Rescue Stories: Meet Cleo
Hi friends! Rescue Stories series is back this month and we have an amazing new pup for you to meet. As you know, during these ruff times, animal shelters and organizations have been struggling to maintain enough funding and supplies to support the hundreds of adoptable dogs/pets in their shelters. We are doing everything we can to help their efforts!
At Fit & Go Pets we play an important role (sometimes big, sometimes small) in helping dog rescue parents and their dogs as they go through their rescue journey and adapt to a new life. We see, first hand, entire lives changed for the better. We feel this role we serve is a big part of who we are as a company, and our duty, to help our community and help as many dogs and pawrents as possible.
So without further ado, meet Cleo our Rescue Pup of the month!
Cleo's Rescue Profile
-
Rescue date: September 10, 2021
-
Breed: Mix/Potcake
-
Approximate age: 1
-
Personality: Awkward and goofy
-
Loves to: Be chased
Her mom Talya tells us Cleo’s story:
I found Cleo on petfinder.com and fell in love with her goofy pictures. Little did I know how much this 20 lb Potcake dog had been through at only seven months old when she became mine.
A rescue in Nassau found Cleo with her family in a bush - fully pregnant and starving. Shortly after, she gave birth to eight puppies and hopped on an airlift to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) where I picked her up. She was heartworm positive (HW+), terrified of the leash, and insecure around other dogs and people.
After 6 months in Miami, she has blossomed into a healthy, goofy, affectionate, curious dog and is finally getting back the puppy time she lost while living on the streets.
The greatest lesson:
This dog completely changed my perspective on life. I never really understood the true meaning of patience and unconditional love until I began working with her on training and helping her un-learn her defensive behaviors. Rescue pups need to be taught how to socialize, play, be affectionate, even how to relax - it's basically like having a toddler at first. Seeing her transform into such a happy energetic dog gives me so much joy, and I am so grateful she is able to trust me and let me be the protector for a change.
A piece of advice:
Use all the resources your rescue can provide! I was so fortunate to have open communication with the adoption coordinators throughout our journey. Also the “3 day, 3 week, 3 month” rule is very much real!!!
What I wish I had known:
I wish I had known that most training has to do with the person, not the dog. Many of the instances where she's felt insecure and gotten defensive have been because of other dog owners being unaware, and irresponsible with their own pets (even if I tell people she's not friendly). I used to feel super guilty when this happened, but you just never know how other people are going to act. I am still learning how to navigate these situations but with time it gets way easier.
We know you have a wonderful dog rescue story. Tell us your story so we can post it on our blog and share it with all the people we know. It will take 5-8 minutes of your time. Let's get more people excited about dog rescue!
