Back in June Nick and I looked at one another and we knew that it was time to bring another dog into the home. The pain of Dexter's death is still so fresh, some days I still wake up and forget for just a moment that he is really gone.
I searched Petfinder, local rescues, and even local breeders trying to find a dog that could (even slightly) fill the void that Dexter has left. Unfortunately I did not have much luck, as many rescues will not adopt to homes with children (understandably so), and we have a "tough" home as we have a child, another dog, and a cat (usually the cat is the deal breaker, haha- but as we all know Basha is going to outlive all of us. Girl is 11, has never had a single health issue, and shows no signs of slowing down).
I then took my search to Facebook and that very same day my friend Crystal who works at Lowell Humane Society shared a message with me that a rescue organization in New York, and her friend Amy, was fostering Boston Terrier puppies. I connected with Amy, saw pictures, and got so excited. I mean:
The back story was a little muddled (as surrenders often can be), so we did a DNA test because I knew that we REALLY wanted another Boston Terrier. The history that was available was that the Mom was a Boston who died not long after giving birth, Dad "unclear". We paid for the DNA test and I put it out of my mind, not wanting to get my hopes up in case it didn't work out. I asked his foster Mom Amy if she wouldn't mind sending me pictures from time to time. Dex came from a puppy mill and while I regret supporting one before I knew better, I wouldn't have traded him for anything in the world. I only have one or two pictures of Dexter as a very small puppy because of that:
While we waited for the results (they took about 2-3 weeks). Amy was so wonderful with keeping me updated and sending photos on a regular basis. Little by little I would see these "signs" that Rudy was just meant to be ours. Amy informed me that Rudy liked to eat "like a piggy" and anyone that knew Dexter knew he loved two things: People and food (maybe one slightly more than the other, depending on the situation):
Also, just a little "sleep nursing":
Assed out passed out:
With his siblings (Rudy all the way on the right):
Getting exposure to ALL THE THINGS (so important):
Matching brindle bums:
Amy also shared a video with me that had me in tears- it was of Rudy playing with a frog toy (he is very small, a few weeks at most). One of Dexter's first toys was given to him by my friend Maggie- it was a stuffed frog that was bigger than him, and it was one of the only things that Dexter ever tried to hump, haha.
We received the DNA test back and it turns out Rudy is 50% Boston, 25% beagle, 12.5% pug, and 12.5% who knows what. Adoption was a go, and we couldn't be more excited!
Before we picked him up, I got a few toys from Chewy. Only when I received one of them did I realize that Dex had the exact same chew toy as the puppy (of course I cried).
We picked Rudy up this past Monday and are adjusting to life with a puppy. While exciting and fun and exhausting, I am looking forward to raising this adorable little boy. I can already tell that he is very sweet natured and meant to be with us. I will be forever grateful to Crystal for finding him for me, and to Amy for raising him and taking unbelievably wonderful care of him and his siblings until they were ready for their forever homes. This world is full of good people, and I am lucky enough to know these two who are some of the very best.
A few pictures of his first days with us:
Nicholas was SO EXCITED:
Apparently this is a good "puppy puddle" pillow
Watching while I work (Dex used to do the same):
While this one really got me, I wanted to share it. On Dexter's last night, I laid on the couch with him until God knows what time, because I just didn't want to go to bed. He laid by my head and just slept peacefully. On Rudy's first night, he kept "clawing" his way up onto my shoulder and then I realized he was in the exact same position Dex was on that last night:
I was driving to work the other day and got sad thinking about Dex- the very next song on the radio was Bastille's "Quarter Past Midnight", which was playing in the last video I have of our best boy, as he's excitedly enjoying ice cream. I like to believe that this was Dex telling me hello and that things are going to be ok- and that he was happy that we have opened our home to another dog, because it's what he would have wanted. I also laughed because Dexter would have been SO irritated by a puppy in the home. <3 We're looking forward to having new adventures with Rudy Thomas. And for those of you that don't know, Dexter was named after the show on Showtime. He has a brother on the show whose name is Rudy, hence Rudy's name.
Dude's already got the head tilt mastered, huh?
xoxo
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