Abused Dog, Rex, Has The Pawfect Siblings To Help Him Overcome Anxiety

A couple of months ago, a Reddit user shared a touching video showing his two dogs comforting their anxious canine brother.

The video features Huxley, a small Shih Tzu, and Winnie, a white deaf dog, as they care tenderly for their big brother Rex, a mix of English and French Mastiff.

Rex struggles with severe anxiety due to a traumatic early life and several abusive previous owners.

From Abuse to Healing Paws

According to research from the University of Helsinki in Finland, dogs are especially prone to anxiety-related behaviors, particularly those that endured abuse during their upbringing.

The study found that 72.5% of the 13,715 pet dogs surveyed showed signs of anxiety-like behaviors.

Rex’s current owner revealed that Rex was mistreated as a puppy. He is actually Rex’s fourth owner and adopted him when Rex was about 1.5 years old.

Rex’s second owners subjected him to physical abuse and used a shock collar, causing him to fear loud noises such as screaming, brooms, and clapping. They even considered euthanizing him due to what they labeled “aggressive behavior.”

Because of the trauma with his second owners, Rex developed resource guarding, fear, and aggression issues, making it difficult for him to adjust to his third family despite their efforts to help.

A Long Road to Recovery

When Rex came to his current owner, the healing process began, and over the last 2.5 years, he has made significant progress.

Though he still shows some anxious tendencies, Rex can now comfortably spend time with his dog siblings and human family members.

“With anxiety, dogs usually try to avoid what scares them and escape as quickly as possible,” the owner told Newsweek. “He was my first dog after my divorce, when I was single, so we really helped each other.”

Bound by Love

In the video, it’s clear that Rex’s two dog siblings adore him. Whenever they sense his anxiety, they rush to comfort him with affectionate licks and cuddles.

But the story is even deeper than that.

Huxley, the Shih Tzu puppy, is fearless and loves everyone, happily embracing his role in this loving family.

Meanwhile, Winnie, the white dog, is deaf and relies on Rex a lot. The two have formed a close bond, with Winnie following him everywhere.

Even though Rex vocalizes and sometimes growls when scared—not aggressively—Winnie can’t hear him, so she accepts him just as he is and loves him unconditionally.

Rex, in turn, supports Winnie by acting as her ears and helping her understand their surroundings.

Both Winnie and Huxley have played a major role in helping Rex come out of his shell and recover.

A Viral Trio

This special trio’s heartwarming affection has captured the attention of many online, earning nearly 21,000 upvotes on Reddit.

One user wrote, “This fills me with so much joy. Winnie, Rex, and Huxley are some of my favorite beings right now. And you’re amazing, too, for giving these dogs such a loving home.”

It’s wonderful to see that despite his difficult past, Rex was fortunate enough to find a caring family, an excellent owner, and loving dog siblings.

“I’ve always said I’m lucky to have such an incredible dog,” his owner shared.