Triton's mystery solved

Last Thursday, I shared Triton’s story with you.

If you haven’t read it yet, now’s a good time to get yourself caught up.

Because today, we reveal the mystery behind

why Triton flat out REFUSES to jump up into the truck.

The majority of you speculated that perhaps nearly-6-year-old Triton may be experiencing physical pain in his hips or back.

Despite knowing that hip problems are rare in our breed, that was my first inclination, too.

Something like that is always a possibility, so I insisted that Triton first go to the vet for a check-up before we move onto any further plans.

The only problem is…

Triton will NOT get into any vehicle.

We tried to help from half a country away, but every solution we thought of never worked.

(If anyone knows a vet that’ll do house calls 60 miles south of Waco, let me know.)

That’s why, late last week, Jay was headed to Texas to meet with Triton and his family in person.

It took Triton about a minute to recognize Jay, even though he hadn’t seen Jay in over four years.

Once Triton remembered, his eyes lit up and he pushed his chest into Jay’s lap for a giant polar bear hug!

Jay stayed for a night and part of the next day.

To determine Triton’s overall condition apart from climbing up into the truck or other vehicle, Jay took Triton for a walk around the neighborhood.

This giant, white smooshie-face remains an exemplary service dog.

Triton walked in perfect unison by Jay’s side.

Dogs barked behind a backyard fence.

Triton ignored them.

A man approached asking about Triton’s beauty and perfect manners.

Triton stood calmly next to Jay as they spoke.

A loud car raced by.

Triton did not flinch.

But when Jay approached our Chrysler Pacifica and opened the door, Triton hunched down, turned his head, and slinked away until the leash was taunt and he could retreat no further.

There is NOTHING difficult about getting into our Pacifica.

One of the best features about our favorite vehicle for dogs is how easy it is for any dog, large or small, to walk right in.

This vehicle sits very low to the ground with two wide sliding side-doors.

Jay had parked close to the curb, so literally, Triton only had to step in.

But there was no way Triton was going to get into that vehicle without some serious support.

Something was definitely wrong, and it now occurred to Jay that perhaps it wasn’t just physical pain causing Triton’s terrible anxiety.

So, Jay set to work helping Triton overcome his crippling mind.

With gentle care, a little coaxing, and about a half an hour later, Triton walked into the Pacifica and laid his head onto Jay’s lap, but otherwise, he was okay.

The mystery deepened.

Leaving no stone unturned, Jay continued his assessment of the situation to find out once and for all if Triton’s refusal was physical or not.

He reasoned that if Triton would settle down once he was carefully lifted into the F350 as he had done in the Pacifica, then perhaps it was the “getting into a vehicle” that was the cause of his extreme reaction.

Little did Jay know the true depths of the problem were about to be revealed!

Jay instructed the family about his plan.

Working slowly and with care for Triton’s physical stability, Jay and the family lifted Triton’s wriggling, panicked body into the back of the F350.

Jay then scooted in beside the poor quivering soul, hugging Triton’s neck for reassurance and support.

Triton was terrified!

And when I say that, I mean…

1. Triton’s head was buried in Jay’s lap.
2. His body was stiff as a board.
3. Each muscle quivered like a leaf in the autumn chill.
4. His nails dug into Jay’s thighs.
5. His ears lay flatter then asphalt under a steamroller.

And that was BEFORE the truck roared to life!

Sitting in the back with Triton was the best thing Jay could have done as they drove around town.

With each bump and turn, Triton buried his head deeper into Jay’s armpit in a desperate attempt to be zapped back to safety.

Now, we all know it’s always bumpier in the back, (Remember the back of the school bus? *wink, wink) but the suspension on this particular truck is horrible.

There was hardly any give at all, so each bump hurt.

Be that as it may, the family truck cannot be the reason for Triton’s extreme fear.

First of all, he never had a problem with this truck until about six months ago.

But more importantly, Triton won’t enter ANY vehicle whatsoever, no matter what kind or type.

Upon returning home, Triton scrambled to get out of the truck right behind Jay.

Despite never pulling the leash at any other time, Triton lunged up the walkway toward the front door, never looking back.

Once inside, Triton and Jay sat on the couch, while Jay talked to the family.

Jay described Triton’s severe reaction and suggested a serious traumatic event must’ve happened to cause such an uncharacteristic change in Triton’s demeanor.

The family discussed everything they could remember about the last six months.

Nothing leapt out at Jay as something that would cause such distress,

until…

The wife reminded everyone about

the accident.

Jay’s eyes widened.

“But Triton wasn’t in the vehicle with me,” the man countered.

The wife corrected, “Yes, he was. When I heard about the accident, I drove like mad to the scene. While the emergency responders were attending to you, I retrieved Triton and brought him home.”

HOLY COW!!

All this time, the family had never put together the cause and effect!

Because they had completely different memories of the event.

By working through the details of that horrific moment with the family, Jay learned the extent of the major accident.

The mystery was finally solved.  

NOTE: I would still like to get Triton seen by a veterinarian to make sure his body did not suffer any longterm physical effects.

This sudden, traumatic event has left an indelible mark on Triton’s memories.

Something he simply won’t be able to overcome without serious rehabilitation training.

Unfortunately, Jay and I cannot remain in Texas to perform the kind of intense training Triton needs.

And bringing Triton to Dire Wolf Project headquarters in Washington state for training isn’t going to fix the terror of riding in that particular F350 with no suspension.

I have a list of trainers in the area who might be able to help.

But specialized rehabilitation training is NOT cheap.

We anticipate $5000 for the training alone due to the severe trauma associated with this type of behavior problem.

But it is the only way forward for Triton.

Without an experienced and dedicated trainer working at a consistent and methodical pace in a detail-oriented manner, our superstar will have to be permanently retired from mobility service work.

Without Triton to support regular physical activity and mobility, Triton’s partner who has MS will likely experience muscle atrophy which, in turn, would cause both of them to be more and more isolated over time.

This is why we hope to exhaust all available resources first before making the life-altering decision to retire Triton.

In order to give Triton and his partner a chance to live without permanently retreating behind the four walls of their home, there is no time to waste.

Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.