Dogs and toys. You can’t really perceive one without the other, right?
They cling to their toys, play with them, hold onto them, and sometimes even make them their sleeping buddies. For dogs, toys are an unavoidable part of their identity.
And, if one dog has used toys more than anything else, it is Wilson… sadly, not for the same reason as most canines. Wilson has a truly heartbreaking story behind his toy usage and it definitely isn’t for the faint of heart.
Wilson’s Heartbreaking Story
Wilson’s life hasn’t been an easy one. At six weeks of age, he was saved from the streets of California and brought to Natalia at Tales of the Paw as a special-needs puppy.
Due to an injury, Wilson lost his ability to breathe through his nose and could only breathe through his mouth.
That’s when his little “obsession” with toys began.
In order to keep his mouth open at all times, Wilson used toys. It was truly heartbreaking. He didn’t play with them or chew on them… Wilson only used them to help him keep his passageway for breathing open.
“He started using toys to keep his mouth open to have an open passageway for breathing. He had an abscess on his nose from a previous injury and he couldn’t really breathe,” Natalia told GeoBeats Animals.
Natalia knew Wilson couldn’t live this way forever. To help this dog get his second chance, they searched for the best solution – and eventually found one: surgery.
After careful consideration, Wilson was subjected to nose surgery that would help him regain his breathing and his smell, which was completely cut off before. The vets put a tube in his nose and buttons on top of it to hold the tube in place for several weeks.
Eventually, the scar tissue grew around it and created a nasal passage, allowing Wilson to “feel life differently” for the first time.
He could breathe, smell, and have a peaceful time without being forced to use toys anymore. He finally got a second chance and it was purely magical!
Helping Kittens Embrace Life With Paws Wide Open
Wilson definitely made Natalia’s life joyful. However, she’s not the only one who benefits from this boy’s unique personality and just the gentlest soul.
Not long after he was given a second chance at life, Wilson started to pay it forward. Together with his mom, he began fostering tiny kittens and helped them socialize before they were about to go into their forever homes.
Natalia, as well as the vets who participated in this process, saw Wilson as a true unicorn!
He was so gentle with every single feline sibling. He made sure that they got enough food and sleep as well as playtime. Even more so, Wilson took all the credit for teaching the kittens how to behave properly and socialize.
That way, they don’t have a hard time the first time they enter a new home, but live a quality life with their new families.
“They are not afraid of stuff, they come up to people, they integrated with the family animals right away, and I do believe truly that that is thanks to Wilson spending so much time with them,” says Natalia.
Wilson is pure love. He’s definitely an ambassador of his breed and the greatest caregiver.
“Wilson is such a sweetheart and breed ambassador. Wilson has fostered over 80 foster kittens and 20 pups. From broken down to Rescue Superstar,” the California rescue wrote on Instagram.
Despite his rough past, Wilson never allowed his struggles to affect who he really is. And, he is definitely the gentlest giant.
You can keep up with Wilson and his mom’s daily adventures on the rescue’s official Instagram and Facebook.