‘So Happy All the Time’: Abandoned Dog Now Adored

Two dogs sit in front of a TV screen showing polar bear in the snow.
Buddy, left, and his “sister” in his new home, Mila, love to watch movies with animals in them.

“Having Buddy in our lives has changed us all”

On a frigid morning last January, a young pit bull mix was found abandoned on a rural roadside in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, hypothermic and suffering from a broken left front leg and a gunshot wound to the head.

Fast forward to this winter and the once-forlorn pup is cozy, warm and adored with a new adoptive family. Given the name Sarge upon his rescue, he is now known as Buddy.

Buddy at his home on the lake
Buddy watches the sun come up at his home on the lake.

“He is definitely living the good life in his new home,” says Sarah Erickson, manager of Northwoods Animal Shelter in Iron River, Michigan. Erickson and her shelter cared for the resilient dog for months following his rescue and during recovery from orthopedic surgery performed at UW Veterinary Care (read more about the delicate operation).

We reached out to Buddy’s new owner for an update on his favorite pastimes and what it’s been like to welcome him into their home. Here’s some of what they shared:

Buddy learns SO fast. He wants to please. Everyone.

Buddy is so happy all the time that I really have to stop and think about what might be his favorite things to do. I think going for walks.

This past summer he really enjoyed riding on the pontoon. Next summer we are going to try canoeing.

Buddy’s fascination with the pair of loons on our lake attracted their attention. He often sits at the end of the dock just watching them and they swim over to check him out.

Besides going on walks, cuddling is his other favorite thing to do. I’m quite sure he’s about 50 pounds, but he considers himself a lap dog. Buddy presses his head and shoulders against me and if I massage his shoulders or rock with him, he will actually fall asleep. Maybe that’s my favorite thing to do!

Having Buddy in our lives has changed us all. I have always believed that dogs are here to teach us how to be better humans and Buddy’s lesson is all about forgiveness. He is in the moment and every moment is a happy one it seems.

Buddy keeps us moving forward and we don’t dwell on the past. Tomorrow holds too many promises of good times to come and that includes sledding! We haven’t done that yet but it’s about to happen.

We love Buddy and he loves us and everyone else too. I think if he could talk, he would say “let’s send everyone who helped me get better a huge THANK YOU!”

Mila, a senior Weimaraner, and Buddy cuddle up in his new home
Mila, a senior Weimaraner, and Buddy snuggle up together in their home. “Besides going on walks, cuddling is his other favorite thing to do,” says Buddy’s new family.

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