Vinny a Siberian Husky Mix, is as soft & cuddly as your favorite childhood teddy bear!

Before I even met him, I had some concerns.

It stated with 6 words.

“I would like to walk Vinny.” I happily stated.

This request was met with reservations from attendant #1, who looked over towards attendant #2.

Attendant #1 asked if it was a good idea or not for me to take Vinny outside the shelter walls.

Attendant #2 said, “Sure, if she wants to take him, she can.”

As I followed attendant #1 to Vinny’s chambers, they let me in on the reasoning behind the staffs’ uncertainty of Vinny’s behavior.

Vinny has a habit of jumping on people and with nails that desperately need to be clipped, his scratches can be painful . . . and lastly he can be mouthy.

When we arrived at his kennel, I was standing face to face with a giant fluffy teddy bear!

He has a fluffy coat with a hint of beige mixed into the white, giving him a uniquely charming appearance.

With Vinny leashed up, attendant #1 asked if I wanted Pet Correctors . . .

“Excuse me, could you repeat that?” I asked.

They explained it’s a type of spray that stops unwanted behavior.

I never heard of such a thing, by this time my anxiety is through the roof and I start 2nd guessing myself on whether I can handle this dog or not.

I replied that I’ll pass on the spray since I’ll just do a short walk with him to see how it goes . . .

The short walk, turned into an hour adventure!

As we were heading towards the exit to begin our walk, the attendant told me that this would be Vinny’s 1st walk outside the shelter walls.

The moment we stepped outside, Vinny did in fact jump on me in search for attention and pets.

Fortunately I was wearing a long sleeved shirt.

I quickly learned that long sleeves is must to help minimize scratches when working with unknown dogs. 

Vinny has a bubbly personality and a zest for life. I know that may sound a bit unusual, but this perfectly captures who Vinny is.

During the 1st 10 mins, Vinny would stop every few minutes to jump up for some hugs and pets, we would be mid walk and all of a sudden he’ll turn around in the middle of the sidewalk to be petted.

Me being 5 feet and some change, was smothered with affection by this big teddy bear.

Surprisingly he wasn’t a puller, I thought with his size he would drag me down the sidewalk like a previous encounter I had with a Husky, but he was really gentle.

We went to the pup den during the 1st part of our walk instead of the last.

A birthday party was taking place and the sidewalk was occupied with parents and guest walking back and forth to their car.

I decided to hang back until it was less busy to pass by.

It was during our time at the pup den that Vinny decided to displayed his goofy side . . . he started rolling around on his back in the grass, long legs outstretched towards the sky.

I don’t know why this sudden behavior hit him but it was the funniest thing I’ve witnessed.

All I could do was stand there and laugh.

Afterwards I sat down and petted him and inadvertently discovered his ticklish spot which is behind his neck, his back leg was going crazy.

With the pathway clear we continued our walk, him sniffing new scents and me swatting away his shed hairs.

Before heading back to the shelter, we returned to the pup den again.

I wanted to see if he knows the sit command, he doesn’t, he didn’t do too good.

So I moved on and took lots of photos of him, gave him some bacon flavored treats, which he really enjoyed and continued petting and chilling with him.

All in all it was a lovely walk with a dog who can’t wait to put a smile on someone’s face.

If you would like to welcome Vinny to your pack, visit here for his info.

You can find him and other adoptable pets at the Grand Prairie Animal Shelter.

Don’t live near this city, consider visiting your local animal shelter to receive and provide love to an animal in need.

This adventure took place on Nov 17, 2024

Update 4 days later after my 1st walk: Please read part 2 of Vinny’s story, it’s a must read if you’re considering adopting him and an important lesson for any perspective pet owners . . . I should’ve listened to my instincts:

“Before I even met him, I had some concerns.”

And the interaction with the staff, should’ve been my warning flag.