By Alyce CollinsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberA dog who was returned to the shelter twice for being too energetic was finally given the chance she deserved by a college student who refused to give up on her.
When Bradi Jones, 24, of Fayetteville, Arkansas visited her local shelter in 2023, she was instantly drawn to a 2-month-old husky mix named Tiffany. Unfortunately, she had already been returned to the shelter twice in the space of just two weeks, and the third potential adopter rejected the offer.
Jones learned that Tiffany was returned due to her high energy, but that certainly didn’t perturb the college student. Jones told Newsweek that her only hesitation was whether she had enough time to devote to a rescue dog, as her schedule was “crazy with training, swimming meets, and school.”
As much as people told her not to do it, Jones couldn’t leave Tiffany in the shelter any longer. So, she adopted the chaotic bundle of energy, and knew she had her work cut out for her.
...“A lot of the challenges came from how extremely high energy she was,” Jones said. “Even after long walks, dog parks, and hours of play, she still had so much pent-up energy that she would get into things around the house. It felt like no matter how much I did, she still had this endless battery, and that was really overwhelming at times.”
From her endless energy, lack of obedience, and loud barking, Tiffany was certainly a challenge. People around Jones repeatedly told her to “take her back” or insisted that she’s a “bad dog.”
It was devastating for Jones to constantly hear that, but she refused to give up on Tiffany and never faltered in her decision to save her.
“It was honestly really discouraging and made me feel like people didn’t understand that she wasn’t a problem to get rid of. She was a dog who needed stability and to be understood. I love her so much, so hearing those negative things about her upset me,” Jones said.
“I never got close to giving her back. I struggled, absolutely, but the thought of returning her after she’d already been returned multiple times just didn’t sit right with me. I knew if she just had consistency, patience and structure, she would come around. So even on the hardest days, I might have shed some tears, but I was committed.”
Jones was consistent with training and taught Tiffany basic commands, boundaries, and obedience. That wasn’t always straightforward however, as Tiffany has a “very strong will” and is incredibly independent.
Needless to say, that sassy personality comes with the territory as she’s 48 percent Siberian husky, 17 percent Great Pyrenees, 9 percent Australian cattle dog, and 5 percent German shepherd. She certainly has an intelligent mind of her own and isn’t afraid to test her owner’s patience.
Teaching Tiffany the commands for “come,” “stay,” or walking on a leash weren’t easy, but Jones remained consistent. Socialization was also vital for Tiffany, as it became clear that’s what tired her out the most. Jones also crate-trained her from the beginning to stop the dog from getting into places she shouldn’t and causing potential injury.
Whenever people told Jones to give up and send Tiffany back, she stood firm in her principles. She would tell them that Tiffany “needed to be understood” and that she wasn’t a bad dog by any means.
...Tiffany has undoubtedly come a long way in the last two years and Jones is so thankful that she didn’t give up.
Jones said: “She’s come so far from the scared, overstimulated dog I brought home. Now she’s confident, cuddly, and so much more balanced. She’s honestly the sweetest, funniest, most loyal dog. Still energetic, but she knows when it’s time to chill. I leave her out of her crate most of the time when I leave the house and she calmly lays on the couch.
“She wasn’t broken or bad—she just needed patience, structure, and someone who didn’t give up on her. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me, and I’m glad I trusted my gut.”
Jones shared Tiffany’s adoption story on TikTok (@bradijones1), and it’s gone viral with over 724,700 views and more than 39,900 likes at the time of writing. The post included several pictures from throughout Tiffany’s journey, as Jones wrote in the caption that “no one will ever truly understand her progress.”
While Tiffany may not be perfect, Jones hopes to show how much a rescue dog can grow if given the opportunity to thrive. She implores people not to give up on a rescue dog if they make mistakes, and just to give them time.
She told Newsweek: “Rescue dogs aren’t always easy, but they’re worth it. Sometimes the ones everyone else gives up on end up being the dogs with the most love to give—they just need someone willing to meet them where they are. It will be the best thing you ever did, and you will be proud of all the hard work and love you poured in to them.”
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