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People & Pets

Friday and Enzo

8/9/2016

They greet you with wagging tails and curious eyes. Enzo, a French bulldog and labrador mix, is right by the door, stalling any move to enter. Friday, a purebred English setter, stands back a little, assessing the action at the front door. Together, they look like polar opposites, but owner Casey Austen says that’s what makes them get along so well.

Destiny - April - Casey Austin with her dogs Friday and Enzo. Wednesday, February 24, 2016.

caption Casey Austen sits with her dogs Captain Friday and Lorenzo in their usual spot. Her rescue dogs are more than just pets, they’re family.

“They have very different personalities,” said Austen, “but they go well together. They’re both very well-behaved and very friendly. And then, outside of that, Enzo is very goofy and he loves people and always wants to cuddle. Friday doesn’t usually let other people pet him and is always off doing stuff — always running, always hunting.”

While they are two completely different characters, they prove the old adage that opposites attract.

“They loved each other from the get-go,” Austen said. “They’re rather inseparable.”

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The little family of three has come a long way in the four years they’ve been together. Austen adopted both dogs from AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport. Four years ago, Austen rescued Friday, previously named Roy, from the shelter. It wasn’t easy at first.

Friday had been found roaming around by himself, and was thought to have been left by hunters — which happens often when bird dogs are gun shy and the hunters no longer have use for them.

“They found him running loose and was pretty underweight,” Austen said. “You could tell that he was on his own for a while. … He clearly had some abuse problems, too. He was terrified of men and loud noises. So, I worked with Lou Lyle, who used to run Dog Unleashed, and he worked a lot with him on resocializing him — not that he was ever mean, he was just scared of everyone.”

After working with Lyle, Friday seemed better. He still has separation anxiety, according to Austen, but that has tamed down a bit — especially now that Enzo is around.

A year after she adopted Friday, Austen fostered Enzo, previously named Frankie. She “forgot” to give him back.

Austen changed their names to something more fitting for their personalities, and it gave them a fresh start in their new home. Friday, originally Roy, was named after Doc Savage’s character Captain Friday. Enzo, Lorenzo in full, was originally named Frankie.

Destiny - April - Casey Austin's dog Friday takes a look out the backdoor. Wednesday, February 24, 2016.

Casey Austin’s dog Friday takes a look out the backdoor.

“I wanted to keep the strong Italian name,” Austen said. “I call him Lorenzo the Ladies Man because whenever he sits on stuff — he has these little stubby arms — so he’ll lean an arm on the chair. He’s always posing.”

Austen says she doesn’t know what she would do without her two “babies.”

“They’re more than just pets to me,” Austen said. “I’ve had dogs my whole life … They’re definitely family members.”  ■

 

 

 

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