Dog Rescued From Streets Now Fears the Rain!

A rescue dog named Sol, who once roamed the streets of Puerto Rico, has developed a curious but understandable dislike for rainy weather when it’s time to go for a walk.

Adrianna Visca, a resident of Northern Virginia, wasn’t initially looking to adopt a dog. Her visit to an adoption event was purely to accompany a friend who was searching for a cat. “I went with my friend to an adoption event because he was looking to adopt a cat,” she told Newsweek.

As she wandered around the event, a small dog approached her, showing affection by cuddling up and sitting on her lap. That was Sol, and it was their first meeting. Just a week later, Adrianna had gathered all the necessary supplies and brought Sol home. “The entire drive home she rode with her head cuddled against my neck like she knew she was going home forever,” Visca recalls.

Since then, Sol has flourished, shedding her past life and becoming the cheerful companion anyone would wish for. “Sol loves to play fetch, it’s her favorite thing in the world. She also loves to travel with us and explore new places, especially the beach,” Visca shared. Sol has also shown a penchant for cuddling, always finding a spot right between Adrianna’s legs on the couch.

When not playing fetch or exploring, Sol indulges in her favorite treats, like peanut butter and doggie ice cream, which excite her so much that she runs and leaps into her bed to enjoy them. She also loves hiking and basking in the sun.

However, Sol has a clear aversion to rain. On cloudy, rainy days, she prefers to stay indoors, avoiding the wet conditions at all costs. A video shared by Visca on her TikTok account, @sol__likethesun, captures Sol’s reluctance to step outside, even when dressed in a raincoat. Her expression in the video leaves no doubt about her feelings. As Visca describes it: “She’s seen all she needs to see.”

Fear of certain weather conditions, particularly thunderstorms, is not uncommon among dogs. A 2005 study published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science found a 207 percent increase in salivary cortisol levels—a stress biomarker—among dogs exposed to simulated thunderstorm sounds.

But in Sol’s case, it seems there’s more to it than just fear. “Sol is not a fan of rain; she doesn’t really enjoy being wet. Whenever we gave her baths she tried to avoid as much water as possible,” Visca explained.

Despite her reluctance, Sol eventually agrees to go outside to relieve herself, though it’s a quick affair followed by a warm, comforting session of drying off and cuddling.

The reason for Sol’s fear of water remains a mystery. Given her time as a stray, one might think she’d be used to the elements, but Adrianna has some thoughts. “Her fur is pretty short so she doesn’t have much of a barrier between her skin and the water,” she said. “She also just has some quirks that we’re not quite sure where they stem from. She was almost a year old when we adopted her and before that she was a stray so she’s lived a whole other life.”

Whatever the cause, Adrianna hopes that the video of Sol brings a smile to those who watch it and serves as a reminder that “rescue dogs have their quirks but they love harder than anyone.”