This Dog Is The Latest Addition To The Home Depot Staff, And The Customers Couldn't Be Happier
Heaven started out as a nervous rescue who was afraid of almost everything, but one dog-friendly store changed the way she saw the world. Adopted by Jackie Rakers from the Kentucky River Regional Animal Shelter, she needed time, patience, and a place where she could slowly get used to new sights and sounds.
That place turned out to be Home Depot. What began as short visits to help her settle down soon became a favorite routine, and the employees there ended up welcoming her like part of the team.
Now Heaven has her own little work uniform, a growing fan club, and a habit of making every trip feel like a feel-good event.
The store is enormous and dog-friendly, so it was the perfect place for Heaven to socialize and start coming out of her shell. She was so good that the employees loved her and gave her her own employee overall.
When she sees her mom taking out the apron, Heaven knows she’s going to her favorite place.
"I keep it in the car, so we are always ready." "As soon as she can tell we enter the parking lot, she just quivers until I put the apron on her, and then she takes off towards ‘work.’"
"She walks around like she owns the place," Heaven’s mom added.
That apron has become the clearest sign that it is time for Heaven’s favorite outing.
Heaven is always welcome in the local Home Depot, and the whole staff knows her by name. They love hanging out together, and there's even a photo of her in the staff break room.
Even though she is not an official employee, she offers excellent customer service when visiting her favorite store.
"She walks around minding her own business and then suddenly insists on meeting someone," Rakers said. "She just sits and stares. They always end up saying how they needed that pick-me-up. It's like she has a sense of who needs to be shown they are loved that day-and one of her favorite places to do that is Home Depot!"
It also echoes the stray dog that slipped into an open car door for refuge.
She has a way of turning a quick store run into a small morale boost.
Heaven adores running errands with Rakers, and everywhere they go, she somehow manages to find someone who needs cheering up.
"She was scared of everything, but with a lot of training and patience, she learned to trust, and now it's like she pays it forward," Heaven's mom says. "She finds who needs her and gives them that smile and a cuddle."
The only "drawback" of these Home Depot runs is that every visit makes Rakers come up with some new home improvement project. But seeing Heaven happy is totally worth it.
"She's the perfect example of what happens when you meet someone where they are and love unconditionally," she says. "She went from so scared and so sad to the happiest dog."
Heaven really did find her place.
Heaven at Home Depot is sweet, but wait until you see Eden holding hands with everyone.
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