`Leader of the pack` episode 11: turbo charged

Turbo the two year-old shepherd mix has been in the shelter for three months, unwanted. He has been labeled as cage aggressive, hyperactively barking at people and dogs and running around his kennel in a frenzy.

He was rescued from a house where he had been chained for twenty-four hours a day for most of his life, so he doesn’t know what it’s like to run free or go for a walk. His shelter caretaker, Eva, has asked Cesar to help find Turbo a family who can teach him what it’s like to be a loyal, calm, and social dog.

Cesar first meets Turbo in Miraflores, to evaluate whether he is actually aggressive, a label that can lead to him being put down instead of adopted out. When put into a kennel, Turbo immediately begins running back and forth along the fence and barking — typical behavior for dogs that have been chained for long periods of time.

Next, it’s time to test Turbo’s aggression by introducing him to different dogs to see his reaction. He is initially aggressive toward a female, Leda, but it is obvious that he is also curious. When they are able to share space together without incident, Cesar determines that Turbo is not aggressive- he’s just not properly socialized. When Cesar suggests taking Leda and Turbo on a walk together, Eva tells him that this will be the first time Turbo has ever actually been on a walk.

The first candidate for Turbo is Luca, who recently lost his dog and best friend. He has decided that the best way to honor his deceased companion is to rescue another dog, but he will have to introduce himself to Turbo and then introduce Turbo to a dog pack first.

The second group of candidates are the Dal Col family: Pierro, Roberta, Silvia, and Giovanni. Silvia, the oldest daughter, wants to be a dog trainer, and she was the one who rescued and trained the family’s two dogs. When the Dal Cols’ dogs seem unimpressed by Turbo’s behavior and ignore him, Cesar sees it as a good sign.

The third candidates are best friends Andrea and Ruggero, who live together with their Labrador retriever, Black. Cesar asks Andrea to introduce Black to Turbo, but he is not in full control of Black and the two act aggressively toward each other. Will Ruggero fare better when it’s his turn to introduce the two dogs?

Before Cesar can make his final decision, he’ll need a little help from Junior and a pair of backpacks to give Turbo a job and see if it helps with his socialization. Will Junior be able to educate Turbo and help him find his new Leader of the Pack?

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