A dog of an animal shelter employee has taken it upon herself to help with the shy puppies, and viewers are obsessed.
Chicken, the Irish wolfhound, started coming to work with her owner at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Animal Medical Center (MSPCA-Angell) when she was a puppy. She would go with her owner every day. Chicken quickly became comfortable with people and other animals. But, what began as friendly visits became a full-time job for Chicken as the staff learned her calm temperament could help other animals in the shelter.
Her first task came when she was about a year and a half old. Chicken was introduced to a shelter puppy with difficulties in the kennel. Chicken’s owner told Newsweek that the pup was shy and shut down.
“We saw pretty immediately that her behavior was really helping that puppy to feel a bit more confident,” the owner said. “After that, whenever there was a puppy in the shelter who felt stressed out, they would get to spend the day in the office with Chicken and I.”
A recent clip posted to the Instagram account @ginormouschicken shows Chicken at work “taking her job very seriously” while helping a 4-month-old puppy, Twister, who had never been exposed to the world before coming to the shelter.
The video walks viewers through a play-by-play of how Chicken helps the shy pups feel more confident.
It always starts slowly, with Chicken encouraging the puppies to play, but only when they’re ready. She lets the puppies approach her on their own time, staying calm. Then, she lets them hang out around her.
In the clip, Chicken mimicked Twister’s movements and offered a gift when she felt the pup was ready.
“It’s really great for the puppies because they get a break from their kennels, but also they get exposure to really stable adult dog behavior, and that can be really important at that time in their lives,” the owner said. “It’s also nice for her because she enjoys the company.”
As of Friday, the Instagram clip had amassed over 2.7 million views and 126,000 likes. Viewers immediately fell in love with Chicken, calling her a “seasoned professional.”
“Chicken seems like the absolute sweetest, best dog! So patient, kind, gentle and empathetic. It’s lovely to see!” wrote a viewer.
Another added: “Chicken is doing the lords work!”
A third person said: “What an angel. Thank you Chicken for helping the babies feel safe.”
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