He was Hiding from Everyone, Then I Found Out Why

I’ve been in a lot of shelters, but what I found in Chula Vista stopped me in my tracks. Tucked into the farthest corner of a kennel barely big enough for a human to sit in, a tiny Chihuahua mix was trying to disappear. Not just scared—shut down. Eyes half-closed, body trembling, every inch of him said, “I don’t want to be seen.”

He was so small he made a standard shelter kennel look cavernous. That alone tells you something. And while it was obvious that this little guy hadn’t known much love, what wasn’t obvious was just how deeply the trauma ran—until I crawled in beside him.

How I Discovered This Shelter

Kelly and I were celebrating our eight-year wedding anniversary with a getaway in Coronado. We’d been together for about 15 years now, and what do we do on our romantic getaway? We visit an animal shelter, of course. When you’re in it, you’re in it, you know? The team at Chula Vista Animal Services was so incredible, and when they told me about some of the challenges they face, I knew we had to come back and help.

The Reality of Fear

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This little guy – who we named Archer – had been at the shelter for almost a week, but I would have thought he’d just arrived yesterday. That level of fear is absolutely exhausting for a dog. You could see it in his eyes – they were barely open, like he was just worn out from not being able to sleep since arriving.

Working with scared dogs requires patience. I never rush in or make direct eye contact – especially as a large male entering their space. Instead, I make myself as small as possible and create intrigue by looking away and having an ongoing conversation. It takes the focus off them and shows them they’re not the center of attention.

The Pac-Man Trail and Small Victories

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I brought my handy-dandy treats and set up what I call a “Pac-Man trail” – a line of treats leading toward the dog. The goal is to get their nose working because when a dog’s nose is engaged, it unlocks a different part of their brain and reduces the fear response.

At first, Archer would only sniff the treats, not eat them. But even those micro-moments of sniffing were huge victories. For just a moment, he had to release that fear to take that sniff.

Archer’s Story

Archer is part of a heartbreaking but unfortunately common situation. He’s one of 20-25 small dogs that came from what started as a good Samaritan situation. Someone in the community near the shelter wanted to help stray dogs, and people knew they would take them in. But it became unmanageable.

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What I love about Chula Vista Animal Services is their approach. Instead of just going in and taking all the dogs at once – which many places would do – they’re working with this person to gradually reduce the number of dogs while providing resources and support. It’s a much more compassionate approach that recognizes someone was trying to help.

Archer is estimated to be only about a year old. He had no microchip, no collar, and given the shelter’s proximity to the border, he may have originally come from Mexico. The shelter even put him on anti-anxiety medication because his stress levels were so severe.

The Breakthrough Moment

After exhausting other options, I decided to try what I call “the scoop” – gently picking him up and providing compression, similar to swaddling a baby. I squeezed myself into that tiny corner with him (and let me tell you, I need to stretch more at the gym), and something magical happened.

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The moment I scooped Archer up, his shaking stopped. He actually started to relax, almost purring like a cat when I petted him. It was like he’d been waiting for someone to just hold him and tell him everything would be okay.

Meeting Matteo

Archer wasn’t alone in his fear. I met another Chihuahua mix from the same group – a three-year-old we named Matteo. The shelter had given him a behavioral rating of “zero,” meaning he needed the most help and patience. He was even more shut down than Archer, hiding behind a donut bed and trying to disappear entirely.

But Matteo surprised me. While Archer wouldn’t take treats, Matteo started crunching away – and let me tell you, that sound was oddly satisfying. The act of chewing helps release tension in a dog’s body, and you could see him starting to relax just a little.

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The Bigger Picture

These dogs represent a larger challenge at Chula Vista Animal Services. Located in South San Diego County near the border, they serve many lower-income areas where landlords often don’t allow pets, especially larger dogs over 35 pounds. This shrinks their potential adopter pool significantly.

Their number one breed that struggles to get adopted? Surprisingly, it’s not pit bulls – it’s huskies and German shepherds. The apartment restrictions make it nearly impossible to place these larger dogs.

What These Dogs Need

Both Archer and Matteo are available for adoption right now. They need patient families who understand that love sometimes comes slowly. These aren’t dogs that will immediately run up to you with wagging tails. They need people willing to check their emotions at the door and accept some initial rejection.

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But here’s what I know from years of doing this: the transformation these dogs can make with time and love is absolutely incredible. You’ll look back at pictures from their first day and barely recognize them as the same dog.

How You Can Help

Even if you can’t adopt, you can make a difference. Chula Vista Animal Services needs volunteers for their dog walking program and foster families. Often, fostering doesn’t fall under the same restrictions as ownership, so you might be able to help even if your lease doesn’t allow pets.

The biggest thing you can do? Share stories like this. I can’t tell you how many times people have told me they had no idea who I was, but a friend shared one of these videos, and that’s why they’re at the shelter adopting.

A Promise to Archer and Matteo

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Before I left, I made both little guys a promise. I told them that from here on out, the only reason they’d be shaking is because they’re excited about getting treats. I assured them they were safe now, and that everyone at Chula Vista Animal Services loves them and will take care of them.

The next time I see them tucking themselves away like that, it’ll be in pictures from their new families – cuddling up in a La-Z-Boy with their new mom or dad, watching TV and sneaking treats.

These little guys deserve that chance at happiness. And with the right family, I know they’ll get it.

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