Bringing Odie into my life has been the absolute best thing I’ve ever done. It has also been the most challenging, difficult and educational thing I’ve ever done – and I have a Bachelor’s degree!
At the time, I was still living at my parents’ house, hunting for a home of my own. I joked that I wanted to get a puppy, mostly to get a rise out of my dad, who was very against me bringing a puppy into his house. I would search online for “border collie puppies” and show him their cute little faces, but he wasn’t budging.
Then one day, I popped in my “border collie puppy” search terms and this sad looking, adult border collie mix appeared on the screen. I read the story of this abused, 2-year old dog who was living in a shelter in Iran and my heart melted. I showed my dad the pup’s sweet face, told him the story and he responded, “That’s the one. Bring that dog home.”
After a bit of research into the organization, Loved at Last Dog Rescue, I submitted my application to adopt Odie, and then… I waited. It took a few weeks after I sent the initial application for the process to get moving. I did a phone interview with a volunteer and had an at-home visit with another volunteer. Finally, I received the email that I would be able to adopt Odie!
Within a week of learning that Odie would be making the long flight from Tehran, Iran to Vancouver, BC, I was driving to Hope, BC to meet him and a Loved at Last Dog Rescue volunteer. I was so excited, and so nervous to meet this boy! I was stunned when Odie hopped out of the volunteer’s truck. He was twice the size I was expecting him to be, with thick, matted fur. He was so scared, but we immediately bonded on the drive back to Kelowna.
Everything was so new for Odie when he arrived. This dog, who had been feral and then in a shelter, had never seen things like toys or even furniture before. He loved the couch and pillows, but he was scared of my bed. He mostly barked at toys, and wasn’t sure how to play with them. And food! OMG, Odie and food. Watching him try new treats and foods was so entertaining. ?
I spent the first few weeks with Odie letting him adjust to his new life and feel it out a bit. I gave him lots of trust and space and let him explore his new home and family. But I wasn’t naive to think that there wouldn’t be hiccups in Odie’s new life.
It became very apparent early on that Odie had some aggression issues, especially with small dogs. He would go crazy on walks if we saw another dog or if a dog came running to the fence. The fur on his back would stand up and he’d bark and show his teeth. It was a bit scary sometimes, so we decided to get some help from an amazing trainer, Wayne Dorman of Dogzies Pet Services Inc.
Odie and I have now been working with Dogzies for over two years, attending regular group training classes, and Odie attends Dogzies Dayschool usually once a week. He is able to work on his socializing skills, obedience and working with the pack, and I learn so much about how to work with him!
One thing that I’ve learned at Odie’s classes is how alike dogs and humans are. Just like us, they get grumpy, frustrated, annoyed, sick and tired, and sometimes they snap.
Imagine being in a really bad mood. You haven’t slept well, you have a headache and you’re a bit irritable. Then, an extremely excited person, with too much energy, approaches quickly and gets right up in your face. They’re speaking loudly and maybe they even reach out and pat you on the back a bit too hard. Is there a chance that you snap at them to leave you alone?
This analogy of the similarities between dogs and humans has stuck with me. It’s a great reminder that dogs feel all kinds of things, like frustration, anger, sadness and fear, but they can’t vocalize those feelings. Instead, we have to watch for their signals.
Odie has come so far since the first day that I met that scared, aggressive bear lookalike. And I have too. I’ve learned more about patience and gratitude from Odie than I’ve ever learned from anyone else. I’ve also learned that, just like a child, sometimes you have to give your rescue dog some credit, some trust and some space. You have to let them make mistakes, and help them to correct those mistakes. That’s been the toughest lesson to learn so far, but giving Odie the opportunities to prove himself have made him a much happier dog.
We still have a lot to learn together, but I wouldn’t trade those lessons for anything. ??
