Griz came into my life with worms and skin problems. Those were fully resolved after a month or two. It was assumed that he had been neutered. However, that proved not to be the case when some almond shaped lumps near his belly developed and had to be removed (undescended testicles). His initial housebreaking skills were terrible but he's perfect now. When I first adopted him, he was afraid of lots of things: ants, waves, bare feet, Nik's barking, plastic bags, people carrying things, etc. He's overcome these things but he will probably always have a cautious personality. He's still afraid of bare feet. He's also a bit clumsy, comical, and silly. Griz loves children and must have had them in his previous home. I've taught him lots of tricks which have boosted his confidence and the bond between us. Griz is also a good swimmer and will bring me back the other dogs' toys when they decide it's too cold or too far to go get them.

Griz had issues with other dogs. Although he got along fine with my dogs, he used to chase and bite other dogs. His "reactivity" was worse with big dogs and running dogs. He would also somtimes nip or bully small dogs. The mix of fear, curiosity, improper socializing when young, were a bad combination! Especially when you spend time off-leash in areas where you are likely to encounter other dogs. After thousands of good experiences, millions of treats, and getting older, he is finally much calmer. When dogs come too close, he will growl a bit and then just give up. For more recent photos of Griz, see my current and previous pack pages.