🐶 The world’s loneliest dog finds forever family

👋 Happy Thursday! We’re here to bring you the latest and greatest in the world of pet rescues.

In today’s Cause for Paws:

• 🥲 “The loneliest dog in the world” finds his forever family

• 🧠 How to finally get your dog to walk at your heel

• 🇺🇲 Florida kicks off our 50 State Rescue Challenge

• 🐾 Paw Profiles – 3 incredible rescues looking for a new home

😍 How the world’s loneliest dog finally got his forever home

Charlie is a 9-year old mutt with the short legs of a corgi, sturdy body of a staffie, and floppy ears of a beagle.

But after over 500 lonely days stuck at the Brent Knoll rescue center, this poor old pup's hopes of finding a home were fading.

Despite the center posting Charlie's story online, nobody wanted to adopt this senior dog. That is, until his "huge, sad eyes" stared back at Lorraine one morning on social media. She instantly felt they were meant to be together.

“We’ve got to have him,” Lorraine told her husband Sam. He agreed – they wanted to give Charlie a new lease on life.

Failed adoption attempts in the past meant this older couple had almost lost hope of ever finding the right fit.

But the moment Charlie bounded into meet them, full of joy and charisma, they knew he was the one.

Despite being warned about Charlie's trust issues with men, he jumped right onto Sam's lap.

“As soon as he saw Sam, he jumped on his lap as if they’d been best friends forever,” Lorraine said.

After hoping and praying, they returned the next day and the verdict was in:

Charlie was theirs!

The rescue staff teared up when he had to leave, as they’d built a strong connection with him over the last few years.

That same night, Charlie slept cozily between this couple, a habit that endures today. As Lorraine says, "If you give a dog love, they'll give you a bundle of wonderful things in return."

While Charlie initially struggled walking on a leash, with time, patience and training, he settled happily into his new forever home.

Lorraine feels immense pride at having given this lonely discarded senior dog a second chance at life. And Charlie gave them renewed purpose, companionship, and laughs in return.

Their story shows that adopting a mature rescue dog can be incredibly rewarding for both parties. Dogs like Charlie still have so much love left to give, despite their age or challenges from past trauma.

Opening your heart and home to a shelter pet in need can profoundly change their life. And they may just change yours too, the way Charlie did for Lorraine and Sam.

Rescue dogs are full of gratitude, character, and devotion. They will love you unconditionally if given the opportunity.

Consider adopting a rescue today – you may be each other's perfect match, like Charlie, Lorraine and Sam.

🧠 Top Training Tip of the Week

99% of dog owners are making a few simple mistakes…

That make it almost impossible for dogs to stop tugging on a leash.

The good news?

You don’t have to be Cesar Milan to get your pup to finally quit this bad habit!

This week, the team over at Will Atherton Canine Training have got you covered with a short video that could change your fur baby’s life.

Here’s how to teach your dog to walk to heel in just seconds.

🇺🇲 The 50 State Rescue Challenge: Florida Edition

At Cause for Paws, we’re on a mission:

Get a pet adopted in every state.

Every week, we cover a different state, and share resources on how you can help adopt in your own state.

This week, we’re focusing on the Sunshine State — Florida! ☀️

In particular, we want to tell you about Big Dog Ranch Rescue, located in southern Florida.

They were founded in 2008, and have since saved the lives of more than 50,000 dogs. 🤯

Their mission is to save, heal, and place 5,000 dogs every year with a loving family.

If you live down in Florida, this is one of the best rescues to adopt or foster a dog from – no doubt about it.

See what they’re all about here!

P.S. Don’t live in Florida? Don’t sweat it!

Check out this incredible site to see rescue pets in every U.S. state!

🐾 Paw Profiles: 3 amazing dogs needing new homes

Big Dog Ranch Rescue has hundreds of incredible doggos up for adoption.

Today, we’re highlighting 3 of their perfect pups, looking for their forever homes.

Could you be the one they’ve been waiting for?

Watson

A sweet, playful boy with tons of energy, Watson dreams of ball-chasing in a lively home, seeks both fun and calm, and is eager to be your co-pilot on life's adventures! 🐾 🚗

Elmo

Elmo, a lively and huggable pup, seeks energetic playmates, loves big adventures, and promises to be your loyal school-time companion! 🐾⛰️

Corey

Corey is a sweet, lovable senior dog looking for his forever home., Cowboy loves to swim and have fun outdoors – he’s ready to come home and live out the rest of his life with a loving family! 🥰 

Ready to give a second chance to one of these pups, or one from hundreds of others?

Take a look at their website to find your perfect match!

👋 That’s all for this week, Cause for Paws crew! Thanks for reading – we’ll see you next week!