Just like humans, there are dogs which can be seen as being different from the rest.
Stanley, the adorable pup of today’s story, has a very specific and strict daily routine that ensures that his day is filled with nothing but calmness and clarity.
Very Special Pup
An adorable Golden Retriever pup by the name of Stanley was rescued from Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid Florida, Inc., and was put into a foster home relatively quickly.
When his current owner found out that an adorable pup was looking for a forever home, she couldn’t help but go and meet the little guy.
However, as soon as she saw him, she knew that he was special.
“The first time I met him at his foster home, he was sleeping on top of their dining room table. They called his name and he didn’t budge…,” said Stanley’s mom.
When Stanley did manage to hear somebody call his name, he jumped off the table and ran for the door, signaling that he was ready to leave his foster home and start his new life.
New Life
It didn’t take long for Stanley to settle into his new life and family. He became the best of pals with not only the hoomans, but other animals as well.
He now has a doggo sibling – another Golden Retriever by the name of Karma, as well as two cats. Stanley couldn’t be happier.
[Stanley’s] gentle and incredibly tolerant with kids, and he absolutely loves to cuddle. Plus, he was already housebroken!
However, Stanley’s owner knew that he had to go through a lot of training, but since she trained Karma herself, she thought it wouldn’t be too big of a challenge.
Within his first year of training, Stanley’s owner took the same approach, but to her surprise, the results were drastically different.
[Karma] has always been quick to learn and eager to please. She even passed her K-9 good citizen test.
But, Stanley wasn’t as fast of a learner. Even with a year of intense training, his response to any command was a simple blank stare.
Being slightly different, Stanley’s owner decided to consult a professional. However, that didn’t go according to plan either.
Stanley’s first trainer didn’t have much luck in successfully training the pup, so she recommended Stanley to undertake a hearing test.
When the test result showed that his hearing was perfectly fine, Stanley’s trainer stated that he probably wasn’t food motivated, and she gave up on him, switching Stanley to another trainer.
After three months with his new trainer, Stanley’s owner was devastated when she heard her opinion.
The second trainer gave it about three months. Then said, based on her professional opinion, “I think he is mentally challenged”. She too proceeded to quit.
However, Stanley’s mom wasn’t about to give up on this adorable pup just yet.
Strict Routine
Stanley had some very interesting traits that defined him as a pup.
Every single evening, immediately after he had his dinner, Stanley would grab the same exact throw pillow and carry it around. Wherever he went, the throw pillow went.
He would even carry it outside and hold it in his mouth while he did his business. And, when he got tired, he would lie down, placing the pillow underneath his head.
Another very specific thing Stanley does on a daily basis is picking up the exact same three things and putting them in the exact same place.
These things include a left slipper, a remote control, and a care bear. If, for some reason, he can’t locate these items, Stanley becomes visibly stressed and starts frantically pacing around the house.
Luckily, his hoomans make sure that all of these items are in a visible place at every moment, ensuring a calm day in Stanley’s life.
Even though he still doesn’t respond to his name and it took him five years to learn a single command, which is ‘sit’, Stanley is one healthy pup!
I’ve voiced my concern to his vet every year during his annual physical and his response has consistently been, ‘Stanley is happy and healthy. That’s what’s most important. Keep on with the training. Eventually, he should come around’.
Training Camp
When Stanley’s owner was speaking to one of her friends, she told her about a comedic book, Hyperbole and a Half, by Allie Brosh. In it, there is a chapter about a dog that shares some pretty similar traits as Stanley.
The writer, trying to figure out what was going on with her dog, searched the internet and found a ‘3 Step Doggie IQ Test’. Finding this very interesting, Stanley’s owner decided to conduct the test on him as well.
The first step was all about names. The dog owner was supposed to call out their dog’s name and see how they would respond. However, everybody knew that Stanley did not respond to his name whatsoever, so it was quite clear that he failed this one.
The second step was for the owner to cover the dog with a blanket and see how he would react.
According to the test, dogs would usually throw the blanket off rather fast, flailing around. But, Stanley just started walking around with it on his body as if it was a Halloween costume.
The final step included a snack and a cup. The human was supposed to show the dog a treat, place a cup over it, and wait for the dog to take it.
Most dogs would try and take the delicious treat right away, but Stanley just kept looking at the cup, waiting for the treat to reappear again.
Karma took the same exact test and passed it with flying colors. Stanley’s owner also sent the test results to their vet, giving him a good laugh.
He got a kick out of it. He said it’s possible that Stanley’s mental challenges could be the result of inbreeding coupled with just plain ole stubbornness.
Final Word
At the end of the day, each and every one of us has one of those things that define us as individuals.
Stanley is a very happy pup who loves his family, his life, and everything he does. And, that’s the most important thing.
He’s become a wonderful part of my home and we will always love him… No matter what.