An Oregon woman was at a yard one fall day when she came across something she thought she’d find at a yard sale: a dog.
“She was in this big huge crate and she was so small,” the woman recalled.
Curious about what a senior Jack Russell Terrier was doing in the crate, she decided to ask.
That was when she learned that they were giving the poor pup away for free.
Her heart immediately broke for the senior dog.
It was clear that her humans didn’t want her around anymore, and she was sad to see the pup in such a state.
The woman, Charlotte, knew exactly what to do, and she sprang into action.
When it Rains it Pours
After learning that the owners want nothing to do with the dog, Charlotte decided to adopt her on the spot.
She scooped her up and took her home where the sweet senior pup was given a new name to start her new life: Sophie.
Charlotte saw the relief in Sophie’s eyes as soon as she took her to the car.
She knew she’d made the right decision.
However, there was trouble ahead for little Sophie.
“She had a lot of health issues when I first got her,” Charlotte explained.
The 11-year-old pup had overgrown nails, dry skin, and brittle fur.
It was clear Sophie had not been well taken care of by her previous owners.
“She would bite her skin a lot, and she had fleas. She also had this horrid breath. Her teeth were super wiggly,” Charlotte added.
Poor Sophie had been a victim of neglect. All signs pointed to a troubled past.
Charlotte could tell the physical neglect Sophie experienced had taken a huge toll on her emotional health as well.
Sophie had clearly lost all trust for humans.
“She was really fearful and timid, and she would bite you. I was really worried for her,” Charlotte recalled.
It would be a long road ahead, but Charlotte was determined to see Sophie thrive.
From the moment Sophie arrived at her new home, Charlotte started Sophie on the path to emotional and physical recovery.
On the Mend
Sophie was taken to the vet right away for treatment to relieve the pain and discomfort the sweet girl had endured for far too long.
“She had to get allergy shots for her skin and she had to get almost all of her teeth removed,” Charlotte recalled.
Charlotte was heartbroken to see Sophie go through all the procedures, especially considering the emotional state the pup was already in.
However, Sophie was a fighter.
This tiny but mighty pup was determined to pull through.
“She healed up pretty fast actually, I was so happy,” Charlotte recalled.
Now that her physical health was in check, it was time to show Sophie the true meaning of unconditional love.
Charlotte could finally focus on showering Sophie with the love and attention she’d deserved all along.
Learning to Love
Charlotte had already begun to spoil the senior girl.
She bought some supplements for her hips, would bathe her regularly, and even do her nails!
Charlotte wanted to give Sophie plenty of opportunities to explore her new environment with consistent walks and adventures.
But in order to do that, Sophie would need a little more training.
That was when she decided to enlist the help of her sister and friend to start training Sophie.
Whoever said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks was wrong: Sophie made huge strides in her training!
They started teaching her the basic tricks and agility exercises in Charlotte’s backyard.
Then it was time for Sophie to go out in public where she could to noise, other dogs, and new people.
“She would never sit in a public setting, just because she was so stressed out and had so much anxiety all the time,” the fur mom shared.
Despite this, Charlotte had faith Sophie could overcome this anxiety.
“I really buckled down, and I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to work on this with you because this is probably really stressful, and also I want you to come and explore places with me,’” she shared.
Charlotte was committed to helping Sophie adjust to her new world no matter how long it took.
A New Lease in Life
After a few months, Charlotte’s hard work began to pay off.
Sophie started coming out of her shell and had the confidence to go beyond her comfort zone.
“Her personality really started to shine through during training. All of a sudden, she was like a new dog,” Charlotte shared.
Sophie went from being timid and fearful to adventurous and full of energy.
She now loves being taken on walks around the neighborhood and going on car rides to the park.
Sophie has also become quite the chatterbox!
Charlotte was delighted to see how vocal Sophie had become.
“Ever since I taught her the word ‘speak,’ she will start talking to me… it’s really funny,” she said.
Sophie is now enjoying the rest of her golden years hanging out on the beach and sniffing mouse holes in the farm.
Charlotte is so grateful she discovered Sophie at that yard sale a year ago.
The two of them share a special bond, appreciating the journey and celebrating Sophie’s second chance to live a happy, healthy life!
Follow Sophie on Instagram to keep up with all her latest adventures!
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Saturday 13th of November 2021
I am so glad that Sophie is doing good and was taken to a good home to be loved and never has to worry about being abused anymore. God bless the new owner.
Kate Kenner
Saturday 13th of November 2021
She is adorable and it is appalling that the previous people would treat her like a disposable object. Thank goodness she now gets the love and care she deserves and it looks like she has many years left to enjoy them. A win for the person who took her but even more for Sophie.