Searching For a New Friend
When Lizzy Lou joined our family, we knew we were adopting with some unique conditions. She was scared of leashes, terrified of kennels, and could never be an “only dog”. We’d agreed to the package deal and were ready to meet her where she was. Then, as our old boy, Stevie Ray’s health began to quickly decline, we remembered our promise to always provide her with canine companionship.
We began our search for a dog that was young enough to follow the lead of the head of the pack – Stevie Ray – and small and easy-going enough that he wouldn’t try to harass or dominate Lizzy Lou. We found our little “unicorn” dog in Tripp – a year old who’d been pulled from a rescue in Gonzales, TX by PAWS Shelter of Central Texas.
Meeting Tripp
We thought we’d seen a terrified dog when we first met Lizzy Lou, but nothing prepared us for Tripp. He was like a wild fox, zipping around the “meet and greet” enclosure, giving us a wide berth, trying to nuzzle Lizzy Lou’s still-prominent teats (and being completely ignored), but following Stevie Ray around like a shadow. When the shelter let us know they’d had dozens of meet and greets with Tripp and that he’d simply been too fearful to be a match with anyone, we agreed – as with Lizzy – that we’d help the scared little dog find his confidence – and live his best life. We were confident that Lizzy Lou and Stevie Ray would show him the ropes.
Bringing Tripp Home
At only twenty pounds, Tripp was still flight-prone and wild, so to bring him home, we double-leashed and swaddled him and carried the shaking bundle to the truck. We managed to get him home safely by nightfall, double-checked the yard for safety and let him loose (with a drag leash) to explore his new property. Once let loose, Tripp zigzagged around the yard for a good half-hour, avoiding us completely and failing to follow the big dogs back in the house. Finally, cornered, he lay down against the fence and allowed us to carry him inside.
For the next week, we did not leave home, but allowed Tripp to explore the house and the yard. He quickly caught onto the household routines, following Stevie Ray’s every lead and copying his moves – from guzzling water and using a food bowl – to getting up on the furniture , navigating the stairs, and running through the screen door. Lizzy Lou was not very enthusiastic about Tripp’s constant attempts to nurse, but allowed him to snuggle with her in her bed and carefully groomed him.
Exploring Beyond the House
After a week had gone by, we managed to corner the skittish little dog and wrangle him into a harness with a double leash and a collar connector for extra security. He’d obviously never been on a leash before, but quickly picked up some mannerly walking skills by staying close to Lizzy and Stevie Ray.
He required constant vigilance due to some very specific fears – the sound of a ball bouncing, children’s voices, and truck engines – to name a few. When he heard any of these noises, he’d start to flail around, struggling to get out of his harness and run. We’d have to sit down where we were, holding him tight until he calmed and then carry him home.
Getting Braver
For the longest time, Tripp did not pay much attention to us. While we still had Stevie Ray, he’d follow the big dog everywhere. But, as his old buddy’s health began to decline, Tripp took to following Lizzy Lou, climbing with her into the big bed and snuggling against her curves. The only time he’d really relax with the humans was in the truck. Here, he’d crawl from the backseat to the front, climb into the passenger’s lap and lick the hand that patted him till he fell asleep. He came alive on his walks, though, eagerly pulling forward to explore whatever lay just beyond his leash.
The first time we heard him bark was almost six months after we got him, when Lizzy Lou was getting harnessed up and he just couldn’t wait another moment to be out the door. From that point on, he began to use his voice a little more – using a seemingly endless variety of vocalizations to express his desire for walks, for cookies, and eventually – for patting and cuddles.
Our Scared Little Boy Becomes a Big Brave Explorer
Fast forward almost a year, and Tripp bounds enthusiastically and effortlessly into the truck, hikes tirelessly, and is just as excited to head out the door on an adventure as he is to come home to his creature comforts. He keeps us on the move with his readiness for the next activity, and lets us know that he’s like some “more pets, please” by barking softly in our faces. He regularly gets the zoomies, loves to play with squeaky toys, and calls every dog he meets a friend.
Tripp is a “going kind” of dog, who loves to be looking out the windows of the Woof Mobile, watching for our next adventure. He’s explored the shoreline of Lake Travis, barked at the muddy waters of the Mississippi River, curled up by a campfire in Big Bend Ranch State Park, ran along the shores of Lake Ontario and accompanied his best friend Lizzy Lou on an epic cross-country adventure to and from Ontario, Canada, by way of the best backroads. He can’t wait for his next road trip.
See our post Meet Lizzy Lou for the story on Tripp’s pack mate and traveling buddy.
Update: 01/26/2024
The DNA report below helped us learn a bit about Tripp’s family tree. We thought he might be mostly King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, but oh no!
