Meet Thornton

Thornton is a 4.5-year-old small male who came to NYBC as a 10-month-old breeder’s dog in February of 2022. Thornton was the runt of his litter and had a cleft palate, so he was never “purchased” by anyone.

Here’s what his family has to say about Thornton:

When NYBC rescued Thornton from an apartment in Queens, he had spent 95% of his life in a single room and was abused.

When I took him home, I had to carry him from one room to another because he was afraid to walk through a doorway. He was so used to being in one place that he would find a spot he liked and curl up there, sometimes looking as if he was afraid of being hit when approached.

This situation sadly caused his food aggression and space guarding, which are his two issues.

Over time, my other dogs helped tremendously in getting him to acclimate to a more trusting disposition, and because of this, he is generally happy and very good with dogs. He also loves all humans.

However, he has had two bite incidents due to these issues.
The first incident, although caused by human error, happened when a family member was bitten by Thornton during a dog fight after food was dropped on the floor.

The second incident happened when he was lying down on a bed and a family member reached over him without realizing that he was in a guarded disposition. Out of fear, Thornton reached up and bit their hand.

Because of these behaviors, Thornton should not be in a home with children.

With the excited energy that he has, he would do best in a home with a balanced dog or pack that will not react to this energy. Most importantly, he needs a strong pack leader who understands his issues.

Over the course of almost four years, living with four other dogs and three humans, these two incidents should not define Thornton.

Sadly, the incidents occurred while Thornton was being supervised by an older family member who was not able to give him strong direction.

With strong leadership, his disposition is much more stable, and these behaviors are rarely seen.

If you're interested in adopting or fostering Thornton, please contact 631-484-1955