When you find someone you connect with quickly, you tend to form an unbreakable bond.

And even if you’ve been apart for years, when you finally get back together, it feels like you just met yesterday. This is exactly the bond that formed between two dogs who found themselves together again after being separated, thanks to the incredible efforts of a proud dog lover.

new best friend


Close up view of black and white dog


When Derrick Schmidt and his fiancée decided to move in together, they were sure their dream of owning a dog would finally come true. While browsing the shelter’s website, Derrick’s fiancée came across a photo of a puppy named Dexter. The couple quickly fell in love with each other and decided to meet him.

“We go to the shelter and he sits down and leans up against me in the cage. And just looks up at me. I look over at my fiancée and I say he is ours,” Derrick told GeoBeats.

After spending some time living his best life with his new parents, Dexter’s favorite pastime activity includes playing in the back yard.

During his playtime, another dog would wander into the yard and get in on the fun.

Even though Derrick was a bit hesitant about allowing a stray dog to play with Dexter, after seeing how much fun they were having, he just couldn’t say no.

“The first time they met, they immediately started playing. It was like they were long-lost brothers. He would be right there anytime I would do yard work he would come over and see us,” he added.

One day, animal control was in the neighborhood, and Derrick knew that since he was running around the neighborhood without a collar, the stray dog would most likely be taken away.

Deciding to hide him in his garage, Derrick found out that the dog’s owners lived two houses down from his.

“I knocked on the door and I was like, ‘Animal Control was here. I put a collar on him that way he didn’t get taken. Make sure you leave this collar on or else he’s gonna get taken’. Well, the next day I saw him running around with no collar on and then he disappeared,” Derrick stated.

Even though he was told that it was not his dog, so it was none of his business, Derrick was determined to find this little stray.

After calling and visiting multiple shelters, he finally managed to find him, frozen in a kennel.

Pawsome Reunion

After paying the adoption fee, Derrick brought the pup home. Deciding that the dog, now named Doakes, needed to be kept away from his previous owners, the little family moved out into the country.

The two best buds can finally live and play in peace.

And, even though they are polar opposites, Dexter, being an energetic goofball, and Doakes, being a calm sweetheart, the two can’t spend a day without each other.

Dexter and Doakes are living their best lives full of fun and joy, surrounded by people who are absolutely obsessed with them.

They love spending their time running in the yard and cuddling on the couch to recharge their batteries.