That was 10 years ago. Originally a "shelter dog" I adopted Havoc from the San Martin, CA Animal Shelter. I chose Havoc because I wanted to "show him the world" and prevent him from being adopted by someone who would soon lose their patience and abuse or neglect him.

Havoc came with some "baggage". Based on his behavior, we soon realized that he'd been teased as a pup when he was too small to defend himself. He had "triggers" where he'd suddenly go into an attack mode. Any behavior on our part where we put one foot up - to tie our boots, or close the extended leg rest on a recliner. Once we learned how certain movements triggered him, we avoided doing them.

At some point, Havoc's previous owners put him in the backyard and forgot about him. So he was never socialized, he was on his own. He was neglected went without being fed. He survived by eating insects, everything from spiders to snails and slugs. In the morning, I used to watch him slowly walk along the back fence looking for snails to eat. If I happened to move a flower pot and there were slugs, earwigs beneath it, Havoc would gobble them up. He also ate bird seed and acorns. Anything remotely edible. I remember once when I happened to notice a large black spider crawling up an outside wall. I purposely ignored it, but Havoc saw it, leaped up, caught and ate it before I could stop him.

Shelter staff found Havoc at 7 weeks wandering along Monterey Road. Is it any wonder he's willful and independent?

I adopted Havoc at 9-weeks, we went through "the chewing phase" together. Havoc chewed through 2 couches and a large recliner. No TV remote controller or cell phone could be left within his reach. The day I bought a used copy of "Jack Russell Terriers for Dummies", he chewed the cover off. If I left him in the living room unattended, an eerie silence would soon tip me off that Havoc was up to no good.

Due to his destructive behavior, I bought used chew toys for Havoc from a Goodwill Store. Eventually, the best chews turned out to be Amazon's cardboard delivery boxes with contents removed. Toss the empty box to Havoc and soon the entire living room floor would be littered with bite-sized bits of cardboard.

Bonding? It took a year and a half for Havoc to accept me as his owner-companion. Although my feelings were hurt by his behavior, I still treated him to daily walks, brief training sessions, and space for him by my side on our chewed couch. He never looks up at me adoringly, never stays willingly at my heel, and IF EVER off leash, he's gone like a shot.