Action for Animals got a message from a girl whose boss was looking for a home for her late mother's chihuahua. I returned the phone call and was about to tell her about all the wonderful options available for fostering and finding homes for dogs. But before I could say anything, she told me that her boss was on the way to the vet to have the dog killed. Luckily, the employee managed to reach her before it was too late.

I normally don't agree to take in people's dogs. I usually just try to help them find a home. But I was caught so off guard by the fact that this poor dog was almost killed that I agreed to take him. Pepito seemed to be a great little dog but a little needy and very overweight. He was adopted within a couple of days but was returned because he would bite people whenever they tried to pick him up. I didn't have him long enough to realize this beforehand, but I found out what a huge problem it was when I got him back. It seemed like a hopeless situation. People don't want a dog who bites them all the time, no matter how sweet he is the rest of the time.

Then I met a dog trainer at an adoption day who suggested I gradually try to pick him up a little every few minutes and reward him with food whenever he didn't bite or growl. It took two tries. Now I can pick him up all the time and he doesn't mind at all! In fact, he has turned out to be a wonderful dog. He never bites anymore.

Pepito was finally adopted after 5 months of fostering. His new guardian and her parents think he is the a great little bundle of joy.