Squeaker and OscarJanuary 10, 2011 : 4:37 PM ET
By Sandy Miller Story Link
Squeaker and Oscar couldn’t have been more different when they arrived at Best Friends. But today, they’re the best of friends. And that friendship has helped them heal.
Squeaker wasn’t quite as frightened of people as a lot of the other Vicktory dogs, but it still took time for her to completely trust them.
“Now, Squeaker loves everyone,” says Dogtown caregiver Betsy Kidder. “She has little to no hesitation when approaching people. She will pull on her leash, tail-a-wagging and run up to people.”
Kidder says Squeaker will even plop down on her back, asking for a belly rub. What a difference a little time and a whole lot of love and attention can make!
Oscar, on the other hand, was absolutely terrified of people when he first came to the Sanctuary in 2008.
“He would hang in the back of his run until the caregivers left,” says Kidder. “At night, Oscar was one of the dogs that we had to crawl in the crate to get out for walks.”
Talk about a guy who’s come a long way.
“He follows you around and will wag his tail and play-bow and then run from you,” Kidder says. “Then he’ll approach you and let you give him pets. He’s adorable!”
Oscar was the first of the Vicktory dogs to earn his Canine Good Citizen certification.
“That’s a huge milestone in my book,” Kidder says.
Kidder credits Squeaker with helping to bring Oscar even further out of his shell. Squeaker and Oscar have become such good friends that they now share the same run.
“Squeaker spent a lot of time in the clinic laundry before moving to a dog run,” Kidder says.
“She got a lot of interaction with people, and I think she has motivated Oscar to be less fearful. The two of them love each other. They play really hard and frolic around their run together. When they’re not playing, they’re often lying next to each other under the shade units.”
Both Squeaker and Oscar have discovered that people aren’t so bad after all.
“Today, both of them are excited to see you in the morning,” Kidder says.
Photos by Gary Kalpakoff
Portraits by Best Friends' founder and artist Cyrus Mejia
