The Bestest Boy
Pablo
Pablo was about to become a statistic. Why, you ask?
He survived a few weeks in California's shelter system. Pit bulls and chihuahuas are the two breeds most commonly euthanized. There are too many of them who are unwanted and get discarded.
Pablo’s life was saved because he was young, handsome, and had interesting markings — and he is still good-looking.
On a cold December day many years ago, he came to Oregon on a rescue transport from Los Angeles. There wasn’t any information about his behavior. Upon his arrival, it became apparent that Pablo was quite reactive; some might have called him a freaking lunatic.
He was aggressive towards other animals, especially when they were in motion. The local rescue organization couldn’t house Pablo away from other dogs. Due to his extreme behavior, he was in a tiny bathroom by himself.
They asked me to foster him, but I refused. Quite frankly, I was concerned about the safety of my pets. Eventually, I caved and took him home for a short visit.
Upon arrival at my house, Pablo fell instantly in love with my dog, Toddy. Toddy was the archetypal neutral dog, neither too needy nor too independent and, most importantly, indifferent towards other dogs. Because of Toddy’s calm demeanor, I decided to foster Pablo in the short term. Oh boy!
Initially, Pablo peed all over my house. He attacked my cats and couldn’t handle any movement in front of my living room window without screaming at the top of his lungs. He also couldn’t handle any of the emotional visitors of my pet hospice support group and screamed from the top of his lungs with them, too. Let’s say that most people feared Pablo in the early days.
During the first few months, Pablo received “therapy” in the sense that I eliminated or reduced any triggers that could potentially flood his nervous system, and I shielded him from sensory overload as much as possible. We only walked in low-traffic areas. Dog parks were and still are a No-No.
He was only allowed in the main house with careful supervision for short periods, and then he took a break to process — we did this many times throughout the day.
When I had to leave, Pablo had the privilege of lounging in my bedroom, listening to soothing music, safely confined behind a baby gate. He also received calming remedies, bodywork, and praise when he did well.
He had countless Tellington Touch sessions and other energy work to help reduce his PTSD. Slowly, he began to recover so we could do regular dog training.
Pablo Kiss
Over time, the world became safe, and the cats became his aloof friends. My dog Toddy remained Pablo’s idol and teacher until the day he died.
When clients approach me about their pet’s behavior, some of the first questions I ask are these: Are you willing to be patient? Are you willing to break things down into manageable increments for your dog? Are you willing to learn with your dog about your signals and behaviors, and those of your pup?
It took Pablo about eight months to release his habitual stress responses and become a more balanced dog.
Is he perfect? No, he still barks at the window, expecting bribes from passersby. Other than that, I am happy to say he has become an ambassador for his breed.
Pablo is an ancient man-dog now, with some health issues. He has lost many teeth, and his heart is weak. Despite this, he enjoys life to the fullest and still begs for food like the best. Attaboy!
I love you to the moon and back, Pablo Potato Head.
