‘Demon’ dog returned to NY shelter was too much to handle

There’s several things about Ralphie that make him a really difficult dog to own.

He bites, he exploits weaknesses and he is quite territorial.

That’s why the staff at a New York animal shelter wrote a brutally honest Facebook post about all his “less than desirable traits” when he was surrendered to Niagara SPCA earlier this year.

The staff sought a “Mother of Dragons” who would put up “with zero crap.” Ralphie the “fire-breathing demon” dog had already gone through two homes, after all, and it was time to buckle down.

Less than a month after describing Ralphie as a 100{95b18eb6fc4f42efd0d92738dfc3fb79fde21da267a711ecdf0381147c27bb86} “full jerk,” Niagara SPCA found Ralphie a new home with an owner who described him as amazing, McClatchy News reported.

Only two days after adopting him, she said she “was literally questioning where the name ‘Demon Dog’ came from,” according to a Feb. 4 update from Niagara SPCA. But that feeling didn’t last long.

Despite discovering a “secret training treat” — sliced hot dogs dried out in the microwave — she was unable to get Ralphie under control.

And now Ralphie is up for adoption — again.

“While the adopter had the right household dynamic, Ralphie proved to be more than she could handle,” Niagara SPCA said in a Feb. 14 Facebook post. “Kudos to her though for making the right decision. There were some bad choices made by both, but they parted ways amicably.”

Ralphie’s third temporary owner “now understands that Ralphie IS that good-looking bad boy everyone’s mama warns them about,” according to the animal shelter based in Niagara Falls.

The staff at Niagara SPCA managed to track down Ralphie’s first owners, who provided some insight into his behavior. Then the staff reached out to another trainer for Ralphie.

“His first owners took him to board and train, but their relationship was built on the premise that Ralphie was the boss so things ended abruptly,” the shelter previously said.

This time, Ralphie will be participating in what has been described as a “How to Train Your Dragon in Six Weeks” program with YourEveryDayK9 puppy coach. This is an intense board and coach plan priced at $6,000 for six months.

The training begins Feb. 20, and Niagara SPCA is immediately vetting new homes interested in adopting Ralphie.

It’s preferred that Ralphie’s new owner live in the area, as Niagara SPCA wants them to work alongside Ralphie with the trainer at YourEveryDayK9 in Grand Island.

If you have kids, other animals or believe that Ralphie only needs love, staff ask that you do not apply. “He will totally exploit that,” according to the shelter.

To apply, email your letter of interest, dog experience “resume” and an explanation of why “your home is the right fit for Ralphie” to [email protected].

Niagara Falls is in the northwest corner of New York.