Deaf dalmatian puppy Lupin may look super cute, but his destructive behaviour has caused chaos, injuries and damage costing his owners nearly £20,000 in just over a year.
As well as ripping everything in the house to pieces, including chewing a washing machine door off, a fridge and even a concrete wall, Lupin has pulled owner Kelly’s arm out of its socket, eaten the kids’ toys and teddies and knocked over an elderly man and small children on his walks.
Desperate Kelly Lee and her partner Emilien Borne, from Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, will feature on C4’s brand new show The Dog Academy as they seek expert help with their misbehaved, profoundly deaf pup, who they took in when he was rejected by his mother.
The trainers watch in horror as Lupin instantly chews through his leash in video footage of him wrecking the family home, while older dalmatian Ralph looks on.
“He destroyed everything, the kids’ teddies and games,” says Kelly. “The soft toys’ heads would be off, stuffing everywhere. The kids would be upset and frustrated that they couldn’t play simple games.
“You couldn’t leave him even for a shower for ten minutes, he’d go into a frenzy. If he couldn’t get at you because you were in the shower, he’d be pulling the towels down and the toilet lid off.
“One of us always had to be at home. We couldn’t play board games as a family, one had to watch Lupin. You could see he was panicking.
“He destroyed a fridge, a wardrobe, a door, a TV stand, a hoover, two couches and he shredded the outdoor furniture. He chewed the door off the washing machine and there was water everywhere because it had a wash on. He clawed at a concrete wall. There are teeth marks everywhere.”
Kelly, 33, a nurse at Salford Royal Hospital, says it all started when Lupin, now nearly two, fell seriously ill at three months old with the deadly parvovirus.
After a long recovery with constant care involving time off work for Kelly, Lupin regained full health but she noticed a huge shift in his behaviour.
Kelly, who has two daughters, 13-year-old Bella and 10-year-old Aria, says: “Lupin was in a coma and nearly died and we nursed him back to health. But he was like a different dog, needing constant attention. Then he’d turn into the Tasmanian Devil.
“We had a major cost every month for 14 months, spending around £18,000. We had already spent over £10,000 on vet bills when he was ill. It was like burning over £1,000 a month and it was increasing.”
Kelly struggled to control Lupin on walks as he would lunge into the road, pulling her in front of cars, dragging her around. Only Emilien, 31, a personal trainer, could control him.
Kelly says: “I’m only 5ft and I couldn’t control him at all. Once he yanked me out of the house and I fell down the steps and pulled my left arm out of the socket. I had to go to A&E and then have physio. It was horrific and it still hurts sometimes.
“That’s when I thought I can’t do this anymore, he’s actually causing me physical harm. I was terrified to walk him and it was taking its toll on me. I’d be anxious and Lupin was causing arguments.
“Friends and family couldn’t sit with him. We’d have to lock him in the kitchen for visitors. He ran up to an old man walking his old dog and sent him flying. He’s knocked children over, terrifying families. Once he jumped on a woman and literally had his paws round her neck and she was screaming.”
Local dog trainers would not take on a fully-deaf puppy and Lupin was driving a wedge between Kelly and Emilien, with his behaviour affecting their relationship.
Kelly says: “We were constantly arguing about it and I’d become very negative about him. I just couldn’t cope anymore. I know it sounds awful, but I just thought, ‘I don’t want him anymore’. It was impacting the whole family.”
On The Dog Academy, expert trainers conclude that Kelly and Emilien’s smothering love for Lupin when he was ill, as well as his deafness and a lack of consequences contributed to his behaviour. After several months of trying out new training techniques, finally Lupin changed.
Kelly says: “He was traumatised from being ill and we babied him. We were feeding his anxieties, teaching him that it’s ok to smother us.
"We weren’t doing anything to counteract the destruction, we were too busy clearing up!
"We weren’t walking him right, we weren’t using the right equipment and he had missed an important learning window when he was ill.
“Gradually he started getting it. After a few months, friends and family can’t believe he’s the same dog. He’s really calm now.
“I still spend £20 a week on toys that he chews, but I’m ok with that. We get the odd mishap if my daughter leaves a soft toy on the floor - there are always a few murders - but thank goodness he’s no longer destructive.”
* You can follow Lupin’s journey on Instagram @Lupinandus
* The Dog Academy continues on Thursday on Channel 4 at 9pm.
