THE SWEET STORY OF LUPO/ former Lucas

In 2021, I felt the need to adopt my first dog that I would take full responsibility for, along with my partner. Initially, I was looking for a black dog as I knew that due to stupid prejudices, they are the last to be adopted, to the point that unfortunately most animal shelters do not post them because they know that the posting will be pointless since no one wants them. Also, my partner and I had decided beforehand that we wanted our dog to be neither too small nor a puppy, because he should be able to be left alone during the hours we would be at work (puppies, as we know, have a lot of energy and an appetite for exploration, which would not suit this phase of my life).

After a lot of searching and many disappointments, I found Vrouva Farm, and the one who would become the dog of my heart. I couldn't believe my eyes that such a beautiful dog (a Belgian Shepherd and Malinois mix, as the vet later told us) had been abandoned and no one else wanted to open their heart to him. "If you adopt this dog, you will do a very good deed because there is no other way he can find a home. You are his only salvation," Alexia, who manages the Farm, told me. I didn't know it yet, but later he would become mine too.

His story shocked me. He had been found about 2 years ago, skeletonized on the street, looking for food. A volunteer saw him but couldn't take him with her, as there were already too many dogs at Vrouva Farm. She got into the car with tears in her eyes, ready to leave, and the little one started following the car, running with all the strength he had left, fighting for his life. Fortunately for us, the wrong man couldn't take it either, and took him with her. He must have been around 4-5 years old and as Alexia told me when I asked her about his character: "he looks every person who approaches him in the eye, as if asking 'are you my person, the one we'll spend the rest of our lives together?'" That's when I realized that this dog was waiting for me.

My only worry now was whether he would be able to stay home alone, during the hours I have to be away.

-And if we don't manage to do it, Alexia, then what happens?

-If he doesn't manage to adapt after a month, then you'll return him to me.

-With what heart will I do that? It sounds very barbaric!

-You'll have helped him even so, since you'll have given him his first experience in a home. It will be easier for him to adapt if he's adopted later.

Luckily for me, Alexia was so helpful that she played the most important role in making this adoption a success.

So I agreed, and we immediately arranged for them to take the boat from Aegina where they lived and for me to meet them both for the first time at the port of Piraeus. Lupo, although terrified by the journey, I think he understood that I was there for him to start a happy life together. Alexia handed him over and after I put his new leash on him, he followed me and we left together as if we had known each other for years. He even trusted me to put him in the car, and so we quickly arrived home, me excited with this beautiful dog next to me. Our first stop that same day was at a pet shop to wash him before we got home. I remember telling the people there that I didn't know if he would sit in the wash or if he would bite them since I had just gotten him. But his good nature was already visible and even though he was scared, he gave kisses to the person who was washing him! We returned home, where I began to notice that the dog could not lie down to rest, which means that he was trying to get used to his new environment. Also, all the walks we took that day ended up being pure disappointment as my little creature was so scared that he did not want to leave a smell, so he did not pee at all except in the house where he must have done a wee when we went to bed. He has never peed inside again since then. Of course we did not scold him, we continued the efforts every 2 hours with the walks, even pressing on his bladder to force him to act. So the first week was naturally difficult, and you should all keep in mind that the first month when we get a new pet is always the most difficult due to adjustment, it requires patience and understanding. Do not judge his character before a period of adaptation has passed.

We had to teach him to go down stairs as he was shaking (later we even taught him to go down escalators). He was afraid of the balcony (later he loved it). He was impressed by the television, he had probably never seen it before!

While we were living together, I noticed that he must have had a hard time in the past as some things scared him unexpectedly. If I picked up a pillow, for example, to dust it, he would jump away as if he thought I was going to hit him. He did the same if I shook a bag or any movement of mine with a sharp downward trajectory. Absolute panic would come when we went near a garbage can on a walk. Also, if I raised my voice, he would urinate out of fear (later he got over that too). It was clear that the dog had trauma from previous abuse. The transition from a confined space in the shelter, to a house full of treats and their smells was very abrupt. One Sunday, I left the house for two hours and when I returned I saw absolute chaos. Lupo had eaten everything he had found in front of him, from food, cookies... to closed cockroach traps he found and swallowed (12 to be exact, on top of the kitchen counter). I grabbed him and we left for the vet to give him an emetic injection. It took me another time for him to do the same thing for me to understand that the fault was mine and that I needed to confine him to a large crate when we were away until he adjusted, so that his life was not in danger. Lupo felt much calmer in the crate without us, as he could lie down and sleep as much as he wanted, without being tempted further.

You realize at times like these that when a dog misbehaves, it's probably because you haven't understood one of his needs properly. We started building a more stable schedule for him, with specific times he ate each day as well as his walks. Mom started by teaching him to play. He didn't know what to do with the toys, probably no one had ever played with him before us. All of this helped him calm down a lot and after a while we never had to use the crate again.

I will never forget the first day he hugged me ^^ . We were on the couch, and he just put his muzzle and his little hand on me, breathing out in relief. That was the moment I calmed down too, and I felt that we were in love forever. From then on, we had nothing but good times. So, I started taking him with me to work every day and almost on every trip. We lived a very happy life, full of love, lots of joy, travels, cuddles. When things were going wrong in my life and I watched him run around happily, I thought that at least I did this right. We got him a passport and took him by boat to Italy where we had a fantastic time. We had adventures together rafting (elementary level of course). At first he was afraid of the sea, but because he trusted us so much, when we showed him that he didn't have to be afraid, he loved it terribly and we even managed to play in the water, either running or with his beloved ball. Some of the best vacations I've ever had in my life were spent either alone with him, or with my partner, or with my parents all together, as a family. Every time I looked at him, I felt my heart grow with love. Everyone adored him because he was the best dog in the world. Good with everyone and all creatures, kind, and always tried to understand you. He was also very good with children, and so he became the first dog that many children came into contact with.

Parents would tell their children stories about LUPO in the evenings because he was such a kind-hearted dog. It was impossible for anyone to meet LUPO and not love him. He would look you in the eye with appreciation just by being there. We reached a point where we understood each other just by looking at each other. The most beautiful thing when you have a pet in your family is that you are filled with love, and you become a better person. As my grandmother says, pets teach us things and give us life lessons. We definitely became better people with him.

I hope our story inspires at least one person to adopt a black dog and see their life transformed as beautifully as ours.