Desirea Auten was searching for a Labrador retriever to train as a working dog when a photo of a little black puppy with soulful eyes caught her attention. He was the last of his litter still waiting to be adopted from the Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas — an organization devoted to saving dogs from the meat trade and breeding farms in Korea.
Auten decided to foster the puppy, naming him Venom, and quickly began introducing him to life both at home and on the job. A professional trainer who has spent decades rehabilitating dogs with behavioral challenges, she felt Venom was exactly the companion she’d been hoping for.
“I was told he was going to be a purebred black Lab of the English style, and that was exactly what I wanted as a working dog,” Auten
told The Dodo. “My dream dog, if you will.”
Labrador retrievers are often seen as go-to assistance and service dogs, due to their size, temperament and trainability. However, Venom had a few surprises in store for his new mom.
At first, Venom's stay was only meant to be temporary. Auten already had a Saint Bernard who helped with her training work and was adored in their Las Vegas, Nevada, neighborhood.
“When I started fostering [Venom], he was mostly keeping my Saint Bernard company and learning some basic manners,” Auten said. “I assumed I’d eventually adopt him out. [But] he was such a remarkable dog, and I could already see his potential.”
Not long after Venom arrived, though, tragedy struck. Auten’s beloved Saint Bernard suffered a health crisis and passed away. Reeling from the loss, Auten made the decision to officially adopt Venom — and it quickly became clear he was meant to stay.
She soon discovered he had a special gift as a “neutral dog,” helping fearful or reactive dogs feel calmer and more secure.
“He helps dogs realize that they can have friends or at least learn how to be at peace with other dogs and even other humans,” Auten said. “He is very social, so I often use him as a helper dog so that a scared dog can see that it’s safe to meet someone.”
While Venom was thriving at work, another thing became impossible to ignore: He was getting bigger and bigger … and bigger.
As the months passed, Auten and her son began documenting Venom's growth spurts in photos, both in disbelief as the “Lab puppy” blew past expectations.
“His DNA has been a running joke,” Auten said. “We knew he could not just be a Lab. He’s got the head of a greyhound, almost, with floppy ears and the body of a leggy, large breed like a Great Dane.”
Determined to finally solve the mystery, Auten decided it was time for a DNA test. She ordered a kit from Embark Vet, swabbed Venom’s cheek, and sent the sample off for analysis.
“Embark is one of the only companies that tests for international breeds,” Auten said. “Since he came from Korea, I knew he could have any number of things in him. I wanted a test that could actually identify more obscure breeds and tell me for sure what he was.”
When the results finally arrived, Auten was stunned: Venom was indeed part Labrador — but the other half was Tosa Inu, a rare Japanese mastiff breed known for their enormous stature.
Auten also learned Venom had a huge extended family living in the U.S. “He actually had five pages of relatives when we got the report back,” she said.
Venom has been able to reconnect with his siblings during the training and obedience classes that Auten teaches, and one of his sisters regularly comes to stay when her family travels.
Today, Venom continues helping dogs build confidence and trust — even if he towers over most of them. What began as a search for the “ideal” Labrador turned up something even more special: a one-of-a-kind rescue dog, who's grown into a loving and gentle giant.
And, for Auten, the surprise of Venom’s DNA only confirmed what she knew from the start — he's 100 percent good boy.
