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Three years ago, at age 22 I got my first pet as an adult. We always had pets growing up, but I knew it would be a bigger responsibility to handle on my own. I had been in a committed relationship for several years already, and we were financially stable. I knew we could handle it, but I was still nervous. I followed pet blogs, read sappy rescue stories and learned as much as I could about the different breeds I had in mind. I never really considered adopting a bonded pair until I found out about a local bonded pair seeking a new home.
The listing showed just one of the two dogs. It explained that the dog in the photo was Beans, but she was very much attached to Frank, who she had been living with for 8 of her 9 years of life. They were 8 and 9 years old, making both of them seniors. I had been hoping for a younger set, but something about the listing just got my attention. I sent in a message asking questions about their needs, health and so on. They were healthy, and they had spent their lives living with someone who did elderly care out of her home. They were used to people, and lived with a 5-year-old child. They were very bonded so they were not willing to separate them.
Beans loves ear rubs.
It took us a few days but in the end we brought them home. They were seniors, but they had a fair amount of energy for their age. They were clearly attached to one another which was a bit part of what drew me to both of them. I loved watching them lay on each other and interact. It’s hard to not melt when watching two dogs enjoy each others company. We quickly started joking about how they were husband and wife. With just my boyfriend & I at home, it was also really cute to find out that within just a few days one became really attached to me, while the other clearly preferred Ryan. We now each had a dog (though we love both dogs, and both dogs like both of us) which seemed like a nice balance. We’ve had them for roughly 3.5 years now and they are still doing great. We spoil them with attention everyday.
I still melt when reading pet rescue stories such as Bentley’s Bucket List: Making Every Day Count For A Dying Dog. Elderly dogs, bonded pairs, and dogs with special needs have a tough time getting adopted. When these dogs are adopted by someone who cares about making the most of the remainder of their life, it makes all the difference for the pet. PawCulture™ is a website dedicated to celebrating the unbreakable bond between pets and their people. They share sweet and heartwarming pet rescue stories such as the one I referenced. However, they also share educational information about pet wellness, pet DIY projects, pet tips, pet recipes, breed-specific info and more. PawCulture a great resource for pet owners, or those considering getting a pet.
There is just something so special about watching dogs interact with each other in a loving way. It’s hard for me to imagine ever having just one dog because seeing my two interact just warms my heart so much.
Signs that you adopting a bonded pair may be right for you:
- You are interested in saving hard-to-adopt dogs (bonded pairs often take longer to adopt out)
- Pet rescue stories about bonded pairs warm your heart.
- You have the space, time, attention and budget to care for two pets.
- You enjoy watching pets interact.
- You are open to adopting adult dogs, or even mature or senior dogs.
Have you adopted a bonded pair, or a dog who was considered hard to adopt? Share your story below! Celebrate the unbreakable bond between pets and their people by visiting PawCulture for information, inspiration, entertainment, helpful tips and advice about loving your pet. Follow the PawCulture Instagram page for adorable pet pictures and notification of new articles.
Hi there! I am Emily Evert, the owner of Emily Reviews. I am 28 and live in a small town in Michigan with my boyfriend Ryan and our two pugs. I have a large family and I adore my nieces and nephews. I love reading memoirs, and learning about child development and psychology. I love watching The Game of Thrones, Teen Mom, Sister Wives and Veep. I like listening to Jason Isbell, John Prine, and other alt-country or Americana music. I created Emily Reviews as a creative outlet to share my life and the products that I love with others.
This post currently has 11 responses.
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Jeanine Carlson
I love this story! We have always had at least 2 dogs- they’re so much happier IMHO!
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Peggy Nunn
That is such a sweet story. I never thought about a bonded pair. That makes so much sense. Thank you for sharing.
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Deborah D
Not to many people can or will take in two senior dogs. You have a great heart. I just wish more people would adopt their pets.
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Susan Biddle
What a gorgeous pair! I would absolutely consider adopting a bonded pair. My oldest pug is quite a handful right now as she nears her 20th, and at the same time I wouldn’t give up a single minute of being with her. She literally showed up on my doorstep when she was 7 y.o. and has been a wonderful friend ever since. Older dogs are awesome.
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shannon fowler
This is such a great post. I do melt at those stories. I also have a soft spot for those with injuries or medical issues. We have been talking about getting another rescue animal, but I just feel our two dogs now wouldn’t handle it well.
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gloria patterson
This is a good thing! My friend has 2 sets of bonded pets her first set were cats and they are spoiled rotten. The second set are dogs and they are so funny one is a little tiny thing and the other one is so big. They all get along wonderful
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Mary W
We adopt dogs that are difficult to place especially seniors. We have a brother /sister bonded pair. I can’t imagine them living apart from each other. We also rescued an older dog who was going to be euthanized by his owners because they had gotten a puppy to replace the old dog. My Vet refused to euthanize a perfectly healthy dog and we adopted him. 4 years later and he’s still going strong. Older dogs make fantastic pets!
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What adorable little models! We’ve been adopted by so many strays throughout my life! Bonus of country living!
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My family and I just adopted a mummy and her pup from a local rescue. I am so glad that we could take them together.
My daughter and I volunteer at our local humane society. She reads to dogs and cats in their Read & Relax program. They had a pair of cats like this and they were adopted together – made us so happy.