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When Cheon Doong first arrived, he was understandably very nervous. He was also quite anxious around the leash and especially the prong collar. Just seeing them would trigger panic. We’ve been working slowly on desensitizing him, and he has made a lot of progress in just one week. He still has big feelings when touched around his collar or when he sees a leash, but he works through his fears more quickly now and is able to start his walks.

We began with pack walks to help ease his anxiety, and now he gets excited when it’s time for a walk, whether solo or with the pack. We are continuing to work on his leash manners as he can be a bit strong sometimes, but he is getting better by the day. He’s really enjoying exploring the neighborhood and is settling into a nice routine.

He’s done well with our other two dogs, though we’re being cautious about their interactions since Cheon is eager for attention and we want to avoid creating a jealous dynamic.

He’s a very smart boy and clearly has had some training before. He understands commands in both English and Korean, including sit, stay, down, and paw, though Korean does seem to be his language of choice. We’ve also started working on touch, place, and settle (in English). He’s very food motivated, which makes training fun for him and us.

Cheon is a great car passenger. He easily gets in/out of the car, and gets a big goofy smile when we let him stick his head out of the window to take in all the smells.

He’s doing well in his crate, and overall he’s proving to be a really good dog. He has the biggest brown eyes that are so expressive and yearn for pets. I’m excited to keep working with him and watching his confidence continue to grow.

In terms of food, with his chicken allergy, we successfully transitioned him to the salmon-flavored Taste of the Wild kibble. He can be a little picky, so we’ve been adding toppers or a splash of beef broth to encourage him to finish his meals.

Cheon is doing great and has settled in beautifully with our two resident dogs. He loves playing with our smaller pup and shows such patience when she gets a little too energetic. He’s also very respectful and gentle with our older shepherd, always letting her take the lead.

While he enjoys canine company, Cheon’s true focus is on his people. He’s an incredibly loyal and affectionate boy who loves nothing more than burying his head in our laps for neck scratches. As he started to bond with us, he did experience a bit of separation anxiety, but we worked with him over a weekend—coming and going at short intervals—and he quickly learned that we always come back.

At home, Cheon has proven to be a wonderful house guest. He’s respectful of the rules, settles nicely, and seems to understand the rhythm of home life. He’s calm indoors, knows when it’s time to relax, and has great manners.

Cheon has been doing wonderfully on walks. We’ve been using a harness recently since he had a small procedure on his neck (which is nearly healed now). He gets compliments everywhere we go and he might just be the most handsome dog in the neighborhood!