Cashew can’t tell us his story but it was clear by the lacerations across his muzzle and the puncture wounds along his sides Cashew had been abused. He was found with a chain around his neck stuck under an abandoned house. Perhaps a bait dog perhaps just tied to a stake and shot at by a bb gun because he had a cluster of 10 to 12 dark grey wounds on both sides that he did not want anyone to touch.
Despite his fear and pain Cashew wanted loved and petted. He was all wiggles once we extricated him from the porch. Cashew LOVES people of all sizes and wants to play with every dog he meets. He was perfect in every way except training – he had no manners. Cashew was so excited to have attention he would jump into your face, wrap you up in the leash before you could take a step, and jump on counters, couches, people and the TV. Yes Cashew even ran up to the TV to play with the dog on the screen. Clearly this high energy guy had never been inside a house before. Cashew is an incredible dog a lesson of love and forgiveness. He deserved to be loved and he deserved a good home but first he needed to learn good manners. Like so many perfectly wonderful shelter dogs Cashew had a better chance of finding a home if he was trained but who trains shelter dogs? Unlike so many others, Cashew was lucky. The good Samaritan who found him, Rebecca Adamson, agreed to get him trained. Cashew’s training program grew and grew. The idea was simple if other dogs had the same chance as Cashew they could be adopted too… thus began the Cashew Homeward Bound Shelter Dog Training Program (CHBSDTP): sponsor of the Cashew Awards. Launched in coordination with some of the most respected animal welfare advocates in the area the purpose of the Cashew Awards is to increase the adoptability of rescue dogs through high quality training and socialization. CHBSDTP is a network of local shelters, rescue groups, veterinarians, trainers and dog lovers, working together to nominate, transport, train, heal and foster the Cashew Awards. Each dog is given an individualized training program focusing on basic manners, impulse control and scialization increasing chances of a smooth transition into a forever home.
