When Beth and I lost Butters, our beloved Puggle of 14 yrs, I was devastated. I was very hesitant on even getting another pup because I didn’t want to endure the loss of another pup. Well, Beth saw it differently and within two months we adopted Bagel from a local rescue. After having Bagel for only a month or so, we could tell he needed a companion. We had always been a one dog household, so this was something we knew nothing about. I remember putting feelers out on Twitter asking people their thoughts and experiences of owning multiple dogs at one time. Most feedback was good. Rescue Coop reached out and told me when I was ready for pup number 2, they would be more than happy to accommodate.

Waffles’ Story

Fast forward a few months and we were ready to make the plunge. After some communication back and forth with Rescue Coop, Waffles was picked to be the next member of our family. When Waffles first showed up on our doorstep, he was very shy and timid. He just wanted to hide all the time; however, he and Bagel hit it off right out the gate. They were a match made in heaven. As we got to know Waffles more that first week, there were many things that made us sad. He would refuse to go for walks, he hated the car (got car sick), was deathly afraid of a broom, was afraid of the leash, would not sit on anyone’s lap, and would come up to our bedroom at night with us and Bagel. His safe space was the couch. That’s where he wanted to be all the time.

Fast forward 2 weeks, he started coming up to our bedroom at night and started sleeping in our room with us. He would wait till the middle of the night to come up. He would only come up on his own terms, but he did eventually come up to our room. Fast forward another 2 weeks, now he comes up to bed with us and Bagel at the same time. This was a major hurdle of trust with Waffles. He will now sit next to us on the couch also, but if you put him on your lap, he will leave.

Fast forward 9 months, now Waffles will jump up on my lap and lay there and sleep. The trust is finally there. It took time and patience but well worth it.

We still can’t get him to go for walks or car rides, but that’s okay. He is still scared of the broom and loud noises to the point where hunkers down and lays in his own urine. These are things he may never get over, but Beth and I have gained his trust. We get his daily Whipped Cream dances, his stare of cuteness, and his stubbornness when it comes to bed time potty break. Dad found the missing piece, he never thought he would ever find again. Waffles is the sweetest pup you will ever meet. We love him to death.