Dog goes from the big city to tranquil waters

Check out the video of Lucci's canoe ride with one of his best friends at the Sanctuary.

By Sarah Thornton

August 13, 2021

What do you do when the distractions of the big city get to be too much? Well, you move out to the country and enjoy the great outdoors, of course.

Lucci was overwhelmed by noises, sights and smells in the large city shelter he was in. There was just so much going on at once, all the time, and when his anxiety and energy reached a certain point, he started jumping and grabbing at people and things. It was a lot to handle ― for the staff and for Lucci himself.

He was brought to Best Friends for a fresh start in a place with more room to move around. And he’s been absolutely loving it. There are so many trees and bushes to sniff, trails to hike and streams to splash in. It turns out that he was an adventure dog all along.

During a three-night sleepover with Jeff Jabs, one of Lucci’s friends from the Sanctuary, the pair got out on the water for a canoe ride. If you’re looking for somewhere with few distractions, there aren’t many places better than floating out in the middle of a reservoir.

Once he had his “sea legs” under him, Lucci was content to watch the ripples and reflections of the water’s surface as the fish swam below. With the occasional water-bound tree to sniff and Jeff’s lap to crawl into when he wanted attention, Lucci’s canoe ride was as relaxing as it was fun ― just what the formerly overstimulated pooch needed.

Now he can add sea legs to his list of best qualities that are sure to catch someone’s attention and ultimately lead him where he really wants to go ― to a new home.