Australian Cattle dog dumped behind workplace rescued and given home by dog loving employee, who dedicated his time to rehabilitating the high energy anxious pup, says: ‘I think she would be perfect to take to the hospitals and help calm people down.’

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Aug 26, 2026 7:30 AM EDT

When you rescue a dog off the street you really do not know what you are picking up. In some cases the canine is totally fine and ready to love a family with open paws. But in others physical or behavioral problems come as part of the package and in those cases it is on us pawrents to put in the work like this rescuer did.

Though perhaps one of the strangest parts of this story is the fact that an Australian Cattle Dog was dumped in a city in the first place. As the name suggests this is a breed that is very adept at herding cattle and so are usually found on farms far away from the city. Not least because the intense amount of energy needed to herd cattle is not massively compatible with the confines of an apartment. So how this sweet heart made it to the city is a question all in of itself.

But thankfully there was a kind hooman in the area ready and eager to help. Not that they knew the high energy and anxious mess that was waiting for them. But instead of being thrown off by the boisterous boy's behavior he leant in and doubled down on the doggo's training. Brick by brick building a hard earnt foundation of trust and love that would accompany them for the rest of their lives together. It just goes to show what can be achieved when you invest in your pupper and emerge through the tough times together.
 

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    "She already seems much more relaxed."
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    Black and brown dog sitting on cream couch

    Still frame for contextual reference only.


     

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    Hi all, Last week someone dumped their ACD at my work and now I have a very anxious ACD that refuses to come out of my guest bedroom. My current idea is to deg her, toss her into a crate, then run downstairs with her in it but I'm worried it'll make her distrust me.
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    HAMPTON BA pluded b wide
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    Is this a bad idea? I have zero experience with this breed and have no idea what I'm doing. This only even happened because I was about to leave for a trip when the dog was dumped. She was doing fine when I left but my friend watching her told me the dog ran upstairs and has refused to come out since. I'm
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    getting tired of constantly cleaning up her ɩ..ie and fs and am at my wits end. The vet prescribed her ..... and it has calmed her down but not enough to drag her downstairs on her own accord. Can someone please give me advice?
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    RI Smal
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    EDIT: I forgot to mention that she immediately clung to me and she loves sleeping with me and petting her and everything like a normal dog. For the first three days she was a normal dog and we got her to the vet, toys, etc. but the moment I left for 48 hours she shut down completely. I feel horrible and have been doing my best with the limited dog
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    knowledge I have. I'm more of a cat girl myself. Right now I sleep in the room with her at night even though I've gotten zero rest and I think that's why I'm at my wits end. She ignores the puppy pads and even when I coated the entire room in them she ripped them up to make room for her to s. . on my nice rug
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  • Yup, we hate to say this but this is a bit of a rookie mistake and that is fine considering this person is a rookie. A doggo who has been dumped is obviously going to be severely suffering from abandonment issues. Any time you leave them for an extended period, or worse still, leave them in the care of a new hooman they do not know, they think they are being abandoned all over again. Which is why this poor pupper is hiding under the bed, praying that by doing so he won’t be left alone again or taken to a new home. 

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    uspy Kreme
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    I've been playing with her and stimulating as I can with dog tv while I'm gone and puzzle mats and things. I'm slowly getting her used to the crate but my landlord wants to do an inspection on the house before approving the dog for my lease and I can't do that if the bedroom looks and smells awful.
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    She's too precious for me to leave to someone else and I love her but wags with her nubby tail. It kills me every time. I haven't found a puzzle toy she doesn't immediately figure out. And the one she can't do immediately, she throws on the ground until all the treats fly out, which is simply hilarious. She knows HOW to open it but doesn't want to do the work. It's just so funny.
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    I unblocked the bed frame so she can make a cave under there like a friend told me to do. I was terrified she would por s t there and then I'd have to crawl under to clean.
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    25000012 9 HELLO
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    I took everyone's words to heart and started my own game plan. I'm usually someone who just goes with the flow but I now understand that would be too chaotic for an animal that needs routine and structure. Everyone mentioned their energy levels but I'm high energy myself and love exploring. I've always
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    wanted a backpacking buddy and I think she'd be perfect for it. I regularly go hiking, fishing, camping, etc. I started taking her crate training seriously. She's smart as a whip and took to it immediately. She knows if I point and say "crate" that it's time to go there. She knows to sit and wait until I open and
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  • Ah, there we go. The moment that things settled down and the pupper understood that their pawrent was not going to leave them like their last one did everything is fine again. And better than just fine seeing as this pawrent is doing exactly what they should be with a recently rescued doggo, giving them structure and rules for the life they are now living. If they keep this up their bond will be unbreakable and their lives together absolutely delightful.

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    say "outside" and goes to the exact place I point. She doesn't do it 100% of the time but I think that will come with time and trust. I crated her the longest yet which is four hours and I was not in the house. I fretted the entire time lol. When I went upstairs for bed I came into the room and saw her lying in it on
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    304 www
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    make it as comfy as possible. She has a thick but breathable, hand made with love crate pad. She has black out curtains covering the top and sides. Next is to find her a cute little rug to go underneath. I'm working with an artist to have a custom crate cover for all seasons.
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    Krispy Kreme DOUGHNUT
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    She's relieving only on the puppy pads right now thank god! She already seems much more relaxed and I updated the behaviorist on my findings for our appointment tomorrow at 9am sharp. She was so kind as to give me a great discount since she heard about the situation and wanted to help. She will have an actionable,
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    realistic plan once she observes and tests Cassidy. Cassidy has not been comfortable with me in bed until tonight. She hopped up and snuggled to me immediately. I'm not sure if it's to avoid being in the crate all night or if she's finally starting to relax. Could be a mix of both! I'll make sure to watch out for
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    sneaky behavior but for right now I'm taking snuggles as a form of payment for all the stress and chaos. I still need and want advice so please let me know your thoughts!
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    The trainer came and got her out within minutes! We went to a jog and walk and she assessed her as a good girl! She said that Cassidy was scared of slipping on the stairs, not scared of the stairs themself. She said I have to think from a dog's perspective with their claws. I already have nonslip stickers on their
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    way from Amazon. The trainer also said structure, routine, regular and frequent outside trips, and that she can tell Cassidy chose me as her person. She loved the relationship Cassidy and I have and said it's beautiful and so rare for a dog to choose someone that quickly.
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    Cassidy naturally stays close to me on walks and watches my movements to be in sync, doesn't pull on her lead and the longer we were out the more comfortable she was with being outside again. Within minutes we got her to relieve herself and she seemed much happier than doing inside on pads.
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    The dog trainer said I had good instincts and gave me homework and things to watch out for. First thing is to get this dog a bath! I wanted to wait until she was assessed so keep the groomer safe. The trainer was really sweet and we started talking on what jobs she thinks would be good for her to do to stay busy and have a purpose. We
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    are going to start her on training to be a companion to help others. I think she would be perfect to take to the hospitals and help calm people down. And perfect for my SO as a working dog to guide them through anxious situations. Because of the nature of their accident, it's hard to socialize and be anywhere that isn't
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    home. If we can take Cassidy out on trips it would help SO get their life back. And Cassidy seems more than willing! I have a camping trip coming up. What do you guys use for your ACD in nature? I live in the Appalachian mountain range so please tell me how your pets stay safe
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time anxious employee reddit story dedication behind workplace dog story australian cattle dog dog lovers pup rehabilitation home dumped energy rescue
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