Erin Hieret never thought she’d become a dog person. For most of her life, she had been firmly in the cat camp. Cats suited her—independent, low-maintenance, and, as she put it, “just as happy to ignore you as they are to sit on your lap when THEY want it and not you.” She had fostered dozens over the years, always finding joy in helping them adjust before they found their forever homes. Where there’s fostering, there’s foster failing too.
So at the time when this story begins, she had one adult, one senior cat, and a wobbly kitten with a neurological disorder that nobody wanted to adopt.
But when a photo of a Labrador named Benny popped up on her Twitter, something shifted.
Benny wasn’t a random dog. He was a former guide dog, retired before his time due to a traffic accident that led to the amputation of one of his legs. No longer able to fulfill his duties, Benny was up for rehoming.
Erin wasn’t even looking for a dog—she was perfectly content, even a notch overwhelmed, with her three cats—but something about his face in that photo stuck with her. “Now that I think about it, I guess it was the smile and a general joie de vivre about him, despite what he’d been through recently,” she tells us in an email interview. The attitude is so fundamentally different from what she knew and loved in cats, who are generally unimpressed most of the time. Or at least act like it!
A week later, she found herself filling out the adoption form.
The Learning Curve
Bringing Benny home was an even bigger adjustment than Erin had anticipated. “I thought I knew animals,” she laughs, “but dogs are a whole different ballgame.” Cats, she quickly realized, didn’t require the same level of attention or structure. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining, but I couldn’t help but notice that three of my cats, two of whom are either senior or disabled, are less work than one dog!”
Lesson number one: dogs thrive on routine, and Benny was no exception. This area is no different than cats, though.
“He was used to having a job,” Erin explains. “Every morning, he’d be up and ready, looking at me like, ‘Alright, where are we going first?'” At first, she found it overwhelming. She wasn’t used to the early morning walks or the way Benny seemed to need constant interaction despite his lacking a hind leg. But as time went on, she realized that this routine of activity wasn’t just good for him—it was good for her too.
“I had to become more organized, and it got me out of the house more,” Erin says. “I didn’t realize how much I was missing out on simple things, like taking a walk in the morning. Benny got me moving, and I started to look forward to it.” Cats just aren’t like that. With them, it’s lounging all day long and frolicking in the evenings or at night.
Of course she was afraid how the cats would accept him and vice versa. At first, they weren’t too sure about Benny. Her senior cat, Muffin, was especially skeptical, keeping her distance and giving him the side eye from her favorite spot on the book shelf. The adult cat, Jasper, was more curious but cautious, circling Benny whenever he would lie down.
But the biggest surprise was her wobbly kitten, Twix. To everyone’s surprise, this little guy was the first to make friends with Benny. Benny seemed to understand Twix’s unsteady movements and would lie down beside him, as if offering quiet support. Slowly, even Muffin and Jasper warmed up to Benny’s gentle, patient presence. Before long, all three cats would join him on his doggie bed, and Benny would gently wag with gratitude.
Admittedly, there was gratitude to be had. After all, they didn’t butt him out of his own bed, which is quite generous for cats, who can be ferociously jealous and territorial!
“What’s particularly funny is the fact that my adult cats, who are perpetually in war with each other, get calmer and more philosophical when he’s around. Being an elderly lady and a figure of authority, Muffin is constantly lording it over Jasper, who doesn’t want to give up his place in the hierarchy since he was here before her. But when Benny’s around, the hostilities seem to cease at least for a little while. I think it’s because Benny has this doggy attitude that doesn’t have a shred of arrogance. Muffin looks a bit bewildered at it, but she has learned to respect it.”
How to Keep Him Engaged?
Because Benny was trained as a guide dog, he had a strong work ethic and loved having tasks to complete. Losing his leg meant he could no longer perform the duties he was trained for, but that didn’t stop his instinct to stay busy. Erin had to find ways to keep him stimulated, despite his physical limitations.
“We started small,” she recalls. “I’d hide treats around the apartment, and he’d sniff them out. It was a little game we played, and it made him light up.” Over time, she started to take him to nearby parks, where they’d explore at their own pace. “It was amazing to see how he adapted,” she adds. “He was just as curious and engaged as any four-legged dog, and seeing his enthusiasm made me want to find more ways to keep him happy.”
One of the challenges Erin faced was understanding Benny’s limitations without treating him like he was fragile. “There’s this fine line between being cautious and overprotective,” she admits. “At first, I was so worried about his leg—I didn’t want him to overdo it. But I learned that he knew his limits better than I did. He’s a resilient guy.”
The Unexpected Impact
Adopting Benny didn’t just teach Erin about dogs; it also opened her eyes to the power of resilience. Benny had gone through so much, yet he remained joyful, adaptable, and loving. “If he can keep smiling through everything he’s been through, it makes my bad day at work seem small,” she reflects.
Luckily, her work at a small Sydney driveway cleaning business is flexible and allows her to pop back home whenever there are no appointments. Still, it even feels easier to leave them all alone now that Benny’s around.
Initially, she thought to bring him along to work or even job sites, if only to avoid potential conflicts. But she quickly realized it wasn’t necessary.
The Road Ahead
Today, Erin and Benny are inseparable. Whether it’s a walk through the park or a lazy afternoon on the couch, they’ve found their rhythm. “He’s not just a dog,” she says. “He’s the best friend I’ve ever had. Sorry cats, I love you for completely other reasons, but it’s true!”
Adopting Benny wasn’t in Erin’s plan. But sometimes the best things happen when you least expect them. Benny may have lost a leg, but he gained a home and a person who loves him deeply—and in turn, he’s helped Erin grow in ways she never thought possible.
