Street Dog Born in the Desert Has the Best Reaction to Snow

A former street dog named River has had many challenges to overcome. But the dog who was born in the deserts of Qatar now is loving life in the snowy mountains of America.

River was born on a construction site in Qatar and life as a stray was very rough for him. He was beaten up by other dogs and had part of his ear ripped off and his tail broken by a pack of dogs.

He was rescued and brought to a shelter and eventually adopted by a family in Canada. But his first adoptive family was not a good fit. That’s when Corinne and her husband adopted River and brought him home to their home in the States.

It didn’t take long for River’s new family to realize that River had a lot of trauma to overcome. He was afraid of cars, going outside, fearful of other dogs and afraid of anyone in his space.

“It’s taken a year but River has made lots of progress,” Corinne says of her adopted dog. She reveals that she too comes from an abusive background so River and her seem to have a quiet understanding. But that’s not to say River’s healing journey hasn’t been without its difficulties. It took some time for River to bond with Corinne’s husband and he’s still afraid of other dogs. But he can now walk with them and is getting more comfortable with them and even making some friends.

One thing, however, River really loves is snow! He’s become Corinne’s running buddy and the two will run 20 miles in the mountains together, which they both love. Seeing him jump and play in the snow reveals that despite his troubled past, River gets a lot of joy from life. And even though it’s been lots of hard work, Corinne says, “To see how much fear he began with, but to see his progress it’s pretty amazing.”

Viewers of River’s video can’t help but applaud Corinne’s efforts.

“Such an inspiration for anyone wanting to adopt a damaged pup. Well done. So impressed with your patience and tender heart,” writes one viewer.

“Dogs born in the Middle East suffer unbelievable abuse,” says another person, who adopted a dog from Iraq. “River is beautiful, and you’ve taught him what love is and most importantly, what safety is. Thank you.”

Another viewer agrees, writing, “Bless you for taking the time, having the patience and understanding to help this dog live its best life in a home of love, comfort and safety.”