Pete

Pete is my parents’ dog.


After adopting Ned, a dog with very poor social skills, my parents were on the lookout for a nice, steady dog to add to the house in order to help Ned be a nice, steady dog.

My brother was living in northern Minnesota at the time and saw Pete at the shelter there. Pete was in the shelter for a very long time. Probably because he’s black and shaggy and has a truly awkward wide shape to him.


Oh, and Pete only has one eye.


Apparently, Pete’s missing eye is the reason that he was in the shelter. It is believed that he injured his eye and his owners didn’t (for whatever reason, perhaps the cost) seek veterinary treatment for him. Pete’s eye became worse and worse and by the time he was surrendered to the shelter, there was nothing to do but remove the eye.


Pete is a lovely dog, though. Always smiling. A rich, course bark. A light bounce in his run despite his wide load. Pete is full of smiles and will fetch for hours.


I find Pete rather interesting. He has the reputation of being the “good” one, but Pete is very stubborn and often disobedient. He barks at people and makes demands. He won’t go to his room when told unless you take his collar in hand or show him a treat. To be blunt: Pete isn’t all that interested in pleasing people.

But then, it seems that he was "loved" by some people that let Pete live with the pain of an eyeball rotting out of his head, so perhaps he’s well within his rights to just do what he wants and have his fun. He’s certainly not hurting anyone; he’s a lot of fun to watch; a very happy boy. And, Pete’s “whatever, Ned” attitude is probably the right response to some of Ned’s nervousness. They make a funny pair.


Pete has made some interesting adaptations based on his missing eye. He is often against walls, with his sighted eye facing outwards, and he loves to be under tables and chairs.

He teaches dogs to approach him on his sighted side. It was fascinating to see him teach Buzz this. Pete just growled when Buzz came at him from the wrong angle and gave Buzz happy greeting if he came at him from a good angle. Buzz caught on quickly. Buzz and Pete are great friends, always near each other, on each other, looking at each other and smiling.