Senior Dog Who Misses His Dad Learns To Cuddle Dummy Instead

[catbyte]

“He slept through the night wrapped in the dummy. It was truly remarkable.”

By Lily Feinn

For 11 years, Shorty and his dad Marc have been inseparable.



Since the day Marc rescued Shorty from a Philadelphia shelter, the pug has followed his dad everywhere. But at 15 years old, Shorty isn’t as spry as he once was — which means staying home more and more.

“Shorty and Marc have a very special relationship,” Kristen Peralta, Marc’s wife, told The Dodo. “Marc calls Shorty his ‘angel dog.’ Shorty is just so happy when Marc is holding him.”



However, age doesn’t make the pug miss his dad any less — which has become a bit of an issue lately.

“He’s been having a lot of separation anxiety in his senior years and, unfortunately, Marc has to travel a good amount for work,” Peralta said. “Shorty will bark and cry when Marc is gone and nothing seems to calm him.”

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It seemed nothing could replace Marc’s warm embrace — until Peralta’s mom had a brilliant idea.

A week ago, Peralta’s mom secretly ordered a life-sized dummy from a Halloween store.

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“I put one of Marc’s already-worn shirts on it so it would have his smell,” Peralta said. “I sat Shorty down on the lap, wrapped the arms around him, and he was asleep within half an hour.”









Marc still doesn’t see the resemblance — but he’s happy that Shorty’s happy.

https://www.thedodo.com/close-to-home/pug-dog-snuggles-dummy-when-dads-away
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[riversedge]

1. lovely post. thanks

[redstateblues]

3. So sweet. I just lost my 15 year old retriever. Still grieving.

[BigmanPigman]

6. I am really sorry to hear that.

I have such empathy for you. My little girl is almost 16 and I am already missing her.

[MurrayDelph]

7. A little less than a year ago

I lost my Chow/Retriever, and still grieve.

Earlier this week, we were afraid we were going to lose our 7.5-Year-old Malamute/Pyrenees to cluster seizures, but they managed to break him out of them, and now we have to wait for him to come out of his stupor.

(We went through this with him two years ago, although this bout was much worse.)

[redstateblues]

8. My Retreiver Daisy was part Chow!

She was a beautiful dog. When I walked her, my fellow dog walkers would alway compliment on her good looks.

[MurrayDelph]

9. When we chose the Malamute/Pyrenees from the Humane Society

We brought Nikki (the lab/Chow) with us to make sure they'd get along.

People in the waiting room kept asking if we were turning her in so they could get her. Fat chance; she was my dog, and I was her person.

[magicarpet]

2. Wonderful solution,...

... the poor dogs anxiety is now under control and he is a happy camper.

[SamIam715]

4. Fred, my husband's pug

My husband Dave also has a pug who is just as devoted as this dog and his human. This story really hits home with me and I have shared it with Dave. How very special this is for the dog to have found his comfort.

Great post.

[Blue Owl]

5. Wait a minute, I thought trump didn't like dogs?

Oh... That dummy...

What a cute pug!