When I first adopted my dog many years ago, I was under the impression that he and my cat would never get along.
Well, it’s safe to say that I was pleasantly surprised to learn that was not the case at all. Even though their first meeting seemed a bit uneasy, they got along just fine.
I think that the main reason for that was just the fact that my dog was very social and he enjoyed being around other animals.
It was only then that I learned just how much dogs like to play with just about anyone. It’s not limited strictly to other humans or dogs. They enjoy the company of most animals and I think that’s adorable.
Something similar happened to the dog that we will be talking about today. Her story is the perfect example of how dogs can make friends just about anywhere.
Martha’s New Friend
When Aaron first heard about Martha at the shelter in California, the rescuers thought that she was unadoptable because she had a giant scar on her back.
It was understandable that they were concerned about her, but Aaron decided to adopt her and hopefully help her live a better life.
She knew that it was not going to be an easy road for her, but she was willing to give it a shot anyway. Very early on, she learned that Martha was not very good with other dogs.
In fact, she could not go near them. It’s hard to say why she has this reaction to other dogs, but it’s clear that it has something to do with her past.
Her owner didn’t want to put her in stressful situations, so she always tried her best to avoid other dogs as much as possible.
They would often go on walks through the park in California when there were fewer people and animals there because she was afraid that something might happen.
Weirdly enough, Aaron learned that Martha likes squirrels for some reason. This surprised her a lot. Whenever Martha was near other squirrels, she would completely stop moving because she didn’t want to scare them.
She understood that her presence might be intimidating, so she would just sit and look at them. This was a positive sign for her owner.
Martha Is So Gentle
Martha could maybe learn how to behave around other dogs as well. Her owner tried getting her used to being around other pups for years, and it worked in a way.
She was just okay with them, and that was some success, but her obsession with squirrels never went away.
Aaron would take Martha back to the same park, and the very same tree where she first met the squirrels so she could interact with them.
Well, calling it interaction might also be the wrong word because all Martha did was stay still while they moved around her. It was really adorable.
What surprised her owner was that she didn’t really care about the other squirrels around. She only wanted to hang out with the squirrels from that particular tree.
Aaron understood that there was a chance Martha might be aggressive to them, so she always paid close attention, but that never happened.
Even though she is a senior dog now, her owner is surprised to see that she still has so much life in her and she wants to give her the chance to enjoy the little things as much as possible.
Going to meet the squirrels is Martha’s safe space and it’s something that she loves doing. It’s so heartwarming to see her owner doing so much to help her.
