A dog named Fraser arrived at the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in the UK looking very tough. His former owners had cruelly docked the tail and ears of the large cane corso to make him appear tough. Though he might have looked intimidating, he was anything but that. The volunteers realized the big dog was absolutely terrified of everything. He was too scared to leave his kennel, even to go for a short walk. Fraser was just a young pup, but he had been through so much in his life already. That meant he was scared of just about everything. The shelter staff knew his fear could prevent him from finding a loving home, so they wanted to help him in any way they could. The staff sat down and brainstormed ideas, and one of them thought up something that was interesting.
One of those volunteers, a canine behaviorist at the organization, had recently adopted a dog into her home. It was a 6-month-old pug whose name was Pancake. She thought introducing Fraser to another dog could help calm him—and Pancake was just the dog for the job. The little pug was very confident and calm, and they thought he would be a great influence on the large, terrified dog. Everyone was waiting anxiously when the pair first met, and it turned out to work like a charm. They seemed like quite the odd couple—the very large Fraser and quite tiny Pancake—but the pair instantly bonded. Pancake taught Fraser how to be brave and confident.
The more time Pancake and Fraser spent together, the better Fraser felt. His fear drifted away and he just seemed so much happier overall. Now he’s like any other dog—happy, confident, and no longer terrified to leave his kennel. Thanks to the help from Pancake, sweet Fraser is now ready for his forever home. While it seemed at first Fraser would never be ready for adoption, he is now thriving and all he needs is a family to love him and help him become a great dog!
