# Found this in my barn...



## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

Started to the barn Friday morning to feed the horses. As I got close to the barn, I heard an awful wailing coming from inside. Thinking one of the horses was in trouble, I sprinted the rest of the way and threw open the doors. 

Sitting on the floor in front of me was a cardboard box with a note attached. The note said: "Please take care of my puppy. I can no longer afford to feed him. Thank you and God bless!" 

This was in the box....
























He was terrified when I picked him up. Clung to me as I took him to the house to show my girls. Was also very hungry. It broke my heart.

He spent the rest of the day Friday and most of Saturday sleeping, either on our porch or in my daughters lap. She said at one point, he was like a living, breathing teddy bear. So we've named him "Teddy Bear"!

Vet appointment this afternoon to get him checked out. But I'm curious as to your opinion. Obviously, he's some sort of mix, but what kind? 

My wife thinks GSD/Golden Retriever. I see the GSD, but I'm not sure about the other. Front feet are huge, but back feet are much smaller. He also has a little bowing to his forelegs that I'm going to have the vet check out. 

Regardless, he's adorable and he'll have a good home here.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

What a cutie!!! Are you keeping him or fostering?


----------



## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Super cute!


----------



## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Wow people are idiots  My parents live in a rural area where people drop off cats all the time, it's very upsetting

I'm glad he's got a good home now


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Beau said:


> This was in the box....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


OMG he is so cute! Thank you for giving him a good home!


----------



## catz (Dec 10, 2010)

What an adorable puppy! 

Honestly I have no idea what he could be but but his face in the second picture really reminds me of the dog Riley in Homeward Bound 2 only lighter.. I think Riley is a Leonberger mix


----------



## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

Jax08 said:


> What a cutie!!! Are you keeping him or fostering?


Absolutely no way my daughter is going to let Teddy go! 

However, I worry about the original owners showing back up, so I'm going to have the vet check for a micro-chip and try and contact them directly.


----------



## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

That's one cute puppy. I've two dogs, one named "Teddy", the other "Bear." At night I say "good night Teddy Bear!".


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I doubt the original owners will show back up. Glad we get to see Teddy grow up! He's going to be a handsome guy.


----------



## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

"That's one cute puppy. I've two dogs, one named "Teddy", the other "Bear." At night I say "good night Teddy Bear!". 


Lol!! That's pretty cute!


----------



## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

Jax08 said:


> I doubt the original owners will show back up. Glad we get to see Teddy grow up! He's going to be a handsome guy.


Me too, but since we're all bonding to him quickly, I have to at least try to find them to protect us. I'm sure it'll be in vain.

Thank you! He's got a great personality, very laid back and calm, but yet playful. He's also exhibiting some signs of a land shark, and I'm sure as he gets more comfortable, that'll just get worse.

I had forgotten how much work puppies are.....


----------



## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Thanks for giving Teddy a family and home. He is a cutie. Have fun !


----------



## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

I can't believe they just left him in your barn, alone and scared... thank you for giving him the home and family he deserves!


----------



## KennyFrench (Jun 13, 2012)

Jax08 said:


> I doubt the original owners will show back up.


I agree and I also doubt they've had him chipped.


----------



## billsharp (May 3, 2011)

Lots of GSD, Golden sounds right, too, and maybe Lab?

Sounds like the little guy landed in the right place, bless you for giving him a home.

Keep the note--it will be very useful to you in court if the abandoners ever try to reclaim that dog.


----------



## Scarlettsmom (Jul 12, 2011)

They probably figured he was safe and dry in the barn and that you would find him right away. Poor baby...he's really cute and maybe it was heartbreaking for them to let him go. It's in all likelihood a neighbor who knows you will care for him, so they didn't take him to a shelter. Sad, but it seems they trusted in you. 

No idea what he is mixed with other then "cute".


----------



## NWHeather (Oct 29, 2010)

How cute! Poor little guy  I'm glad they left him with you.
In the second pic, I see something like Mastiff in his face. I could be wrong.


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I'd guess Saint Bernard mix, unless you have some Livestock Guardian breeds there around where you live.


----------



## GSD2 (Jan 27, 2012)

Oh! What a surpise for you! What a cutie!! When I saw that picture I immediatly thought he looked like my Grizzley Bear! The rescue said Grizzley was part lab/chow, but I think he had a lot of GSD in him. The one picture made me think some Great Dane? GSD/lab maybe? Maybe not fluffy enough for chow but he sure looks like my Grizz. Whatever he is enjoy!!


----------



## Elektra2167 (Jun 18, 2012)

His is adorable  So very glad he has a good home! Thank you for taking him in 
I had someone drop off a small pony in my pasture once. Boy was I surprised when I went out and saw this tiny thing running back and forth with the horses.


----------



## CassandGunnar (Jan 3, 2011)

He's a handsome lookin' pup. I'm not sure what they call them in your neck of the woods, but in MN we call them Big Brown Farm Dogs, and they're an awesome breed.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Elektra2167 said:


> I had someone drop off a small pony in my pasture once. Boy was I surprised when I went out and saw this tiny thing running back and forth with the horses.


I had a young bull calf running around my barn one morning. I don't know who he scared more, me or the horses! 

Imagine my bosses face when I called in and told him I'd be late because a calf showed up at my barn! LOL!


----------



## CeCe (Jun 1, 2011)

Aww-he is just adorable! Looks like he'll grow up to be a "gentle giant" type dog.


----------



## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

He's a cutie and looks like he found a good home


----------



## Jacobs-mommy (Jun 8, 2012)

Awww.... He is so cute! Glad you are keeping him, he is precious!:wub:


----------



## Jo_in_TX (Feb 14, 2012)

A-DOR-A-BLE!

I just love that face.


----------



## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

What a cutie!
My first thought was Leonberger. Several horse people in my area have them.


----------



## Franksmom (Oct 13, 2010)

I love Him!!! 
I'm glad he's got a home with you, and doesn't have to go anywhere else.

My Husband is always saying "How would people like it if I just took a drive into town and dumped my 2 horses in their subdivision yard" Of course he's joking but I hear the same thing everytime we have a new "donation" at the barn.


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Poor little guy. He looks well cared for though, so maybe they tried as long as they could. A sad decision for them to have to make, but it sounds like they picked a good place to leave him.


----------



## gmcwife1 (Apr 5, 2012)

What a lucky puppy to have been left with you and your family!!!


----------



## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

Vet check went well. Needed de-worming since we don't know his history and shots, but no real issues. We'll watch his forlegs for a while, but vet thinks it may just be a breed issue (bowing), but since we don't know what he is really, hard to tell. We discussed a DNA test, but decided against it due to the unreliability of the tests. No micro-chip as expected.

Got home from vet and found another note from the owner, in the mailbox. 

Turns out the family has lost their home due to job loss (both) and are moving in with family in Texas. The family said no animals, so all their pets had to be re-homed.

The puppy was the 16 year old daughters and she was supposed to take it to the shelter and say goodbye. Mom called the shelter this morning to check on everything and was shocked to find out the dog never made it. She confronted daughter, who finally confessed to what she had done. The mom wanted to come and pick up the puppy, take it to the shelter and pay me for any expenses I had incurred. 

I told her it wasn't necessary, that I was sorry for their situation and that we would keep the puppy and make sure it had good life with us. She was very apologetic about the whole thing and asked if she could bring the daughter by tomorrow to apologize in person. Again, I told it wasn't necessary, but I appreciated the gesture and understood her intent. 

So, looks like Teddy is here to stay!


----------



## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

Lucky girl, lucky Teddy, and lucky you. 
Things sometimes really do have a way of working out.


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

He looks mastiffy, maybe a St. Bernard or Pyrenees crossed with GSD. Some sort of Livestock Guardian Dog was my first thought. Very cute!


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I have to say that is a pleasant surprise He is a cutie!!


----------



## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

Livestock Guardian Dog has come a number of times in conversations with friends and at the vets. Mastiff and/or St. Bernard was what I saw, but the vet pretty much ruled those out because of his coat. He's fluffy and soft like a Golden on his front part and then he get wiry on his rear. He also has an undercoat, and dew claws on his front feet, but not his back feet. 

In addition, sometimes when he lays down, he stretches out both of his back legs and curls his front legs up next to his body.....resembles a beached seal. I have seen Golden puppies do this before.


----------



## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

gagsd said:


> Lucky girl, lucky Teddy, and lucky you.
> Things sometimes really do have a way of working out.


Teddy, my daughter and myself, definitely. 

I'm not so sure for the girl......


----------



## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

But she knows puppy has a good home, and it sounds like that is what she wanted.


----------



## Jo_in_TX (Feb 14, 2012)

I hope the girl gets to visit so you can tell her how much you already love the pup and that Teddy is going to have a wonderful life with you! Poor thing. She must be devastated.


By the way, I JUST LOVE the name you picked.


----------



## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

> But she knows puppy has a good home, and it sounds like that is what she wanted.


I see your point, and agree. But her mother was not happy with her.



> I hope the girl gets to visit so you can tell her how much you already love the pup and that Teddy is going to have a wonderful life with you! Poor thing. She must be devastated.
> 
> 
> By the way, I JUST LOVE the name you picked.


I offered, and we'll see if she gets to stop by. I think Mom wanted to embarrass her by having her come over and apologize to me personally. I wasn't having any of that, sounded like she had been through enough. I did tell her she could stop by and say goodbye anytime she wants.

And my 14 year old daughter gets all of the credit for the name. We were actually stumped when trying to come up with a name. Then my daughter just blurted it out and we were all like.....duh! That's perfect!


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Beau said:


> Turns out the family has lost their home due to job loss (both) and are moving in with family in Texas. The family said no animals, so all their pets had to be re-homed.
> 
> The puppy was the 16 year old daughters and she was supposed to take it to the shelter and say goodbye. Mom called the shelter this morning to check on everything and was shocked to find out the dog never made it. She confronted daughter, who finally confessed to what she had done. The mom wanted to come and pick up the puppy, take it to the shelter and pay me for any expenses I had incurred.
> 
> !


Now that makes me cry. That poor girl. How heartbreaking for her. Everything is falling apart and SHE was responsible for taking her puppy to a horrible place.


----------



## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

Jax08 said:


> Now that makes me cry. That poor girl. How heartbreaking for her. Everything is falling apart and SHE was responsible for taking her puppy to a horrible place.


Yea, I had to bite my tongue a couple of times during that part of the conversation.

That was exactly why I wouldn't let the mom embarrass her in front of me.


----------



## GsdLoverr729 (Jun 20, 2010)

No clue what he is, but he is so ADORABLE!!! :wub: I just want to hug him! Teddy definitely fits  
That's sad about his previous owners though :/ Honestly, I wouldn't be able to take an animal to the shelter either though.


----------



## justinaskin (Jun 9, 2012)

My GSD has the same feet, huge front paws and smaller rear paws.

Dose he have a knowledge bump on the bridge of hes nose?


----------



## rooandtree (May 13, 2012)

wow..this whole story has made me cry..glad she gave himto you but how heartbreaking to be so young have to loose everything and move to a new state and be forced to take your new puppy to a shelter? how heartbreaking..you are such a great person for taking inthe puppy and not allowing the poor girl to be put thru anything more!


----------



## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

justinaskin said:


> My GSD has the same feet, huge front paws and smaller rear paws.
> 
> Dose he have a knowledge bump on the bridge of hes nose?



I'm not familiar with a "knowledge bump".

But yes, there is a bump about midway up his nose. I didn't see it before, but I can feel it if I run my finger down his nose.


----------



## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

Just a quick thank you to everyone for all of the kind words and thoughts. 

I love dogs, specifically GSD, but all dogs touch my heart!


----------



## jimj (May 30, 2012)

I know we couldn't have turned that little fur ball away either! Good for you _and_ the pup that she's found a family to love so quickly.
I think that 16 year old girl is wiser than her years. Taking a pup to a place that obviously cares for animals daily vs a pound that just houses them shows at least someone in that family was thinking about the pups feelings.
I've got a feeling this will probably be the best dog you've ever had, that's usually the way it ends up.


----------



## lzver (Feb 9, 2012)

Such a cutie!

I'm glad the owners contacted you and tried to make the situation right. I'm sure its very difficult for them due to the financial issues, but I have a lot of respect for the mother for coming forward and trying to make things right. Can't wait to see pictures of Teddy as he grows


----------



## apenn0006 (Jun 22, 2012)

I am at work and crying. Phew!



Beau said:


> Vet check went well. Needed de-worming since we don't know his history and shots, but no real issues. We'll watch his forlegs for a while, but vet thinks it may just be a breed issue (bowing), but since we don't know what he is really, hard to tell. We discussed a DNA test, but decided against it due to the unreliability of the tests. No micro-chip as expected.
> 
> Got home from vet and found another note from the owner, in the mailbox.
> 
> ...


----------



## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

What a cutie!! Glad everything turned out well and he is there to stay.


----------



## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

Big feet? Does that mean big adult dog? Or is that a myth?


----------

