Niagara SPCA via Facebook
- Ralphie, who went viral earlier this year for a Facebook post that described him with brutal honesty, has been adopted.
- Ralphie spent time with the Niagara SPCA this year after two owners decided he was too much to handle.
- After a third attempt at adoption and an intensive training program, home No. 4 might be the one for Ralphie.
Ralphie — the French bulldog who went viral after a brutally honest post from the Niagara County SPCA called him a "fire-breathing demon" — seems to have finally found his permanent home after three failed adoption attempts and an intensive training program.
The 26-pound, one-year-old white French bulldog with black spots drew quite a bit of attention earlier this year after a January Facebook post described the temperamental pup as "a whole jerk."
"Ralphie is a terror in a somewhat small package," a January Facebook post from the Niagara County SPCA read. "What could go wrong with a 26lb dog, right? We're sure you're thinking: my ankles will be just fine. We'd caution- proceed at your own risk."
The Niagara County SPCA shared periodic updates on Ralphie after the internet fell in love with him, detailing an unsuccessful adoption attempt and how he was doing in a training program called "How to Train Your Dragon."
Now, the SPCA shared what it hopes will be the final update on Ralphie's adoption journey: After completing his training program, he found a new — hopefully permanent — family in Tennessee late last month.
The adoption process was extensive, as the shelter said it reviewed more than 700 applications and interviewed dozens of potential homes. Eventually, the shelter found Jason, a professional dog trainer who has three other dogs and works with the Tennessee Department of Energy.
The SPCA described Jason as a "unicorn" adopter, who was chosen as the most suitable caretaker to give Ralphie structure and help channel his energy in a positive way.
The shelter shared the Facebook and Instagram accounts that Jason already has created to keep Ralphie's many fans updated on his progress as a "reformed demon dog." They currently have about 40,000 combined followers.
The Niagara County SPCA shared another update last week, providing an explanation for why it believes the latest adoption has worked, emphasizing some people who adopt aggressive dogs falter by trying to "fix" every problem they have immediately. However, as someone with experience training dogs, Jason knew helping Ralphie through his triggers and aggression would take time.
Hoping Ralphie has found his forever family, the SPCA asked that other adopters show the same patience with aggressive dogs.
"Thank you to Ralphie and Jason for demonstrating the importance of building trust with your adoptive pet," the post reads.