When Louie’s mom, Jarissa, takes him to pet stores, it’s not uncommon for people to back away or hold their dogs closer to them. However, there’s something about Louie’s eyes that makes people less scared and more willing to approach him. This Pit Bull has had a rough past, but his journey to healing and happiness is nothing short of inspiring.
Louie was found with numerous wounds and a severe skin infection. He was in terrible shape, experiencing a lot of pain, and was labeled as an aggressive dog. He was slated to be euthanized the day before a rescue saved him. As soon as he was taken out of the shelter, Louie revealed his true nature: a total love bug. This shows that one can’t always trust a dog’s behavior in a shelter environment since the stress can be overwhelming and not indicative of their true personality.
When the pup was first introduced to his new foster home with Jarissa, he had no idea how to play or what toys were. He was scared of everything, from falling leaves to any sudden noise. Fortunately, Jarissa had a smaller dog named Little Louie to show him the ropes. Little Louie wasn’t afraid to run around the backyard or face new sounds, and Big Louie started taking cues from his smaller counterpart.
It was Little Louie who truly taught Big Louie “how to be a dog.” Realizing the two couldn’t part, Jarissa decided to officially adopt Big Louie.
Tragically, Little Louie suddenly passed away, and Big Louie’s heartbreak was palpable. For the first six months after Little Louie’s death, Big Louie would jump up to look into car windows whenever Jarissa came home, searching for his lost friend. It was a heartbreaking sight to witness.
Despite the loss of Little Louie, Big Louie has continued to progress. The sometimes anxious Pittie wears pajamas to sleep to make him feel safe. Louie still has separation anxiety, but it has lessened over time. If Jarissa doesn’t kiss him and say goodbye before leaving the house, Big Louie will search for her. When he was first rescued, Louie was much skinnier than he is now, and as he started to fill out, his owner couldn’t help but admire his strong, healthy body.
Louie’s loyalty is truly astounding. Despite everything he went through before being rescued, he has made incredible progress and learned to trust and love again. His story is a testament to the loving nature of Pit Bull-type dogs and a reminder not to judge a book by its cover.
Toledo, United States.
