Shelter dog Clyde’s anxiety melts away when he’s out of his kennel. He needs a home

There is something funny about Clyde.

The 7-year-old dog who came into the Utica, New York shelter in Nov. 2023 is a playful and friendly pup, Anita’s Stevens Swan Humane Society said in an Aug. 11 Facebook post. But as soon as Clyde is put in a kennel, he begins to pace nervously, on and on until his paws become swollen and irritated.

But when he is out of his kennel, Clyde turns relaxed and joyful.

“When he gets to be our office dog, he is so happy and perfectly fine being left alone in an open environment,” shelter staff said.

Sadly, Clyde can’t be the busy staff’s office dog all the time, and being in a kennel is part of shelter life.

When he first arrived at the shelter, Clyde’s weight nosedived, staff said. Worried he was sick, they tested him for illness, but the results came back negative.

“We’ve been able to calm Clyde down and help him understand that he is safe with us,” staff said, adding that his weight has slowly climbed back up to a healthy 60 pounds. “But he still hates being here and just wants to be the good boy he is in a home.”

Clyde is coming up on 10 months at the shelter, according to staff.

“Clyde has been through a lot, and nothing would make it more worth it for him than a home where he can permanently relax,” the shelter said.

He is great with other dogs but would need a home without cats, the shelter said. He is neutered, current on vaccines, and microchipped.

“Truthfully, Clyde is one of our best boys,” staff said.

Anyone interested in applying to adopt Clyde can do so here: https://www.anitas-sshs.org/adopt/apply/Dog

Utica is a 55-mile drive east from Syracuse.

This story was originally published August 12, 2024 at 12:28 PM with the headline "Shelter dog Clyde’s anxiety melts away when he’s out of his kennel. He needs a home."