Channel A

“Applied to the show, willing to endure reproach”

Rich, who suffers from hyperlipidemia, went out for a walk for the first time in one year and eight months.

The guardian, trapped in an isolated routine, took a step back into the world with help from Kang Hyung-wook.

The July 8 broadcast of the Channel A companion-dog rehabilitation reality show ‘Time of Dog and Wolf 2’, episode 25, featured ‘Rich’, a Maltese mix designated as Wolf No. 1 who lunges at and bites people on sight, and shared the story of a guardian who regained the will to live after meeting Rich but became isolated from the world again because of the aggression shown by Rich.

Rich would rush at and attack not only visitors to the home but also passersby, displaying aggression without hesitation. Victims were bitten on the feet, thighs, neck, and other parts of the body, yet the guardian did not actively stop him. Kang Hyung-wook pointed out that a lack of response by the guardian may have amplified the aggression shown by Rich and emphasized that leaving problem behaviors unattended is a responsibility the guardian bears.

Aggression was not the only problem. Although the guardian had lived with the dog for eight years, she could not properly fasten a leash, and after moving out on her own she did not take Rich for a walk even once in one year and eight months. Instead of dog food, she fed jerky, fish cakes, and even food meant for people. She gave as many as 106 treats, even though the recommended amount for two days was 16, and Rich, more accustomed to treats than to kibble, had developed hyperlipidemia.

In the past, the guardian had lived in seclusion for a long time, but after adopting Rich she gained the courage to come back out into the world. She earned certifications and prepared for employment, but repeated failures, panic disorder, and depression again shrank her life, and everything in her daily routine revolved around Rich. However, despite her love, she did not know how to care for Rich properly.

Seeing Rich only stare out the window and thinking he looked depressed, the guardian blamed herself, saying, “I think I did not know how to show love through actions,” and, “I think Rich became depressed because of me.” She continued, “I know I will receive a lot of criticism, but for Rich I found the courage and applied to the show.” Watching this, the mother of the guardian also shed tears, saying, “Rich is everything to my daughter.”

Kang Hyung-wook said, “Dogs are animals that are greatly influenced,” raising the possibility that anxiety and helplessness on the part of the guardian also affected Rich. He went on to assess that Rich had not learned how to think and control himself because his misbehavior had not been stopped. He further advised, “Leaving a problem unattended is no different from abandoning,” and, “You need to learn how to control Rich,” and he emphasized that reading the calming signals of a companion dog and responding immediately is the role of a guardian.

The prescription from Kang Hyung-wook extended not only to Rich but also to the guardian. He assigned as homework regular daily habits such as going to bed at 11 p.m. and getting up at 7 a.m., eating at the dining table, and taking a 30-minute walk every day, and he advised, “A life that cannot train itself will find it hard to overcome trials.” He judged that, in order to change Rich, the guardian first needed to regain the rhythm of her life.

In the training that followed, the guardian actively controlled Rich for the first time and began blocking drills. Although awkward, she focused so as not to miss any behavior from Rich, and Rich in turn began to listen to human instructions and to learn how to think for himself. Three weeks later, the guardian continued steady walks and training with Rich and took another step back into the world.

‘Time of Dog and Wolf 2’ is a program that looks beyond correcting behavior in companion dogs to examine the attitude and environment of the guardian as well. It refers to dogs that display problem behaviors as ‘wolves’ and focuses on identifying the essence of the relationship.

Hosted by Kim Sung-joo and Kang Hyung-wook, with special MC Daniel Lindemann, the Channel A companion-dog solution entertainment show ‘Time of Dog and Wolf 2’ airs every Wednesday at 10 p.m.