When a scruffy little dog was surrendered to an Orlando shelter, he did his best to keep his chin up.
His whole life was changing, but he was still sweet and friendly to his new temporary caretakers.
That wonderful attitude was about to take him very far!
Keep reading to find out what happened next!
Keep Your Head Up
When an Orlando local started having health problems, they tried their best to take care of their many pets.
However, eventually it got too difficult and they had to surrender their pets to the local shelter.
One of these pets was named Ted.
Ted was a cheerful little dog that had hardly any fur anywhere on his body except his head.
The vets determined his lack of fur was most likely some sort of genetic alopecia, and not any cause for concern.
While most dogs are understandably shy and overwhelmed when they get to the shelter, Ted was cool as a cucumber.
The shelter staff knew this unique little guy would find a home in no time!
A Chance Encounter
One day, the shelter rounded up Ted and a number of other dogs and brought them to an adoption event.
At the same time, a woman named Devan who lived nearby had been looking for a hairless or hypoallergenic dog.
“I knew the odds were low that they’d have one there,” Devan said. “But, I thought it would be fun to go see the dogs anyway!”
Devan was about to learn a valuable lesson.
While it can take time to find a rescue dog that has specific traits or is a specific breed, it is 100% possible!
“At one of the tents, I saw this tiny dog in a little red jacket with the wispiest hair on his head,” Devan said. “I just died. There was no way I could leave the event without him.”
This tiny little dog in the red jacket was Ted!
Love at First Sight
Devan picked Ted up in the tent and it seemed like he felt the same way she did.
Then, she noticed under his jacket that he didn’t have any fur on his body!
“It felt like the universe brought us together,” Devan said. “I filled out an application on the spot.”
Within a week, Ted was in his new forever home with Devan.
Devan and Ted’s journey together was just beginning!
Settling In
Ted seemed to settle in pretty quickly.
“He’s the most gentle, quiet, sweet boy,” Devan said. “But when he gets excited like he did when he first got here, he likes to romp around.”
While Ted was adjusting well, it took him about a week to fully relax.
“I didn’t think he liked toys at first,” Devan said. “But after a week or so, I heard him start playing with the toys from the other room.”
Devan quickly found out that Ted’s favorite toys were the soft crinkly kind.
From here on out, Ted was about to be spoiled like he had never been spoiled before!
The Kind of the Castle
As soon as Devan discovered Ted’s love for crinkly toys, she went out and bought him a bunch.
But that was just the beginning!
“He’s so spoiled now, he runs the house,” Devan said. “He runs my schedule.”
Ted gets 3 to 4 walks every day, and sometimes they even go on bike rides.
Devan has a big bowl of treats on the kitchen counter so even the guests can shower Ted with love.
But, his favorite food of all is scrambled eggs.
“If I make scrambled eggs, he will yell at me while I’m cooking them because he wants them so bad,” Devan said.
Ted is always sure to thank Devan with kisses and snuggles.
Happily Ever After
Ted and Devan have been living the dream together for a while now, and every day they appreciate each other’s company more and more.
Ted has come out of his shell completely and has fully embraced his role as king of the castle.
“He demands to be pet,” Devan shared. “He will take his paw and grab whatever hand is closest to him and pull it to his chest for belly scratches.”
Devan gives him all the belly scratches because she knows he is a special boy and deserves everything good in life!
“Someone told me once that he must be a very expensive dog breed,” Devan said. “And I just had to laugh because he’s just a good old fashioned mutt.”
Devan and Ted’s story is living proof that rescue dogs can be exactly what you are looking for and more if you take the time to find them!
Click here follow Ted on Instagram to see his one of a kind face every day!