12/23/2025
Training Tuesday – Ernie’s Journey
When Ernie first came to Doberman Underground Rescue, he was a very timid boy. Unsocialized and fearful of just about everything, his world was small and overwhelming. But his adopters looked right past the fear and saw nothing but potential.
With patience, love, and the guidance of an excellent trainer, Ernie has truly become everything he was meant to be. One of his early training adventures was simply visiting a pet-friendly hardware store. At first, the automatic doors were terrifying. So instead of pushing too far, his family met Ernie where he was — standing near the doors, just watching for a bit, then leaving. A couple of days later, they returned. Little by little, Ernie built the courage to walk through those doors!
Fast forward, and that same dog has now earned his AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) award and his AKC Novice Trick Dog title. He’s also learned a great deal from his canine siblings, Nita and Jack. As Ernie continues to decompress post-rescue, his world is expanding beautifully. His growing confidence allows him to remain calm when meeting new people, yet still be excited for new adventures.
Ernie still has so much to learn about the world, and it’s been incredible to watch him process new experiences with curiosity instead of fear. Having a skilled trainer guiding his adopters through the process has made all the difference — ensuring Ernie is truly living his very best life with his forever family.
What challenges have you worked through with your dog?
Drop a note in the comments and share your experience!
