They say that dogs are a man’s best friend. Unless you’re a 26-lb "fire-breathing demon dog" named Ralphie. Then, maybe, not so much.
The adorably devilish Cujo mini-me shot to internet fame after the New York-based Niagara County SPCA wrote a brutal (and hilariously) honest adoption post and shared it on social media.
The no-kill shelter, which promotes the adoption and re-homing of abandoned and unwanted companion animals, wanted to get the word out that Ralphie was available. It worked. The post went viral.
The Adoption Post About "Jerk" Dog Goes Viral
In the now-viral Facebook post, the SPCA staff admit to struggling with what to write about Ralphie.
After trying and failing to "sugar-coat" Ralphie's "less than desirable traits," the staff decided to just go with the truth. And nothing but the truth. They didn't hold anything back.
They lovingly describe the little ankle-biter as "a terror in a somewhat small package." Honestly, how bad can a 26-lb french bulldog be?
Bad enough to come with his own warning label: "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 SPCA writes.
The shelter's "best guess" is that Ralphie is a master of manipulation, using his cute face to get whatever he wanted from his first owner. Apparently, it worked.
"His first owners took him to board and train, but their relationship was built on the premise that Ralphie was the boss so things ended abruptly," said the SPCA. "He was rehomed. Two weeks into this new home and he was surrendered to us because [he] 'annoys our older dog'".
It turns out "annoys our older dog" was code for "Ralphie is a fire-breathing demon and will eat our dog, but hey, he's only 26lbs."
Ralphie's bio didn't end there. Once the staff got rolling, there was no stopping them.
"He's a whole jerk- not even half. Everything belongs to him," continued the SPCA. "If you dare test his ability to possess THE things, wrath will ensue. If you show a moment of weakness, prepare to be exploited."
"Ralphie the Terror" Dog Finds His Perfect Fur-Ever Home
As for who SPCA staffers think can tame the ankle-biting rage beast? The shelter had a few thoughts, starting with the Mother of Dragons from Game of Thrones. Failing that, they'd settle for "an adult home free of other animals, with an owner who will lead him calmly and sternly- putting up with zero crap."
Luckily for Ralphie, they found it.
Just two weeks after posting about him, Ralphie was adopted. At first, the shelter was hesitant to share the news, wanting to give Ralphie a day or two to settle in. But once they received an update from his new owner, with "no injury reports," they figured the time was right.
And it seems like the third time's the charm.
In a delightful note, his new mom shares, "I am completely in love!!! He's AMAZING!" He's so amazing in fact, that she was even questioning where the name 'Demon Dog' came from. That is until she "saw a few things ... although, I'm pretty convinced it's nothing we can't work on and get figured out!"
She concedes that he is "a nipper" but assures the SPCA that they're working on it and have "ALOT [sic] OF 'REINFORCEMENT CHATS,'" with the help of a hotdog or two. Additionally, she's also busily housetraining him, which seems to be going well, despite the frigid weather.
She ends her update with a heartfelt thank you to the shelter for choosing her, proving that there's a place for all of us. Sometimes, it just takes a while to find it.
"All in all… He is amazing, and He found A HAPPY PLACE with me because he saved me as much as I saved him… I feel blessed!"
It sounds like a match made in heaven for a "demon" dog.
