In the summer of 2018, a Connecticut Animal Control office received calls about a young stray dog who had been frequenting a grocery store parking lot. He had no ID tags or microchip, and no owner came forward to claim him. Since no one claimed this handsome boy, he was housed and cared for at the local municipal shelter and named Cole. Estimated to be around 3 years old at the time, Cole started to exhibit some behavioral challenges in the shelter, like obsessing over food bowls. With his lack of training, socialization with people, and obsession with certain items, we were contacted to help provide Cole that extra level of care and handling to help him meet his needs and thrive. We welcomed handsome man Cole to our Sanctuary in November of 2018!
During Cole’s transition to our canine cottages, he was a bit perplexed about what to do indoors, especially in the living room. He didn’t know how to settle in and would look towards people to keep him busy and occupied. Little was known of Cole’s history, but we did get a bit of insight during his time in the municipal shelter. The Animal Control officers noted he liked to carry around objects in his mouth, using them like a calming pacifier. He would play with his bowl, toss it around, and carry large Kongs in his mouth. He seemed to not have much experience of a home and exposure to common household things like a couch or the TV. We speculated about his previous life and wondered if he spent most of his time outside, away from people, and didn’t have much, which would make sense as to why he was obsessed with the few items he had in his possession.
Getting to know Cole, we saw his obsession with different objects. The objects he would obsess over would vary from day to day, but he definitely had quite the stash of Kongs to help ease any stress as well. We worked to identify his trigger objects and navigate ways to decrease stress. We began positive reinforcement dog training to help him gain confidence and become more comfortable around different objects, people, and places!
It was clear Cole loved people, but he would become overly excited when people showed him affection. Cole was prone to some obsession with new humans by jumping and physically being all over them! Especially since he is a large dog, another primary goal was to help him feel comfortable and confident around new people by teaching him self-control during social interactions, meeting new people appropriately, and helping with his manners so he would not jump all over us to say hello!
You could say Cole was a young wild child when he first arrived at the Sanctuary, but all of his behaviors “made sense” given what we could infer about his past. We quickly learned how smart, athletic, and playful Cole really was! Cole had an array of tough, black Kongs and Kong bones he loved to chew and adored long games of fetch with his special toys. Routine exercise, such as fetch, helped him release energy and provided stability in his daily life. He loved his playtimes—unless it was raining or snowing!
As we worked training routines into his life, it was clear Cole was also intelligent and eager to learn! Cole started to show he could quickly jump into training mode when working with staff, and didn’t have to resort to jumping on people instead! Our Dog Team also worked on relaxation training to help him control his obsession tendencies and could teach himself to be calm, especially inside the cottages.
Cole showed steady improvement over time, but still had some triggers with obsessing with items and remembering his manners. One staff member recalls funny moments with Cole, “Cole had to drink from a cup that the person held for him. He becomes way too excited with water bowls.” Even though Cole still had some progress to achieve, we felt Cole would not need live at the Sanctuary forever, but he would have very specific needs from his people in a forever home environment.
After four years of learning routine, positive dog training, and graduating from numerous Canine College classes, Cole had transformed into a much calmer and mature dog. Despite his indoor behavior, Cole coined the nickname “Zen Cole” because he was one of the very few dogs that didn’t react when other dogs would bark at him on walks. With his calm, peaceful demeanor around other dogs, in turn calmed other dogs and would make them more comfortable being around him. Cole’s transformation even impressed our Sanctuary guest, Brooke, who historically dislikes attention from high energy, wild doggies! Cole was able to show Brooke that other dogs aren’t so scary, and can actually be a lot of fun! The two became fast friends after a few paired walks and playtimes in the yard with staff! Having Cole at our Sanctuary contributed to a lot of turning points for other canine guests and helped them become more comfortable with socializing with dogs.
It was kismet that one of his primary handlers and dog trainers fell in love with him! She understood his training needs, and was seeking a new pup companion to enjoy her and her husband’s active outdoor lifestyle. They enjoyed quiet, secluded outdoor spaces for biking and camping, which sounded great for Cole. It was certainly a bonus that his potential adopter had ties to the Sanctuary and he could continue his playtimes with girlfriend, Brooke, too! After going through our multi-step adoption process and a few overnights with Cole to make sure the family meshed, we felt more than confident it was a good match and our big boy could finally find a real home! After being abandoned in the summer of 2018, everyone at OC was over the moon to send Cole home with his new mom and dad in the summer of 2023!
His first night was filled with walks, his favorite Kong toys, squeakers, and testing out chairs like Goldie Locks to see which one fit his big body just right. Training was still on the forefront as he did try to steal a sneaker, which he nicely traded for a cookie, and he had some trouble going in to his crate. His mom told us, “Nothing negative happened, but we also want to take it slow and not push him.” The following day, Cole was ready to head with mom and dad to the bike shop to meet new human friends before ending the day with a hike.
Coles days continued to be filled with walks, hikes, and mini adventures. He had exposure to new things in home life too. There were still some shoe stealing moments in the first few weeks, but he always traded nicely for a cookie or a squeaky toy! Much more fun! Another funny, unpredictable moment was Cole seemed to dislike when his pawrents were on FaceTime with family. “He retreated to his crate with his back turned to us, but got over it as soon as the call was done!” During snuggle times, he also took up most of the bed!
“He is really being a trooper about all this change, you can do it Cole!!!” And “do it” he could!
After a few months in the home, Cole and his mom went on his first camping trip! He did great with the new overnight outdoor adventure, and apparently enjoyed sitting high on top of the picnic tables!
By the third month, his adopter said it had truly sunk in that Cole was part of the family and they love him more than anything! It’s safe to say, we think Cole feels the same. He went on more camping trips, and hotel stays when the weather was bad, and continued his play-dates with Brooke at the Sanctuary. “The two dogs are a total hit, Brooke is a goof ball and full of energy with Cole.”
As the Christmas season rolled around, so did Cole’s 6-month anniversary of adoption! He didn’t mind the tree at all, but as a preventative measure, his adopters put the Christmas presents in clear bins so they were not a temptation for Cole to chew or get in to! Don’t worry though, once Christmas morning arrived he received all the good things to chew on like his favorite carrot squeaky toy, Kongs, and a stuffed Yeti!
As the seasons went by, Cole continued to thrive with his regular positive training from his parents and continued adventures! Cole has been a wonderful companion whether he was out for a hike deep in the woods, or running errands in town! His mom relayed, “He loves shopping and is a regular at Home Depot and Carhartt. Cole expects everyone to stop and pet him and looks a bit crushed if they don’t. While at Home Depot, a man knelt to pet Cole and Cole gave him a big ol’ kiss on the face! The man started tearing up and said it had been a long time since he had been kissed.” We love to hear that Cole was spreading joy to those around him, even strangers!
Cole continues to be a fabulous camping buddy! “He’s the nosy neighbor and sits on the picnic table at the campsite watching all the other campers and is the best boy when other dogs pass by. He LOVES the tent and can’t wait to get in it at night. He hogs the whole sleeping bag!” With Cole’s big body and even bigger love for his people, he takes up lots of room for snuggles! In fact, his mom and dad even purchased a new couch big enough for all three of them to lounge on! “Cole is in heaven that he can lay between us!”
Any follow-ups with Cole are always filled with new adventures, new achievements, and milestones. His forever family always expresses how much they love him and how thankful they are that he is a part of their family. We think it’s safe to say, Cole shares all the same sentiments!
Our pet family members deserve to be met where they are, to continue to help show them the world in a positive way, and to help them navigate a world that might be unknown to them. Cole’s story is a beautiful reminder of the joy and fulfillment that comes from adopting a pet. Here’s to many more years of love, adventures, and cherished moments for Cole and his wonderful parents! Happy first adoptiversary, Cole!
