11/25/2024
From Storm Survivor to Beloved Companion: Dublin's Journey to Trust
Earlier this year, the Southeast and its coast were devastated by severe storms. Among the many heartbreaking stories that emerged were those of dogs left to fend for themselves, some even tied to fences and abandoned to survive on their own.
Today, I had the privilege of meeting one of these resilient survivors—a Bernedoodle named Dublin. His new owner flew all the way to South Carolina to adopt him and then drove him back home, a testament to his commitment to giving Dublin a better life. Little is known about Dublin’s past except that he’s a mix of a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Standard Poodle.
Since bringing Dublin home, his new owner has faced some challenges, particularly with recall. Dublin loves being outside and often turns coming inside into a game of keep-away. One particularly rough night, the owner shared, Dublin refused to come in until 4 a.m.
When I met Dublin, he was understandably cautious and vocal around me—a natural reaction for a dog still adjusting to his new environment. It took about 15 minutes of patience and calm for us to get him on a leash. Building trust was key here, and taking it slow helped him feel more comfortable.
My primary goal during this visit was to create a strategy to help Dublin become more trusting and responsive to his owner’s cues. Interestingly, Dublin isn’t food-motivated, despite being malnourished when adopted. He also prefers playing keep-away over retrieving, which adds an extra layer of challenge.
Despite these hurdles, it’s clear that Dublin is beginning to trust his new family, though he remains wary of strangers. Once we had him leashed, I started working on building his trust through simple activities. Walking around the backyard together, Dublin realized I wasn’t a threat and began walking calmly alongside me.
We then took to the street in front of his home to work on leash manners. Dublin’s temperament is stable, but he lacks experience in new environments, making him understandably jumpy and skittish. However, he was quick to catch on. Soon, he was walking beside me, stopping when I stopped, and correcting himself when he made a mistake. His owner also picked up on the techniques quickly, which was great to see.
Next, we introduced the “Sit” command, focusing on sitting promptly on the first cue and staying seated until released. Interestingly, it seems Dublin’s previous owners had started his training, which gave us a solid foundation to build on. We discussed ways to reinforce these behaviors and maintain consistency moving forward.
Overall, Dublin is a wonderful dog with a bright future. With time, patience, and continued training, he’s sure to thrive with his new family. I’m looking forward to seeing his progress in the future!
