It’s always difficult to imagine a dog being chained or crated for life, but for some dogs it’s simply a harsh reality. Some of these four-legged animals do not even feel what it means to walk freely in the garden or play with other dogs in the park. Four-month-old puppy R2 had a similar start in life.
This boy had no idea what freedom felt like. He spread his little legs out in a wide field, waiting for the sun to shine, until he was cruelly abandoned in the countryside, right next to a busy highway.
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.
“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 very shocked when R2 melted into his lap, as if he had been a pet all his life. Something deep within the pup drew him to his savior, and from the moment they met, R2 was completely focused on Roger. It took exactly a week and a half for him to fully adjust to his new home in Pennsylvania.
“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 his family already had three other dogs of his, but they quickly adopted the new sibling. And Layla, who is known to be aggressive at times, seemed the sweetest 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.
R2 is truly a one-of-a-kind dog, considering he’s a rescue dog on a whole new path in life.
R2 seems like a natural, even though no one taught him how to be a dog. He charmed everyone with his unique personality and simply the kindest nature.
