Ever wonder about the story behind the dogs’ photos you see on our Facebook or Instagram? Here’s your chance to learn about our clients through our new blog series!
How old are your dogs? And at what age did you get them?
Diesel (pictured on the left) is 5 and we rescued him when he was about 10 months old. The vet guessed that Hank (pictured on the right) is close to 3 years old, but we don't know for sure as he was rescued as a stray.
Where did you rescue them from? And how did you pick that place?
We rescued Diesel from a friend of a friend. The family that had him had two other adult pitbulls and a litter of puppies. They were unable to care for all the dogs, so Diesel was practically starved and kept in a kennel 24/7 so they could care for the puppies. He likely wouldn't have lived much longer. He wasn't neutered and had a terrible skin infection where he was laying on the wires from the kennel. He wasn't able to sit down completely on the ground because he was in so much pain. We neutered him the next day to get him some relief.
We rescued Hank from Greenville Animal Center in Greenville, South Carolina, which is about two hours away from where we live. We initially went there because I had my heart set on a female pitbull that was there and I wanted to adopt her. When we got there, Hank was the first dog we saw when we walked into the kennel area. We commented on how cute he was, but kept looking for the female. Once we found her, we introduced her to Diesel. She didn't like him at all! My husband kept asking to meet Hank and I kept saying no because I had my heart set on a female. After we met multiple females, none of them were the right fit. They either didn't like Diesel, Diesel didn't like them or they showed no interest in my husband or myself. My husband finally asked one final time to meet Hank. The shelter staff told us he wouldn't be a good fit since he didn't do well in other meet and greets. I said lets meet him, to humor my husband, and they brought him out. As soon as he got into the play area with Diesel, it was love at first sight. We were unable to separate them. We knew that he was meant to be ours. Diesel told us he was meant to be ours.
What was the hardest thing for you, when adjusting to having two dogs?
It was really difficult going from a dog that listened and had manners to a dog that had zero training. He pushed Diesel to his limits, but Diesel quickly put him in his place. We have found what works for him and that they can't be fed together as they both have slight food aggression. Hank was very timid when we brought him home. If you raised your voice the slightest bit, he would run from you, try to bite or cower. None of it was out of aggression, but simply fear which is understandable. We hired a trainer and he's like a whole new dog. He's much more confident and finally in a routine that works for all of us.
What is your dogs favorite food (not dog food!)?
Diesel, even though he's a fatty, is the pickiest eater EVER! He won't even eat Chick-fil-A fries! Diesel really loves cheese and ice cubes.
Hank is a garbage disposal! He will eat ANYTHING. He loves broccoli, spinach, carrots, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, etc. You name it and he will eat it!
What is the most important thing you want people to know about your dog and its rescue?
I think it's important to let your original dog choose it's housemate. You can't force anything in these situations. Would I have loved to bring home that female pittie? Absolutely! But Diesel wouldn't have been happy and neither would she. We agreed Diesel would be the one that made the final decision and we listened. I'm so glad we did because we now have the perfect dog for our family and for our Diesel.
