How The Dog Whisperer Shared His Thanksgiving Meal

I'm addicted to this YouTube channel, where Rocky Kanaka sits with shelter dogs and talks them into a less nervous state. Here's yesterday's video with Asher, a white German Shepherd:

Animal Control officers discovered a 1 ½ year old Shepherd mix wandering alone. The male dog, exhibiting signs of fear and apprehension, was brought into Animal Friends of the Valleys, a shelter in Wildomar, CA. His fearful demeanor initially made it challenging for the shelter staff to approach him, particularly for essential procedures like scanning for a microchip. Lacking a collar, it was evident that he was a stray, lost or abandoned.

The situation took a positive turn when Rocky intervened. Spending time with the dog, Rocky was able to gradually gain his trust. This breakthrough allowed Rocky to scan the dog for a microchip, an essential step in possibly reuniting him with any previous owners. Unfortunately, the scan revealed that the dog did not have a microchip, increasing the likelihood that he had been living as a stray.

In a gesture of warmth and compassion, Rocky nicknamed the dog Asher, a name that signifies ‘blessed’ or ‘blessings’ in Hebrew. The choice of name was particularly poignant, given its timing around Thanksgiving, or as Rocky playfully calls it, ‘Barksgiving.’ This naming symbolized a new beginning and hope for Asher, marking a significant departure from his previously uncertain life.

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