Last Thursday I pulled a dog from the Staten Island ACC. He’s believed to be part English bulldog and part American staffordshire terrier. The shelter was calling him Little Baja, although I quickly changed it to Benicio, or Benny for short. I wanted to stay true to his roots and, well, who doesn’t love Benicio Del Toro?
I’ll never forget how scared Benny was when he first came off the van. I live on a busy street, so when I saw him crouching down with his tail between his legs I took him to a quiet street lined with trees. When he stepped in a pile of leaves, the sound that the leaves made beneath him sent him jumping five feet ahead. I knew right there and then that this poor soul likely never saw the light of day.
My suspicions were confirmed even more when Benny proceeded to do his business in my apartment. Wherever he lived, a shed or basement, he relieved himself where he wanted, when he wanted. So our area rugs got rolled up and I got on the horn with my dog trainer, who reminded me what to do and where to take him.
On top of Benny’s timidness, he also came down with a big ol’ case of URI. I freaked of course because kennel cough is highly contagious and Ella already has enough going on.
Luckily, a wonderful woman in my building by the name of Cindy Rosen, offered to take Benny for one week until his cough subsided. She walks him in the morning and at night, and I take him for a few walks during the day while she is at work. We communicate via text to give one another updates about what he eats when, and what he does when he goes to the bathroom. It’s a great partnership that we have dubbed, “Team Benny!” I am happy to report that while Benny is still scared of big, surly men and objects such as strollers and shopping carts, he has not had a bathroom accident since last Friday.
But there’s even better news: Benny has a trial, “furever” home already lined up. The day I was expecting Benny to arrive from ACC I was getting my teeth cleaned. My dentist lives on Long Island, has two kids and two dogs and has been pining for a third (dog, not kid!) Her husband wants an English bull dog, she would like a pit. “Behold Benny,” I say! I emailed the family some pictures and Benny did a meet and greet with my dentist the following day, which went very well .
We’ve been giving Benny the week to get over his cough while working on house-breaking him as best as we can. This Saturday Benny will meet his potential new family on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and if all goes well, he will go home with them for a one week trial period.
Keep your paws crossed!
