Abused Dog, Rex, Has The Pawfect Siblings To Help Him Overcome Anxiety

Zack Keithy, our author, is a certified veterinarian technician (UC Blue Ash) for over 6 years (contact him here). The articles written here are based on his expertise and experience, combined with a review by our expert vet reviewers including Dr M. Tarantino. Learn more about us here.

A couple of months ago, a Reddit user shared a heartwarming video (linked at the bottom of this post) of his two dogs comforting their anxious dog sibling.

The video features a small Shih Tzu named Huxley and a white, deaf dog named Winnie taking care of their big brother, Rex, an English/French Mastiff mix.

Rex suffers from severe anxiety-related behavior due to a traumatic past and multiple abusive owners.

From Abusive Owners to Loving Paws

A study by the University of Helsinki in Finland found that dogs are particularly susceptible to a wide range of anxiety-like traits, especially those that have been abused.

The research showed that 72.5% of 13,715 pet dogs from Finland exhibited anxiety-like behaviors.

According to Rex’s dad, Rex was abused as a puppy by his previous owners.

Rex is now with his fourth owner, who adopted him when Rex was 1.5 years old.

His second owners beat him and used a shock collar on him, causing him to fear screaming, loud noises, brooms, clapping, and more.

They even considered euthanizing him due to his “aggressive behavior.”

Due to the trauma inflicted by his second owners, Rex developed resource guarding tendencies, fear, and aggression, which made it difficult for him to fit in with his third family, despite their efforts to help him.

Life With Current Owner

Rex’s current owner has spent the last 2.5 years rehabilitating him.

Rex has made significant progress since joining the family.

Although he still exhibits anxious behaviors, he now enjoys the company of his dog and human siblings.

“With anxiety, the dog generally wants nothing to do with whatever it’s scared of, and will try to get out of that situation as quickly as it can,” the owner told Newsweek. “He was my first dog post-divorce, when I was single, so we kind of helped each other a lot.”

Bound by Love

In the video, it’s clear that the two other dogs adore Rex.

Whenever they sense his anxiety, they run to him and shower him with kisses.

According to the owner, the story goes even deeper.

Huxley, the Shih Tzu, loves everyone and fears nothing, enjoying being part of a happy and loving family.

Winnie, the white dog, is deaf and relies on Rex.

They have become very close, with Winnie following Rex everywhere.

Despite Rex’s vocal nature and occasional growling when scared (not aggressive), Winnie accepts and loves him unconditionally.

Rex is so used to Winnie’s disability that he helps her by being her ears, helping her understand what is happening around them.

Winnie and Huxley have played a crucial role in Rex’s recovery, helping him come out of his shell.

This unique trio and their loving bond have captured the hearts of many online, earning almost 21K upvotes on Reddit.

“I can’t tell you how much this information sparks joy in me. Winnie, Rex, and Huxley are some of my current favorite people. Oh, and you’re pretty awesome, too, for giving these wonderful dogs a happy home,” commented one Reddit user.

It’s heartwarming to know that after everything he went through, Rex found an amazing family with the best owner and doggie siblings.

“I’ve always said I’m really lucky to have such a cool dog,” the owner said.