Stabbing the Stigma

This… is Goomba.

Goomba has been at Planet Pup since October 5th, 2023. He came in, took a look around, and essentially said,

“Nice place… I’ll be running it now.”

After a few days of decompression, Goomba made it very clear—he is not your average dog. Or your above-average dog. Or even your “this dog just needs a chance” dog.

Goomba is… Goomba.

Amanda, owner of Planet Pup and president of STAB, put him on a 3-month behavioral plan with one goal: build trust, build respect… or face a very hard reality.

Because let’s be honest—Goomba doesn’t just have strong opinions… he enforces them.

He’s not “a little reactive.” He’s not “quirky.” He’s not “misunderstood.” He is confident, dominant, wildly intelligent, and absolutely committed to being in charge of every situation he walks into.

And yes… he’s kind of a handful. Not in a “oops, sorry” way— in a “I said what I said” way.

Amanda reached out to multiple aggression specialists hoping someone could help guide the process. Their response?

“Respectfully… no.”

“Wishing you the best… from far away.”

So while running a brand-new business, she took it on herself.

Amanda has put blood, sweat, tears… and teeth—literally—into this dog. She even jokes that he’s her spirit animal… which honestly explains a lot.

It took about 3 months before she could comfortably exist in his space. Around 6 months before he stopped testing her every five seconds during basic obedience. And then… something shifted.

Not overnight. Not magically. But through consistency, patience, and a whole lot of “we are not doing this today,” Goomba decided… she was worth respecting.

Here’s the wild part he is incredibly smart. In a different life, with a different temperament, he could’ve been an elite working dog search and rescue, cadaver work, something serious. Instead… he chose chaos with purpose.

In August 2024, after nearly a year, Goomba was sent to a specialized aggression facility in Texas. They sent him back in three days. Three. Days. Because even the professionals were like, “Yeah… he’s got his own agenda.”

Amanda has heard everything:

“Just euthanize him.”

“He’s too much.”

“It’s not worth it.”

But here’s what people don’t see Goomba is not suffering. He’s not stressed. He’s not declining. He’s happy. Confident. Living his best slightly unhinged life.

He loves to stir the pot. He has BIG feelings. BIG opinions. And he fully expects everyone to hear them.

He is not adoptable. He is not for the general public. He is not your “let’s try it and see” dog.

But he is understood. After almost 3 years, Amanda knows him inside and out his patterns, his triggers, his tells. She knows what he’s about to do before he even commits to it. And if his quality of life ever changed, she would make the hard decision.

But right now? He’s thriving.

Goomba is our sanctuary dog not because he’s broken, but because he’s exactly who he is. And under all that stubborn, hardheaded, slightly villain-coded personality… is a dog who loves deeply when he chooses to.

Loyal. Protective. And yes… somehow… cuddly.

(Some people call him the “catfish dog.” Honestly… accurate.)

We love him exactly as he is attitude, chaos, and all.