“He was very sweet with this one”
Meet Dyce — a 4-year-old Rottweiler with a big heart and an even bigger fear of the outside world. For most of his life, anxiety made daily activities, especially walks, incredibly difficult. But that all changed the day he met his unlikely hero: a blue plush octopus.
As a puppy, Dyce was hypervigilant and reactive whenever he left the house. Despite being surrounded by love from his devoted mom, Anouk, and his dad, walks around the neighborhood were overwhelming.
“He was very anxious, and that turned into reactivity,” Anouk told The Dodo.
Determined to help him feel more at ease, Anouk tried everything she could think of. She wanted others to see the sweet, gentle boy she knew at home — not the anxious pup neighbors would avoid by crossing the street with their own dogs.
Then one day, Anouk offered Dyce a selection of plush toys. He sniffed them all, then gently picked up a blue octopus and carried it to his bed. From that moment, he was smitten.
Unlike many large dogs who might shred their toys, Dyce treated the octopus with tenderness.
“He was very sweet with this one — sleeping with the toy, washing it with his tongue, and even being a little protective over it,” Anouk said.
Soon, Dyce began taking the octopus on walks — and the change was immediate.
“He wasn’t reactive anymore,” Anouk said. On that very first walk with his plush friend in tow, Dyce calmly trotted alongside his parents, soaking in his surroundings without a single anxious outburst.
The transformation was so striking that the octopus quickly became Dyce’s emotional support companion. Every time his leash came out, Dyce would rush to grab his plushie first.
“He wants to walk with the toy for emotional support,” Anouk said.
On the rare occasions he forgets it, he thinks about it the whole time — running to retrieve it the moment he’s back home.
Over time, Dyce’s plushie collection has grown. Alongside his original blue octopus, he now has a pink octopus and a pink duck. And no matter where he goes, one of those three comforting companions is never far behind.
To Anouk, Dyce’s toys aren’t just cute accessories — they’re essential to his happiness.
“Dyce needs two things when he goes on a walk: his octopus and Mom,” she said. “Then, he is the happiest boy.”