Dog Dumped on Silver Strand Finds Happy New Life with Coronado Man

When John Vail saw Wiley’s picture at PAWS of Coronado, he knew he was something special.

Vail came across Wiley’s mugshot soon after he started volunteering at PAWS earlier this year. He could see that the large, two-year-old Australian Kelpie and Belgian Shepard mix had a commanding presence. But he had the kindest, “George Clooney eyes,” according to Vail.

“I knew this dog wasn’t going to last,” said Vail. “So I asked about him, and I learned that he’d been dumped on Silver Strand. I just couldn’t believe it.”

Vail met Wiley for the first time when the dog was out on a walk with Greg Curtin, a PAWS board member and volunteer.

“Wiley was just prancing, and he was looking up at Greg with the fondest appreciation,” said Vail. “I said, oh my goodness…this dog is special.”

Vail didn’t waste any time. He decided to foster Wiley, and knew right away: this was the one. But when he picked up Wiley at PAWS a few days later, Wiley came out wearing a cone. He’d just been neutered, and he couldn’t seem to settle down in Vail’s home.

Wiley was very nervous and kept jumping at what Vail thought of as mundane sounds and objects: the sound of a pen clicking, and the sight of a back scratcher. Vail deduced that Wiley’s previous life probably had it’s fair share of trauma.

“It made me sad to think what he’d been through,” said Vail.

So he invited Wiley onto his bed, but nothing seemed to calm him down. Finally, Vail stretched out on the floor.

“Wiley came and laid down next to me, and we both fell asleep,” said Vail. “He knew then that I was okay. And that was it.”

Wiley’s presence immediately began to fill a void in Vail’s life. He said when he adopted Wiley, he’d been going through a rough transition. He had ended a previous relationship, and the dog they shared moved on to live with his ex. Vail found himself alone, living at the Bayside Apartments.

Vail said that he was surprised at how quickly he bonded with Wiley, and he found his constant presence very reassuring.

“You know that expression of having another heartbeat in the house?” said Vail. “I now had something to care for.”

Vail said that he didn’t expect their relationship to develop so quickly, and that he underestimated the power of the bond and the affection.

“He’s so loyal,” said Vail. “I didn’t expect such a lovable dog. I really didn’t.”

Vail says that adopting Wiley helped him begin to heal. Wiley proved himself to be approachable and friendly, getting along well with other dogs and people.

“I had a tendency to sort of withdraw, and Wiley forced me out of my comfort zone of isolation,” said Vail. “I had to take care of him, and take him out. My life has changed.”

But it wasn’t always easy going. Wiley had some issues to work out. For example, he wouldn’t go inside grocery stores. Vail said he would just “hunker down” and turn into “dead weight.” He was also afraid of the stairs with the open risers at the Bayside Apartments.

But Vail was dedicated and they worked through the kinks. He took Wiley to a dog trainer who worked with special forces dogs, and he impressed the trainer with his intelligence and demeanor. He began to wonder if Wiley had been dumped because his previous owner didn’t think he was aggressive enough.

“But we worked on the stores, we worked on the stairs, and now he goes everywhere with me,” said Vail. “It’s a matter of trust.”

Vail says that he takes the lead with Wiley, understanding that the dog probably has past trauma.

“We always expect the dogs to go out ahead of us, but me, I walk ahead of Wiley,” said Vail. “I think he senses I will protect him, rather than having the pressure of him having to protect me. It helps him relax and he can just be a dog.”

And Vail began to see Wiley’s potential to help other people heal. When he took him on base, Vail encountered a woman who was training therapy dogs. Wiley joined in the class and did very well.

He’s also visited with U.S. Marines who are injured or sick.

“He seems to know that it’s really helping the people who pet him,” said Vail. “I would like him to do more of this in the future. It would be a shame to keep his personality contained.”

But when Wiley isn’t helping other people, he’s having a great time playing fetch at Tidelands Park and Dog Beach. It’s his favorite thing to do, and Vail says he concentrates so hard on the ball he hardly notices anything else.

Vail says he encourages adopting a pet as a way to reprioritize your life. In a way, you can rescue each other. Vail says that if his old self could see him now, he would hardly believe how happy he is.

“Oh my goodness, it’s night and day,” said Vail. “This time last year, I couldn’t have imagined it.”

And Vail has a message to the person who dumped Wiley on Silver Strand.

“I want to say thank you,” said Vail. “Your loss is my gain by far.”

Editor’s Note: The author is an active member of the PAWS Board of Directors.