Pet Training Awareness Month: Waylon's Success Story

Jul 10, 20232 min read

Join us in celebrating Pet Training Awareness Month with this story from PetSmart Store #221 in Savannah, GA. Pet Trainer, Krystal, recounts the heartwarming story of one of her Pet Training graduates—Waylon!

Found in an abandoned house, Waylon was a scrawny little Chihuahua who had been without food for a few days. To pet parent, Megan’s surprise, she was about to fall in love. ❤️ Megan brought Waylon into the store to get some information on local adoption agencies, however, by the end of her visit, she had decided to keep Waylon. Waylon was obviously nervous and not happy to meet other people – especially men. Once I met Waylon, I knew he had it in him to overcome his challenges.

I talked extensively with Megan about signing Waylon up for classes, however, due to him being reactionary to other dogs, adults, and children, I recommended private classes to start. After about week four, he had come out of his shell a little bit more. He was doing great with me, so it was time to get him around the store a little bit. Along with a few treats handy, Waylon was starting to come around, however, we were not there yet. Megan kept working with him at home. She even had her husband, try to work with him to get him more comfortable around men.

After roughly sixteen weeks of private classes, we were able to work through the entire curriculum. Waylon loves dogs, children, men, and everybody in between – except squirrels. He still hates squirrels. Today, you can find Waylon and Megan roaming around El Paso with no worries. He has become a carefree and loving addition to the family. Recently, he was able to explore White Sands National Park. For a scared dog once confined to an abandoned house, he is living a pretty good life. I don’t know if all dogs go to heaven, but he certainly has.

Thank you, Krystal (pictured here) for doing Anything for Pets!