat tested him the other day but I need to run a few more tests. A home with another dog or dogs that he could learn from would be ideal. Cat's I will update as I work to see if that's a possibility. He has never had a canine friend and I believe he would greatly benefit from having one or two other like breeds in the home. In his video you can see him with Vegas who is also fixed but on the dominant side. And he doesn't engage my females. You can see how sweet he can be in videos with HUMANS HE TRUSTS THAT DO NOT FORCE THEMSELVES ON HIM.
If you have children or have children visit your home. I'm sorry. I can not put him or a child in that situation. Prior bully breed experience is a MUST and it doesn't necessarily have to be a Frenchie. I personally have had no issues with Napo. I let him be. He does his thing and is very well behaved. I ignore any posturing or growling and go about my business and that alone tells him I'm not scared or intimidated. He lives in the moment and moves on. His last trainer tried to correct that an that is what set him back. If you're looking to challenge or correct him. You're not the home for him. Napo is fully obedience trained so when he gets in a "mood" and can be outed verbally and you can just get him un-stuck with a pattern interrupt.

If you understand and follow everything above you will have a very nice Frenchie that just requires a bit more patience. He is beyond loving and deserving of a forever home. His family has stood by him through thick and thin. They are wonderful people. But with a two year old child and one on the way, they made the ethical, difficult, moral and correct decision in allowing him to come to me for the safety of not only their children, but for Napo himself. As we all know a bite to a child will not only scar them for life (emotionally) but it would be a death sentence for him. I am in touch with them everyday and in no way have they abandoned this dog. Any negative comments will be deleted. The goal here and my goal always is the perfect home. The provided that for 8 1/2 years and went above and beyond with trainers. Now it's time for the next chapter in his life. He has no health issues and I'm really enjoying having him around. But I cant rescue another if I don't place him and I see no reason he can't make a wonderful pet. I've placed thousands of 150 lb Mastiffs far more dangerous then Napo and still have a zero bite history.

Oh yeah....... Napo loves car rides !! And makes a great companion.

Please put all questions in the thread. Serious and qualified inquires can be sent to: smashfacerescue911@yahoo.com