Shy Catahoula Blend Overcomes Anxiety and Finds Forever Family

When Rascal first came to Helen Woodward Animal Center, he wouldn’t make eye contact with people. Instead he would cower in the back of his kennel, doing his best to appear as small as possible so the potential adopters would move on. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be adopted — all animals are looking for their forever homes — he was just shy around humans. Most people who came by the Center would never get to see the goofy personality the Cur blend with two different colored eyes possessed. Every day Rascal would see his neighbors find their forever homes while he curled up by himself in the back of his kennel.

But the Center wouldn’t let a little social anxiety stop an orphan pet from finding their happily ever after.

The organization enlisted their partners at San Diego Pet Training to work with Rascal and help him come out of his shell. Every day professional dog trainers would work with Rascal to help him overcome his shyness. First, they focused on getting him comfortable with leaving his kennel.

“[Rascal] didn’t like to go outside,” Julia Giardino, Rascal’s primary pet trainer said.

Giardino would open the doors to his kennel and wait for the Cur blend to come out. Sometimes, she said, she’d wait for an hour before he would finally venture out.

“You need patience and stubbornness,” she said. “Mainly stubbornness.”

Once Rascal started to become comfortable with leaving his proverbial nest, Giardino started taking him for walks around the Center. She’d walk him around the Center’s 12 acre property, mostly staying outside, to get him used to being on leash. Then she’d take him inside the offices to say hi to as many employees as she could find. During the first few indoor ventures, Rascal would press his body into the wall whenever someone would come by. Employees would reach out to let him sniff and he’d back away. Sometimes he would look to Giardino for reassurance. Other times he would try to bolt past the stranger.

After a long journey of socializing, Rascal would get to reap his reward — time spent in the play yards with his friends.

“Rascal LOVES other dogs,” Giardino said. “Whenever I’d say yard or one of his friends’ names he’d perk up and usually do what I asked.”

The months of tireless training paid off. While Rascal was far from a social butterfly, he didn’t cower in fear when people would come look at him, and he could go on walks with some measure of confidence. He would even get excited to see Giardino come by.

But then, dog and trainer’s time came to an end. A woman came by looking for her next furry family member. Rascal’s adorable gaze ensnared her heart and she took him home that day.

Rascal now goes by Enzo and he’s become quite the cuddle bug. When he’s not curled up with his favorite toy, he’s playing with his new best friend Lucky the tortoise, or Hudson the golden retriever.