Shelter dogs eagerly wait for forever homes. Many find homes quickly, while others remain in the shelter for a long time. Volunteers do all they can to find families for them, often posting their photos online and sharing their stories. Original Good Boy, aka OBG, an eight-year-old senior pup, was surrendered to the Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, DC. He was later transferred to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in New Jersey. The staff did all they could to find him a home, including putting a cape on him to showcase his ‘Super Powers.’
OGB spent his days in the New Jersey shelter, hoping to find his happy ending. Sadly, he went unnoticed for a long time. He began to lose hope, but his fortunes changed when he met Susan Wright, a 70-year-old woman who visited the shelter just before Christmas. Initially, she hadn’t intended to adopt a senior dog. “We were walking around looking at the fur babies when I noticed one dog had his back to the door ignoring all attempts to engage him,” Wright told Newsweek.
Wright initially didn’t find OGB particularly appealing, noting his serious demeanor. She also noted that she wasn’t exactly keen on his appearance (at first!). However, learning about his prolonged stay in the shelter and his loss of hope deeply moved her. OGB had been named by a previous owner who deeply loved him but had to surrender him due to unforeseen circumstances. The shelter staff quickly fell in love with OGB’s personality.
“He couldn’t get enough love, belly rubs, and scratches. And when he gets really pleased, he does an adorable little ‘happy dance’,” St Hubert’s staff member Diane Ashton explained to Newsweek. Ashton noted that OGB was quieter and more reserved than other dogs at the shelter, which might have made him less noticeable to potential adopters. However, when Wright met him, she began taking him on small outings like neighborhood walks and trips to the park for puppuccinos.
“We had a slightly rocky start as I knew nothing about how to walk a dog, especially a strong dog. OGB wouldn’t look at me or listen to me. I noticed he did not ‘see’ women but men he paid very close attention to, especially those in a large SUV or truck. He also didn’t react to children,” Wright explained. Realizing that OGB’s previous owner was likely a male who often ran or jogged, she hired a trainer to help them bond.
This strategy successfully strengthened their relationship. “When my daughters discovered what I was doing, they wanted to go on a walk with OGB. They loved him on sight and thought he was quite handsome. It felt a little like introducing a date to them,” Wright said. When she learned someone was interested in adopting OGB, she realized she couldn’t part with him.
That’s when she decided to adopt him herself. “I had made a promise I wouldn’t leave him until he was adopted. If he was with me, he would always be in a good home. If I described the dog I would have chosen, he probably wouldn’t look like OGB, and he probably wouldn’t be as old. But I also probably wouldn’t have thought about the traits that make OGB a wonderful housemate and who has (almost) always been well-behaved,” she stated.
Now known as Ogee, he quickly became a cherished member of his new family, showing a loving and gentle nature. Wright recalled an incident where her daughter and Ogee helped a little boy who had fallen off his bike and hurt his wrist. Ogee lay down, allowing the boy to pet him and gently licked the boy’s injured wrist. “Would all dogs do that, I don’t know. But we think it makes Ogee very special,” Wright remarked.
It’s uplifting to see the profound difference a forever home can make in a dog’s life. Ogee transformed from a reserved, melancholic dog into a vibrant senior full of life, deeply adored by his family.
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H/T Newsweek
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via Whisker Therapy