Mountain Paw

Oh, he’ll be so grateful!

Like so many other people, I’ve always dreamed of having a four-legged companion. We’d already been living in Switzerland for almost two years, and on every hike my husband had to listen to me raving about how great it would be to have a dog with us.

A backpack full of insecurities

Since I had already worked for an animal welfare organization, I knew what successful adoptions felt like. Seeing those poor souls finally being loved, it was only natural that I, too, wanted to make that romantic vision a reality.

No sooner said than done. I quickly fell in love and flew straight to Greece to pick up Domino and his brother. The trip was already difficult enough because of my fear of flying, but the worst part was seeing how the dogs were treated there.

So there they were, the two of them. More fearful than I’d expected. Dogs from a shelter or off the street must surely be grateful and appreciate life in a wonderful country like Switzerland, right? At least, that was my romantic notion.

Insecurity is not a flaw

The truth was: We couldn’t go for a walk for two weeks. I had to carry Domino. His brother was rehomed after three weeks as planned, only then could I really focus. Before that, it was nearly impossible to work with both of them. At first, Domino froze almost constantly, wouldn’t take a single step, and barked at every sound in the apartment. It was nerve-wracking. Three bad trainers and many tears later, I had to admit to myself: insecurity isn’t a fault. At that point, it was just his nature. What he needed was security, guidance, and patience. A hard but important lesson.

The turning point: understanding the “control freak”*

Once I made that admission and started working on myself, things started looking up. I learned who he really was: a livestock guardian dog mix who needs to monitor his surroundings to feel safe. But since there was usually a lot going on outside, processing all those stimuli took an incredible amount of energy out of him. Training had to wait; rest was more important.

When Domino was one year old, we took the plunge and enrolled him in dog training school. He took his cues heavily from other dogs and became more confident despite the many people around.

At the same time, I learned an enormous amount about body language through conversations with the owners of Domino’s siblings and online exchanges. I realized how often we humans misunderstand our dogs. My “control freak” needed guidance through physical signals rather than words. Like me, he was also a keen observer.

Our new normal: body language instead of treats

Before we knew it, he was looking to us for guidance. Treats? No chance, he wouldn’t take anything outside. But that wasn’t a problem. He learned: I’m in charge, I communicate, I step in. We built an instinctive bond. Even today, he still gets nervous in tense situations, but he stays by my side. He trusts me.

The joy of the pack: when dynamics complement each other

Domino and I get along so well partly because we’re so alike: we’re both sensitive souls, both highly responsive to and easily affected by our surroundings. But I also recognized my own limitations: I could never give him the self-confidence that a confident dog exudes.

With Delia, our pack was complete in 2025. Two sensitive souls have found their two confident partners (my husband and Delia are very similar in that regard). If you’d like to learn more about our journey as a team and the different personalities of Domino and Delia, feel free to check out our “About Us” page.

Delia is my “co-trainer”. She helps Domino when we have visitors, around scary machines, or when we’re out in the city. Domino will probably never completely overcome his anxiety, but we’ve reached a point where he can still enjoy life.

To everyone thinking about adopting: go for it!

I don’t want to scare you off. Yes, the beginning was tough. But Domino is the most loyal companion and a wonderful dog who wants to do everything right. Adopting is definitely worth it! Delia has proven that beyond a doubt: she would be the perfect first dog and family dog, despite her past on the streets. Please adopt!

*Please note: These are not training tips, but rather my own experiences. I strongly recommend that you always work on issues with your dog under the supervision of a professional. Not all dogs are the same.