If you want to learn the true definition of resilience, meet Grandpa Larry!
This 14-year-old just doesn’t stop – ever, and he’s definitely one of the biggest fighters I’ve ever seen.
Instead of perishing in a shelter as just one of the dogs in the crowd, Larry decided to stand up for himself. He wanted to live even though he couldn’t even walk at first. And, when people labeled him a hospice patient, he just showed them the true side of him!
Grandpa Larry Knows How to Turn His Weaknesses into Strengths
The good team of people at I Stand With My Pack, from Culver City, California, pulled Larry from a shelter just in time!
At fourteen years of age, this sweet pup had one and only one wish – to live his golden days as a happy pup. So, the team made it happen!
Lucy, known for her years-long fostering experience and her dogs’ vibrant and entertaining Instagram account, took Larry in as a foster in a heartbeat! Even though he had problems walking, she welcomed him with an open heart. And, her doggo pack did the same!
Given his overall condition, the rescue thought Larry would be a hospice foster. But, at Lucy’s – his true character surfaced!
“The rescue thought he could be a hospice foster. His back legs didn’t really work very well,” Lucy told The Dodo.
In just a few short weeks, Grandpa Larry became a brand-new dog. He started “aging backwards” together with his new doggo siblings, and definitely took everyone by surprise.
How could such an old, sick dog transform so quickly and look so young, one would ask. But, it happened!
Larry’s New Funny Quirks
The best thing about him? Larry’s new funny little quirks – definitely!
He has this little “wooing show” whenever he sees a fire truck passing by, and a toe-tapping ritual right before his meal. In fact, Larry refuses to do anything before he gets his breakfast in the morning.
“He wouldn’t do anything before he had breakfast. He wouldn’t go out and pee. He was like, ‘No, I have to have my breakfast now’,” says Lucy.
Aging Is an Unknown Concept for Larry
Larry beat the odds in such a short period of time. Nobody could believe that the dog, formerly labeled as a “potential hospice foster,” could transform so easily – and at such an old age!
He literally embarked on a brand-new journey with every new day, breaking all the barriers toward his new life.
A New Beginning
Then came the real surprise!
Tara, a long-time foster from Arizona, reached out to his current momma, saying that she wanted to adopt Larry. And, Lucy was just over the moon!
The two met at Palm Springs, California, for adoption day, making a huge adoption party for Grandpa Larry and his new siblings – Magoo, Frank, and Gordy.
It was no surprise seeing this senior pup thriving that day – but to see him finally get the life he deserves was really a tear-jerking moment!
Tara, her big family, and Larry drove all the way to Arizona, starting a new life together. Today, Larry is happier than ever, living the time of his life surrounded by the people who are absolutely crazy about him.
“He freaking loves everything. He loves to go everywhere. There’s only been a couple of dogs over the years that when you take them out into public, they actually do a scene just by existing. They have grandpa swag, and he’s definitely got it,” says Tara.
His story will always serve as a testament to what a little love can do. And, that senior dogs are definitely worth it – they just need a fighting chance in life.
