03/14/2026
⭐️5 Star Dog of the Month⭐️
DIESEL’S JOURNEY
I adopted Diesel on June 15, 2024, from Aurora Animal Care and Control in Aurora, IL. I had followed him on their website for over a year because they said he couldn’t be around other dogs and would only be adopted into a home without them.
You see, Diesel was found as a puppy with another dog. She was eventually adopted, but Diesel never was. Over time, that experience seemed to jade him. When I adopted him, many lives changed that day—mine most of all.
I was told he was AACC’s longest resident, having lived at the shelter for over two years. The day he walked out the front door, there were many tears shed. The staff gave him such a heartfelt goodbye that I knew he was deeply loved. I couldn’t understand how such a great dog had to grow up in a shelter simply because he had been overlooked.
That first weekend at home, I realized why—it felt like he had been waiting for me. God chose the exact right time for our hearts to come together.
The challenge was that Diesel had grown up in the shelter. To him, that was home, and the staff were his family. Over time, it became harder for him to get along with the other dogs constantly coming and going while he always remained. Eventually, he was labeled as dog-aggressive.
The day I adopted him, I was told not to socialize him because of his behavior around other dogs. I was also told he wasn’t very smart and was recommended a special harness system with a double-leash setup to give me better control when taking him out.
I bought everything that was recommended and started working with him every day.
