Nicole Marie Wasieleski, volunteer at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, didn’t think she’d be adopting another dog anytime soon. But that changed when she saw a sweet gray face all alone in her kennel.
Kairi was so quiet and gentle and kind of looked like an old wolf, and the woman couldn’t get her out of her mind.
The 10-year-old dog had been through a lot in her later years losing her family suddenly. And the newly adopted dog had trouble adjusting to her new home with Nicole. So Nicole got the idea to get Kairi something of her own to help her feel more safe and secure.
They went to the pet store where the dog was allowed to pick out her very own toy. And Kairi walked right up to the one she wanted.
“She picked out this funny pink dinosaur and we were laughing about it and kept trying to hand her more normal toys,” Nicole told The Dodo. “She ignored them and carried the dinosaur all the way around the store and to the register.”
Kairi won’t let the pink dino toy out of her sight. She carries it around everywhere she goes and constantly cuddles with it. It has really helped her settle into her new life and loosen up a bit.
Kairi has bad separation anxiety and has chewed up the carpet when left alone. So they are starting to crate train her, and her favorite toy is going a long way to help out with that. She used to bark and scratch at the crate, but with the dinosaur toy she is silent and calm!
The senior dog has adjusted to her new life and home so much more quickly all thanks to this toy she can call her own. She’ll even place her paw on Mom’s arm to show her thanks for the second chance at life.
Kairi is getting more independent and breaking out of her shell more every day, but the family has a backup plan just in case: another pink dinosaur toy. If anything happens to hers, she has a brand new copy waiting for her! 🙂
h/t The Dodo