Senior Dog Insists on Visiting His Elderly Friend Every Single Day
Cheddar, a Golden Retriever with a big heart and an even bigger need for attention, has a story that is hard not to root for. After spending the first eight years of his life with a family he loved, he suddenly had to start over when illness changed everything.
His family made the painful choice to surrender him to a shelter, and the senior dog had to hope someone else would give him a second chance. He got that chance, and now he makes the most of it by staying close to his new people and soaking up every bit of affection he can get.
One visit in particular shows just how much one old friend still means to him. Read on.
“He is very, very, very needy,” Shelley Vassall, Cheddar’s new mom, said in an interview.
“He cannot be alone. All Cheddar wants is to have all the attention on him. Once you start petting him and then stop, he will either bump your arm with his head or tap his paw, telling you to continue. He would have you sit for hours if he could, just petting him.”
Cheddar is a super loving old dog who will befriend anyone willing to share some pats with him.
But when he met one of his new neighbors while out on a walk, it was clear he had picked out his new favorite friend. While out walking with his human, they came across an older couple sitting on their doorstep and decided to stop and chat. It was evident that Cheddar took a special liking to the woman, Jean. After that encounter, the pair has gone back to visit every day because Cheddar just can't stay away.
“We try to go there every day if we can,” Vassall said.
“They live around the corner and one street over from us. When it's been more than a few days and we haven't seen her, Cheddar is particularly vocal when we visit next.
He knows exactly what street they are on, and in fact, even if we don't head there, he insists on it by pulling on the leash and trying to turn in that direction. If we pass the house with no intention of going in, he plants himself with full body weight in one spot and stands there until you relent.”
Cheddar is the kind of dog who never seems to run out of love.
This is similar to the lonely dog who sneaks out to hug his bestie when his owner is gone.
And although Jean treats him with cookies every time they visit, the real reason they stop is their genuine connection—a friendship and love that Cheddar has shown for nobody else.
All the little dog wants is to be by her side and enjoy her love and company.
That reunion says everything about the bond they still share.
“When he sees her, his reaction is one that very few get,” Vassall said.
“Cheddar is not a barker, but he certainly talks aplenty when he's really, really happy or excited. When visiting in winter, we spend the time indoors, and Cheddar just wants to sit by Jean's side and be petted. That's ALL he wants. In better weather—spring, summer, and fall—we spend the time in their backyard, where he loves to roll in the grass with his leash or a tennis ball and then sit next to Jean for more attention.”
Both Cheddar and Jean look forward to their daily visits, and although Cheddar is 11 years old now, he still shares plenty of love around and really displays the energy levels of a younger pup. He seems to be enjoying his retirement years in bliss, thanks to his new family and his beloved Aunt Jean.
Want more attention-obsessed pet drama? See how Chowder thinks he is one of five dogs.
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