Rescue Tail  / Jynx Jingle is home for the holidays!

By Cathy Baier

Here, there, and everywhere! Jynx took off and landed several times in several places before he found where he ultimately needed to be. He first came to the shelter on Christmas Eve, 2020 when his family found themselves in a challenging situation and temporarily couldn’t keep their family of dogs. Jynx and his canine housemates stayed with us short-term until the family situation improved, and the dogs returned home. Within a week Jynx came back after fights started between him and another dog, and safety became a concern.

Even though there were issues between the dogs in the home, we soon realized that Jynx was very dependent on his canine family for support. Now by himself, he became insecure and fearful. When approached, he would run from us and warn us away with a deep and menacing growl. Jynx was an insecure dog, not a mean one, which is so often the case with dogs who appear “aggressive.” Like humans, dogs are highly social animals and can be emotionally and socially dependent on their friends and family. If we lose a supportive friend/ally, we may feel more vulnerable and less safe. The same thing happens to some dogs, as it did with Jynx. This lack of feeling safe can lead to behavior changes, which can be unexpected and at times, extreme.

With time and patience, Jynx came to know the staff and volunteers. He adapted to shelter life to some extent but still was very cautious and nervous around strangers. A nice couple with training experience showed an interest in him. They also had a well-balanced adult female dog we thought could be helpful and healing for Jynx, so we sent him home with them. They worked with him and he improved, yet he still remained a challenge. He was not friendly with other dogs, and his strength and reactivity towards them made him a tough dog to walk around their neighborhood. Since they didn’t have a yard and Jynx was not a candidate for the dog park, their options to exercise a young dog were few. Having to meet the daily needs of both dogs while trying to train one, plus work full-time, proved to be too much. They decided not to keep Jynx but agreed he could stay with them until he found another home. Eventually we found someone who had done a good job with a young female dog adopted from us. He was looking for a friend for her, plus he had a fenced-in area. Unfortunately, Jynx did not work out for him either and eventually ended up back at the shelter.

Six months passed with Jynx at the shelter. What adopters wanted in a dog and what Jynx needed to succeed never seemed to match. Then Sheila and Jose saw him. They felt a connection immediately. When we spoke with them, we felt a connection immediately too, sensing they might be exactly the people who Jynx needed. EVERYTHING Sheila said confirmed that intuitive feeling. She told us how her previous dog was challenging and all the things she had done to help build safety into their life that ultimately led to success. We were thrilled when they wanted to adopt Jynx. Before they even took him home, Sheila had signed up for an excellent online class to learn about building Jynx’s confidence.

Each update they’ve shared since adopting Jynx has demonstrated their supportive ways. An unexpected trip to their home in PA has given them time to build their bond with Jynx in an area where he can run, decompress, and learn that he is with people who have his back. He will be a work in progress as he learns to feel safe in the world, but he couldn’t ask for two better guides for his journey.

Congratulations Jynx Jingle; we believe you struck gold!

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