Faces of No-Kill: Nervous dog becomes ambassador of fun

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning,” says a well-known quote from Fred Rogers, host of beloved children’s show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. “But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”

It turns out the same is true for dogs. Play is crucial for a dog's mental health, ensuring they stay happy and connected with the people in their lives. And this couldn’t be more accurate for Bonito. When he landed at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary from a nearby shelter, he was apprehensive of almost everyone. He didn’t connect with his caregivers, often barking as if to say “stay away” or trying to hide when he met someone new.

Best Friends works together with other shelters to save pets like Bonito who need a little extra training and care to become their best selves. And that’s just what he would get at the Sanctuary.

James Simoneau, one of Bonito’s caregivers, says building a relationship with him was a bit like a seesaw — lots of ups and downs. One day, there would be real progress, but the next, Bonito would be nervous again, and trust had to be rebuilt. It was a constant process of gaining and regaining his confidence.

It was a slow process, but eventually James won the trust of this handsome pup. “I remember the moment I knew we’d be friends,” James recalls. “I was putting another dog back after a walk, and Bonito saw me with the leash and got excited. I clipped it on, he licked my beard, and I finally got to pet him. We had a great walk, and when I unclipped the leash, he licked me again. It was a moment of trust. That’s my favorite moment with nervous dogs — when we finally tip past the fear into trust. It’s such a great feeling.”

In no time at all, James and Bonito were going for car rides and walks like old friends. “Now that he trusts me, he's so adorable,” says James. “When we go on car rides, he'll come and lick the back of my ear. It’s so cute.”

Bonito and James’ friendship continued to grow, helped in part by the magic of playgroups. Playgroups are supervised play sessions where dogs can interact in a safe setting, usually matched by size or personality. Nervous dogs like Bonito especially benefit, as they can take things at their own pace, helping them to ease anxiety and get more comfortable around both dogs and people.

[Helping an anxious dog is all fun and games]

And it turns out Bonito absolutely loves playing with other dogs. In fact, the best way to meet him is when he’s romping around with other pooches in a playgroup. James says, “He’s so focused on the other dogs that he’s not as nervous around new people.”

Bonito connects so easily with other dogs that he's now helping nervous pups realize that new people and dogs aren’t so scary after all. He’s stepped into his new role as a “playgroup ambassador” with ease, partly due to his natural ability to read other dogs and adjust his energy accordingly. He approaches new pups with his tail wagging a mile a minute, ready to play. But if the other dog seems unsure, he’ll happily give them some space to let them get their bearings.

[The right roommate helps calm anxious dog]

“The communication dogs have with each other is so good for their mental health in ways we could never replicate,” says James. “It's much easier when a dog is good at making friends with other dogs. If they see that I’m treating Bonito well (and they trust Bonito), then they’re more likely to think that I will treat them well, too. It builds a bridge of communication between animals and humans.”

Bonito now spends his days happily playing with his doggy friends and making new human ones along the way, a huge smile plastered on his squishy face.

“I love taking Bonito to playgroups because he just gets so excited and he's having such good interactions with dogs,” says James. “It’s really heartwarming to see that.”

Through playing, Bonito found his confidence and is now helping other dogs do the same. One could imagine Mister Rogers being happy to call Bonito his neighbor.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.