The two pit bull-type dogs were found by a Good Samaritan wandering the streets of Glendale. On first appearance, they made an odd pair. The gray one was large, weighing over 70 pounds, while his smaller, 25-pound black and white friend had a long body and short legs. The Good Samaritan dropped the dogs off at the animal shelter, wishing them luck finding their way back home. They were examined, vaccinated, and given a clean bill of health. Their pictures were taken and loaded on the computer. A microchip was found when the larger one was scanned, but, unfortunately, the phone number was disconnected. With no leads to their family, they were placed in separate, adjacent kennels in the dog housing area. It was the holiday time, so the dogs were named Blitzen and Dasher.
The first night, the pups cried the entire evening. Pacing back and forth, they would continuously jump up to get a glimpse of each other through the kennel bars. The next morning, they refused to eat and both began to hide in the backs of their kennels. Their depressive nature made the staff and volunteers feel sad. The staff did everything they could to make them feel comfortable, but nothing seemed to work. Remembering that the two had come into the shelter together, one member of the team had an idea. “Maybe they are a bonded pair,” she thought. A bonded pair is a term indicating two animals that are so strongly attached that they need to stay together to alleviate anxiety and stress. These bonds are so strong, and the animals are so close, that one or both of the animals suffers when not with the other.
To test out her theory, the staff member decided to take them out for a walk together. The minute they saw each other their personalities and body language changed. Wiggling like the dogs you see in those videos when the soldiers come home after being gone for months, there was a smile on the dogs and walkers faces. Most bonded pairs come from the same home, but in the case of the two it was unclear how they found each other. What was clear was that these two pups were shared a special relationship.
Everyone wondered what their history was with one another. Were they related? The big one was about three years old and the little one only seven months old. Maybe they were father and daughter? Could they have been adopted at separate times, but lived together in the same home and happened to get lost together? Or, did they live apart, met up in the street and formed a bond for survival and companionship? No matter the reason, it was clear that they needed one another. The shelter decided to house them together and adopt them out to the same home.
At the shelter, they have been perfect guests. They are friendly and outgoing with people. They’ve done well around other dogs on field trips with the mobile adoption unit. You’ll find them play wresting in their kennel or romping around the enrichment yard together. As long as they are together, they are happy. Apart, they still show signs of stress.
It’s hard to believe, but the pair has now been looking for a new home for nearly two months. To boot, their adoption fee is free. A couple weeks ago, a kind woman saw their bond and decided to pay for their adoption fee in honor of her mother for the holidays. Some people may see the downside in adopting two dogs instead of one—the extra financial investment, being one of the major reasons—however, there are major benefits to adopting a pair. Firstly, your pets are never alone, which helps prevent boredom and behavior problems. Pets that live together are often healthier due to companionship and regular exercise they get during play time. And, two animals give double the love to everyone in the family.
Anyone interested in coming to meet Blitzen and Dasher should visit The Pasadena Humane Society located at 361 S. Raymond Avenue in Pasadena. They are currently in kennel 79 and their ID numbers are A447655 and A447656.