Gimli

Gimli, better known to us as Gimmy or Gimmers or Gimbo.

He had a rough start, or rather, wasn’t set up for success. Gimli is either protective or hates new people, but he somehow started expressing this with biting (not great problem-solving skills, however, still effective). Unfortunately Gim’s owners were led down the path of “Put him on leash and do more introductions,”. Gimli wasn’t into having his leash shortened to meet new people and, as he said before, he didn’t like that. So Gimmers did what lots of dogs do: he used what worked and did it harder. So, with a level 4 bite, Gimli had two options: a one-way trip to the vet or Ferne's Acres. Luckily, we have a soft spot for the undesirable and Gimli landed safely here.

On a bag of medications that would have drugged a small army, we slowly weaned him down, gave him space and allowed Gimli to be Gimli; now he’s the bestest boy. I still would not send a stranger into his pen, but he will greet new people very nicely on his terms and receive pets. Gimli loves and respects his caretakers, so if they are there and they welcome the new person, he’s happy as well. And now he bosses Derby around and yells at the sheep twice a day and tells the horses they better count their days and no one believes him and they live happily ever after, sanctuary style.