Having a rescue dog in your home may be challenging at first, but once the “settling in” phase is done – you’re left with nothing but pure joy!
The majority of these four-legged furballs come with a painful backstory, and that’s exactly why they’re stigmatized a lot.
Take Harvey, for example! This American Staffy mix had been overlooked many times in the past because of his trauma.
For some reason, this sturdy boi was petrified of men and he always acted nervous around them. Given zero chance to change, Harvey looked pretty much like a lost cause until, one day, an uninvited guest walked into his life and changed everything!
Harvey’s Sad Backstory
Abby Schulte, a dog trainer and a huge dog lover from Austin, Texas, met Harvey in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Texas (hence, his name). At that point, he had no permanent home, and was brought to doggy daycare by his foster.
“I fell in love with him when his foster brought him into the doggy daycare I worked at, and we’ve been together ever since,” says Abby.
Before he crossed paths with Abby, Harvey had been adopted and returned back to a shelter several times because “he was too nervous and had separation anxiety.”
Clearly traumatized, and for some reason, uncomfortable around men, Harvey needed someone to understand him – and Abby just knew the recipe!
Learning How To Trust Again
She took things slow, as Harvey was not the kind of dog who jumps into a stranger’s lap or welcomes everybody with enthusiasm.
He had lots of problems adapting to new environments, meeting new people, and even going on daily walks.
Still, with tons of positive reinforcement training and a lot of patience – Abby managed to make Harvey as comfortable as possible, and he slowly started trusting again, but there was one thing left.
Abby wasn’t sure how this American Staffy mix would react to her boyfriend, knowing his history with men and how distrustful he was, but then, against all odds, Harvey shocked her to the bone!
His Dad Is His Favorite Person In The World
In no time, he embraced his dad with all his heart and his fear melted away! He even let his dad hold him – and from that moment on, he never let go!
“They’re just the best of friends and it warms my heart,” Abby wrote on Instagram.
Abby’s boyfriend became Harvey’s best bud in the world. He slept with him, ate with him, cuddled with him – and even walked him to work and visited him during lunch time.
“Harvey always get more excited for dad when I’m the one who walks him, feeds him, pays for everything, lets him sleep on the bed, etc. But dad is always the fav,” says Abby.
It was his dad’s loving approach that completely transformed Harvey’s way of looking at men – and Abby just loved it! He wasn’t a fearful dog anymore, and he absolutely loved every second of his time with dad.
Today, this dynamic duo is doing better than ever, and with Abby’s professional help – there is no doubt that Harvey will successfully overcome all the challenges ahead!
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