Tracker, as they said, was a “one-in-a-million” find.

There’s a cruel reality that lingers over dog ownership – that some dogs will never get a second chance at life. Aggression can warrant being put down. Being a stray mostly ends up in death, and rehabilitation isn’t always available.

But dogs are living beings. They have hearts and intelligence. And there are some dogs who can rise above their circumstances if given the proper chance.

Tracker, a German shepherd, was emaciated when he was found.

Kristyn Begbie came across Tracker when her friend told her about the dog. Begbie owns Snowflake Meadows, a dog daycare center that also provides animal rescue and adoption services.

Tracker was 15 months old at that time and was awfully malnourished. His skin clung to his ribs and his fur was riddled with fleas. According to Begbie, she suspected that Tracker was chained up most of his early life. This seclusion may also contribute to Tracker’s socialization issues.

Begbie managed to convince the owners to give Tracker to her.

Tracker’s rehabilitation started after Begbie let him “decompress” and adjust to his new environment. But soon enough, Begbie noticed something special about Tracker.

Tracker was “not like other dogs.”

He is confident and full of potential. To tap into Tracker’s innate advantage, she enrolled him in obedience training. And Tracker loved every minute of it.

This new lease on life doesn’t come too often for animals but for Tracker, it was only the beginning of his underdog story.

When he was put up for adoption, he caught David Hutnyk’s attention.

Hutnyk runs K9ine Security based in Port Hope. His business caters to rescue dogs and trains them to work in security. Through his business, rescue dogs are given a new purpose and a place to call home.

The dogs he works with are often used to provide security to events and as visual deterrents. Even more impressive is the fact that these dogs are also trained for search and rescue and contraband detection.

Being a rescue himself, Tracker was a perfect fit for Hutnyk’s team.

It didn’t take long for Hutnyk to notice what Begbie has noted when she took Tracker in. He shared that Tracker has a “rare sense of confidence” and was intelligent enough to quickly pick up on instructions. Tracker was also calm and reserved – characteristics that a good security dog should possess.

“He showed intelligence and a willingness to please and that’s a huge asset,” Hutnyk told The Minden Times.

He also shared episodes where Tracker’s character shined the most like climbing an open fire escape which Hutnyk said no dog has ever done. He also remained composed while working in a busy area of Toronto.

But as much as we love a good underdog story, Hutnyk says that it’s rare.

Working with rescue dogs with the aim of giving them a better life, Hutnyk saw the challenges first-hand. He shared that the odds of a dog turning out like Tracker after having rough developmental years is highly unlikely.

Nonetheless, they are celebrating what Tracker has become. Hutnyk said that there’s a considerable risk in his line of work but it can be very rewarding if you end up with a dog just like Tracker.

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Source: Minden Times, Facebook – K9ine Security, Facebook – Snowflake Meadows