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Adopting a rescue dog may not always be the easiest decision, but could be a rewarding one. Things to consider while looking for a rescue dog could be mental characteristics, behaviors, past trauma and temperament. Our friend Palli was willing to take on these challenges when she opened up her home to Prunella, a 5-year-old rescue, without any clear understanding of her history.
Adopting rescue dog Prunella
When adopting Prunella, Palli was told right away that she is not friendly with other dogs but she didn’t know much else about the dog. Palli suggests that she was abused by other dogs and maybe even humans. Prunella had had facial scars, was not spayed and lacked socialization skills. At first, she did not bark, would not make noise or play with toys, hated getting baths and was super hesitant to come in the house or even go outside for a walk or for a potty break.
Slowly, Prunella became more comfortable with Palli and her new home. Palli made sure that her new fur baby had several snuggly dog beds and received regular meals and treats as part of her new daily life. It was apparent that everything about being loved and treated with kindness was a new experience for Prunella. This made Palli create a promise to Prunella that the rest of her life would be as golden as possible.Â
In the 2 years that Prunella has been with Palli, she has worked on learning basic commands. She started with sit, stay, and fetch, along with many other simple commands. Prunella’s social skills have grown to where she is able to start trusting people, enjoy regular spa baths/treatments, and living a better life. The next step for Palli was to figure out a way to improve Prunella’s interactions with other dogs.
Petsies used as a dog training tool
Palli says she decided to order a Petsies custom stuffed animal dog to help Prunella. Petsies are handsewn and airbrushed so they look like a real pet. She uses the plush lookalike as a training tool to help Prunella recognize and become comfortable interacting with other animals.Â
They call Prunella’s mini-self “Plushy.” She still tries to nip at Plushy if they are too close to each other. The dog still doesn’t fully understand how to interact with the Petsies in a positive way. When training a pet, you have to remember to be patient and calm while the dog learns.Â
Palli’s final goal for Prunella is to help her understand that having a dog friend is the best part of life, for both humans and fur buddies.
Check out Petsies custom stuffed animals that look just like your pet. They make the perfect gift for your pet-obsessed loved ones!
