Jason and Julie were involved with a chihuahua rescue organization before they began fostering dogs with Coveted Canines Rescue. Once their chihuahuas began to age they started fostering Norman, a street dog from the Cayman Islands. They soon felt he was a great fit for their family and adopted him in August 2019. By the following summer they also welcomed Cash into their home, a Beagle-Dalmatian cross who was surrendered by his previous owner because they couldn’t manage his high level of energy.
Jason describes Norman as the more easy going of the two, equally content whether taking a nap on the couch or going out for walks. Cash, on the other hand, can be a handful but as a family, they do their best to release as much of his energy as they can. Despite their differences, they tend to balance each other out, and Cash learns a lot from Norman. Jason says when dogs have a companion during the day, their behaviour and mental health are much better than when they’re alone and restless, and he also emphasizes how important it is for a family’s lifestyle to match a dog’s energy level.
When it comes to training, Jason says he likes to guide them and explore with them. On their first day with Norman, Julie and Jason could count his ribs and hear his teeth chattering, so it’s been extremely rewarding to watch him transition into a healthy, beautiful, vibrant dog. He is self assertive and loves everybody, and can’t resist when Cash wants to play, despite being the calmer of the two dogs. “They started wrestling their first day together and have been wrestling ever since.” According to Jason, Cash lives by his own rules. He paces around the house, barks too loud, and shreds up his toys, but has also grown from being submissive to confident through consistent training and becoming more in tune with his family.
Working with dogs who come from a rescue organization may prove to be challenging but being able to devote extra love and attention to them will contribute to their success in their new homes. Jason has always been a dog person and feels like his two daughters benefit from having pets, as they learn about nature, empathy and responsibility. “Animals are amazing things to have in your house and your kids’ lives… it’s so tragic what some of these animals go through.” Some dogs become hard coded to behave a certain way but having a loving family to work through those challenges can make all the difference in these dogs’ lives.