When I got Charlie around 7 years ago, I showed up to a local San Diego Petco adoption day looking for my first dog which in my fantastic childhood dreams was a little brown puppy. As I approached the yard sale of a presentation in front of Petco, a short woman in Birkenstocks (long toenails and runs the entire rescue out of her home) literally approached me with Charlie in her arms. As I introduced myself she was handing him to me.
“Oh, I’ve been looking for the right person for this dog. This is a very special dog,” she promised. This “special” dog, was scrawny, dirty and only had fur on the front 50% of his body.
I’m thinking…OK this dog is like rabid, loose cannon-bladder, nobody-wants-this-one kind of a dog. I tell the lady, “OK, I’m going to look at the puppies.”
There they were, multiple brown puppies jumping on their hind legs and I’m cooing at them as I hold rat-dog. Just then a young girl asks me, “Hey, is that your dog,” referring to Charlie in my arms. “Um, no, why?” “Oh, I was just asking because it looks like it’s your dog,” she stated. Was she planted? Kids are funny.
Then an older man with his dad in a wheel chair says to me, “Excuse me, my dad (wheel chair gentleman) wants to know if that’s your dog,” again referring to wilting Charlie in my arms.
I looked down at him in my arms. He didn’t have that, “Please sir, take me home” look. He was just sorta squinting in the sun and looking around, really enjoying his new vantage point from my arms. He let out a quiet little “boof” sound when some other dog walked by on a leash.
So, I adopted him. He grew some fur, gained (too much) weight and we live happily every after.
I took him to the pet store down the street from this home (pictured above) we rented in Seattle last winter to find a bone. I pulled a couple bones out of the bins (all natural, grass fed…of course) and wondered which one he’d like (he’s kinda picky). Then he helped me by licking one. And there he is.
It’s Tuesday so you’ve all seen Juan Pablo last night! I’ll have to catch up when we get back to the U.S. on Saturday!!!
Kristen says
Aw what a sweet post! Rescue pups really are the best 🙂
Christina Warren says
Thank you! Do you have one???
Christina Warren says
Totally! He grew in some fur, I took him to a groomer and it was like VOILA!
Chelsea says
So precious!
Christina Warren says
Thank you, Chelsea! I learn a lot from this pup!
Angie Agerter says
What a great story!! He’s so cute and looks like he fits right in!
Christina Warren says
Thank you! He is a doll-baby!
Christina Warren says
Angie, you nailed it-he totally fits in. 🙂
withluckblog says
haha what a cutie! I rescued my pup through a rescue place a few states away. It started by emailing over an application and a quick inquiry and quickly escalated. (We were emailed back that she was already adopted, but do we have any other pups we like? And I cried unreasonably.) A few days later we found out her adoption fell through and we drove 3 hours randomly to go get her. I feel like sometimes things are just meant to be like that!
Christina Warren says
I LOVE this story! Thank you! It’s so wonderful when things work out. I may have cried too. 🙂
Christina Warren says
I would totally cry too! So interesting how things work out, huh? Love it.
jackie jade says
awww such a sweet story and sounds like you two are a perfect match. our one dog that we adopted is a little older and was kinda gross (and still kinda gross, but in a super lovable way) when we first saw her. but we just had to have her. I love puppies but sometimes the older funky dogs is where it’s at 🙂
Christina Warren says
BAHAHA-kinda gross sounds endearing. I know watch mean. I love hearing adoption story gems like these!
traceynicole says
What a sweet dog, and I loved the story of how you got him.
Christina Warren says
Thank you, Tracey! Life is funny!
Pamela Bannon says
Christina, he is adorable! Great choice!
Christina Warren says
Thank you, Pamela! So lucky!