Most people decide to go with the least aggressive and cutest canines once they walk in a shelter to adopt, but that was not the case with Laura and her husband.
Back then, Rusty was an aggressive stray that was pretty hard to deal with, but there was something about him that made Laura instantly fall in love with him.
In a way, he reminded her of her late dog, Cane, who was also a German Shepherd. And, from that moment on, they knew – Rusty had to go home with them!
Rusty Was A Stray
Rusty’s not like other German Shepherds. He’s a floppy eared, red-coated canine that didn’t have the privilege to have a family from the start. He was a stray dog that was picked up from the street and taken to a local shelter in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Laura and her husband just lost their loving dog, Cane, and thought nothing could fill the void of longing. But then, their friend who was working in the shelter sent them a picture of Rusty…
The fact that Rusty was also a German Shepherd that had floppy ears reminded Laura of Cane. From the moment they saw the photo, they knew they had to adopt him…
“We probably needed him as much as he needed us.”
He Needed Some Time To Adapt
Rusty was no picnic at the beginning of his new journey. He didn’t have the opportunity to socialize with a family before, which is why he was reserved with people. But, Laura and her husband were inclined to change that!
They learned that Rusty was afraid of cars, which indicated that he was a street dog before he was admitted to the shelter. They took things slow and gave him plenty of time to adapt to his new home.
“Once Rusty had a bedtime and a routine, he really got into his groove, and he stopped acting out and really started just loving more, and it was just amazing,” said Laura.
His Dad Is His Favorite Hooman
Even though it was Laura who initiated the adoption, she apparently became the third wheel once Rusty settled in. In no time, he became obsessive with his new dad and followed him everywhere!
It was kind of funny seeing Rusty curling up next to his hooman as he was a big dog, but he was so unaware of his size. And, the funniest part was – he was ignoring his new mom all along!
He has this thing where he goes to bed with his dad at 10 P.M. straight every night. Seeing them sleeping together and wrapped around each other is just the cutest thing ever!
Slayde, Rusty, And Two Feline Friends
Other than his new mom and dad, Rusty shares his home with three other companions – a dog named Slayde, and two cats – Logy and Lylu.
All together, they make a fantastic quartet and get along amazingly. Even though Rusty wasn’t very friendly when he first arrived in his new home, this “Miami German Shepherd” is now a wonderful, tolerant friend.
Still In The Process Of Learning
He’s still in the process of learning new tricks! He perfects his fetching skills and spends a lot of time playing with his dad in the back yard, but he’ll eventually get there. I mean, after all – he’s a German Shepherd!
Other than that, he’s just a sweet, affectionate boy that loves his mom, dad, and the rest of his family endlessly. And, they love him back, too!
“You are so loved. You don’t have to worry again. You are safe. You have a home. You have a place with people who love you.”
You can follow Rusty’s adventure on Laura’s Instagram page and keep up with his recent activities!
