It’s always hard to imagine a dog being tied or kept in a crate his entire life, but for some canines – that’s just a harsh reality. Some of these four-legged animals never even experience what it’s like to roam freely in a yard, or to play with other doggos in a park.
R2, a 4-month-old puppy, had the same start in life.
This tiny boi never knew what freedom looked like. He was waiting for the day to spread his little paws on a spacious field, but instead, he was cruelly dumped in the countryside, right next to a busy interstate.
Found On The Side Of A Busy Road
Roger, the giant-hearted man from Zelienople, Pennsylvania, has always had a soft spot for dogs. He was driving down a busy highway in October 2023, when he spotted R2 on the side of the road.
Roger immediately stopped in his tracks. This poor puppy was very skinny, and he was evidently scared, but as soon as Roger called him, he ran to him like he knew his savior his entire life.
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“Can you believe that I found this cute little guy on the side of a busy interstate yesterday? More than likely this little guy was kept in a crate his entire life,” said Roger.
Roger immediately brought him to the vet, where he learned that this poor boi was probably kept in a crate his entire life, and then dumped by his previous owners. He had flat paws, very little energy, and all he wanted to do was sleep.
Building Towards The Full Recovery
Roger was quite shocked when R2 melted into his lap, as if he was a house pet his entire life. Something deep inside this pup pulled him towards his savior, and from the moment the two met, R2 was just all about Roger.
It took him exactly a week and a half to completely adapt to his new Pennsylvania home!
“A week and a half later, you would look at this and say, you didn’t find him on the side of the road, he’s just a normal, regular pup living a good life,” says Roger.
Roger and the family already had three other doggos who immediately accepted their new brother. And, Layla, who was known to be occasionally aggressive, seemed to be the gentlest in the process!
There was something about him that made Layla so at peace. The two always snuggle up against each other and take cozy naps. In just a few short weeks, it was evident – R2 belonged to his new home like he had been there forever.
The only “problem” was him adapting to grass. As he had spent his whole life in a crate, walking on grass was unfamiliar to him, but Roger took things slowly. Little by little, he encouraged the little pup to play in the grass – and soon enough, R2 was a brand-new dog!
R2 Has The Pawfect Little Home
Roger’s still R2’s favorite person, but there’s no doubt that he loves every single member of the family (and beyond) with his entire heart!
He’s always open to meeting new people, and he’s more than willing to shower everyone with hugs and kisses.
“His adaptation has been astounding to me… He has that kind of one in a million attitude of a perfect dog for me where he’s calm, he’s very good with people, he is very good with other animals,” says Roger.
Given that he is a rescue dog on a brand-new life journey, R2 is really a one-of-a-kind dog.
Despite the fact that he had no one to show him how to be a dog, it seems that R2 is just natural! He has charmed everyone with his unique personality and just the sweetest character.
Once an abandoned dog whose odds were stacked against him, R2’s now on the way to becoming the ultimate, most loving family dog!
