It's been said that what goes around comes around. So it came as no surprise when Fire Station 29, which was adopted by the community several years ago, adopted a puppy in need of a home.
After purchasing the pure-bred dalmation for their 10-year-old daughter, a local couple quickly realized that their one-bedroom apartment wasn't big enough to share with a rambunctious pup.
The family considered taking it to the animal shelter, until they learned that the puppy might be euthanized if a home wasn't found quickly enough.
So, with spotted canine in tow, they headed for their neighborhood fire station at 4029 Wilshire Blvd.
While not unanimous, a vote taken among the firefighters of Station 29 proved the family had come to the right place. The majority ruled that the six-week-old they dubbed "Wilshire" could stay.
According to firefighter Ryan Penrod, things were a little rocky at first.
"We have 16 guys who rotate through three shifts, so it was hard to be consistent with train-ing," said Penrod. "And, since we're on a busy street, we worried about him running out the door when we were heading out for a call."
Realizing they needed help, the men contacted the "Dr. Phil" of dogs, Cesar Millan.
Millan, a dog behavior expert who is also known as the "Dog Whisperer," stars in a series by the same name that airs weekly on The National Geographic Channel.
In each episode, Millan goes into the homes of troubled dogs and their frustrated owners, documenting the rehabilitation that takes place under his guidance.
He agreed to help the firefighters of Station 29 train Wilshire while the cameras rolled, and three episodes, filmed over the summer, are scheduled to air in the fall.
To begin with, Millan outlined a three-part strategy that included exercise, discipline and affec-tion.
According to Penrod, walking Wilshire on a regular basis presented a problem, since the men must stay close to quarters to respond to emergencies.
The Dog Whisperer's solution was to teach the dog to run on the treadmill.
"He loves it," Penrod says. And, sure enough, Wilshire jumps onto the treadmill and, tail wag-ging, settles into the rhythm of his run.
Next, rules had to be established, including which areas of the fire station the dog was allowed to enter.
Penrod recalls the puppy's first night at the station. "I was afraid he'd cry, so I brought him into the dorm to sleep."
The other guys, he says, immediately put an end to that, and now Wilshire happily sleeps in his crate.
The kitchen is off-limits as well—the dog is only allowed to pass through on his way to an out-door area where he can get fresh air and roll around in newly planted grass.
Penrod, who's clearly smitten with the station's new mascot, admits "there's some razzing that goes on here." As proof, he points to training tips posted throughout the station beneath which someone has drawn hearts and scrawled the name "Penrod."
"It's really been nice having him around," said the good-natured firefighter. "We're here at the station in 24-hour shifts for about a third of our lives, and he helps relieve the stress of the day,"
Wilshire, said Capt. Rick McLaren, earns his keep in other ways as well, including as a valu-able public relations tool.
The idea is to use the child-friendly dog to educate kids who often come to the station on school field trips, said the captain. "He's almost mastered ‘stop, drop and roll' to demonstrate fire safety," he added.
"It's been a lot of fun. And even the guys who voted against him staying here have gotten to like him," said McLaren with a smile.
