There are numerous ways a puppy can bring joy into your life. They are playful, loving, and come with tons of surprises. A young couple from England looking to adopt a new puppy was faced with a considerable surprise. The husband was ready, but he asked that it only be a small and manageable dog. The search for the doggo began, but the couple ended up bringing home something they weren't prepared for. If you're planning on adopting, take notes!
The Search Begins
Robert and Sue Markham of England had the urge to adopt a puppy, (don't we all?) but Robert didn't want to get one that was too big and hard to manage.
But the couple had their minds made up and they were determined to get a pooch. While Robert was at work every day, Sue would go searching for the perfect dog to bring home. How do you think her journey turned out in this puppy search?
A Fun Task
Sue loved the idea of getting to search for a dog to adopt and bring into the family. For her, it was as fun as it was convenient. That's because Sue worked at a local dog kennel!
People turned in puppies quite often to the kennel for others to adopt. That made Sue's job way easier than others who don't have this opportunity. She didn't have to travel far to find a potential dog to bring home.
The Perfect Puppy!
Days went by, but nothing really caught Sue's eye. Sure there were tons of adorable puppies she saw, but Sue waited until a special one stole her attention. Finally, someone left a puppy at the shelter one day that really got Sue going.
He was perfect to her! She had to bring him home, but on the other hand, Sue knew that this little guy had a secret her husband wouldn't be too fond of...
Keeping Secrets
Once Sue decided to take home the perfect puppy, she decided she had to keep the big secret to herself. Sue decided on the name Yogi Bear and took the little pup home with her.
Her husband Robert was on the fence at first when it came to this new dog. However, he quickly learned to love the little dog. He got off that fence just as quick as he hopped on it but still didn't know what was in store...
He's Just A Pup
For having a name suited for a huge animal, this little guy was far from a giant. Yogi Bear only weighed about one pound when Sue and Robert officially adopted him. That's when Sue decided to keep her secret to herself.
She told Robert that the dog was a Jack Russell Terrier much like the one you see pictured. Sue also said that even when he grows up fully, he won't be too big of a dog...
Little Lies
“I knew Robert didn’t want a big dog,” Sue explained. “So, I told a little fib and said he was a Jack Russell.” Sue didn't know that her little fib would become something much bigger.
Sue knew that if Robert knew the truth, then he wouldn't have accepted bringing home Yogi Bear. The secret that only Sue knew was soon going to unravel and make things interesting for them. Continue reading and see what fib Sue told...
Robert Was Thinking Logically
We know what you're thinking, there had to be a reason behind Robert only wanting a small dog. What's the issue with bigger dogs? Many people have them and they are manageable in most cases.
“I thought a big dog would be a lot of work and could be trouble,” Robert admitted. “We only have a small living room. I thought, ‘How much trouble can a Jack Russell be?'” Well, he had no idea what was in store for him...
Growing Up
Sure enough, the little fib Sue told began to unfold. It only took a few months for Yogi Bear to start his growing marathon. He already outgrew an adult Jack Russell in several months! Was something wrong with this dog?
Robert then realized something was suspicious. Judging by the size Yogi Bear was becoming, Robert realized he might have been tricked by his wife Sue. Was this the little fib Sue told Robert when she adopted the puppy?
The Big Fella
Well, it didn't take long for Yogi Bear to grow into a rather daunting size. For being such a small puppy, his growth really did catch Robert by surprise. It would have shocked anyone who thought they were adopting a Jack Russell.
“By the time he was five months old, he was bigger than any Jack Russell he came across at the park,” Robert added. “And he had this big tongue that rolled out of his mouth and a tail like a baseball bat.”
The Confrontation
A healthy relationship involves talking about the things you don't really want to. You can't just sweep everything under the rug. That's why Robert decided to confront Sue over the fib she told him way back when she first got Yogi Bear.
“It started to become fairly obvious when Bear dwarfed any other dogs in the village,” Sue said. “So, the game was up.” She caved and told him what the real deal was concerning their massive dog.
A Boston Great Dane!
Yeah, Yogi Bear was far from being a Jack Russell. It became more and more obvious as each day passed. The truth is, Yogi Bear was really a Boston Great Dane.
Those are two totally different dogs! This breed can grow and reach the weight of 150 pounds. That's how much a regular sized grown man weighs. It looks like their small living room was going to be in for a rude awakening once this guy reached his full size...
Robert Comes To Terms
As one would imagine, it isn't always happy endings when a wife lies to her husband. Understandably, Robert was more than annoyed. However, he knew the damage was done and it couldn't be undone.
He already fell in with the dog. At that point, it was more about figuring out how to manage Yogi Bear, then being upset with his wife. Robert knew there would be no way to convince Sue to get rid of the dog.
Problems With The Doggo?
“He’s a very good-natured dog,” Robert said. “[And he has] a lot of character. So, it would be hard for anyone not to love him or be angry with him.” That's high praise coming from someone who didn't want this type of dog to being with.
Just because it would be hard for anyone to become angry with the dog or he's good-natured doesn't exempt him from bringing a whole new set of different problems for this family...
Heavy Duty Dog!
Would you have ever imagined that at age ten, Yogi Bear would weigh so much! This dog was a huge 200 pounds when he hit ten years old. That's more than some professional athletes just for scale.
Due to his large size, Robert had to build him a three-acre field just so he could play freely. He also needed a larger area to ensure that he got enough exercise as well. A dog this big needed certain things done for him.
Eating Like A Champion
Boy, was Yogi Bear gigantic! The giant dog wasn't that cheap to keep around. You have to take into consideration how much your normal sized dog eats and then multiply that by three.
Yogi Bear ate more than $237 worth of dog food every month! That's a healthy portion of a check. Sometimes, however, Sue and Robert would treat him to raw eggs and cooked sausage. The eggs are an acquired taste, but we bet the sausage was something Yogi Bear enjoyed!
The Big Man On Campus
If you had to take a guess at how tall Yogi Bear was, what would you say? We've revealed the weight of the big guy already, so hopefully, that gives you a decent enough clue. Are you ready to find out?
Yogi Bear was 6'10", which meant he couldn't fit in a regular dog bed. The couple had to purchase him his own chaise lounge to help satisfy his large needs. Whenever it got cold outside, Yogi Bear wore a coat made for horses.
Dog Thinks He's A Person
It's a pretty fascinating thing when your pets start to realize they are apart of the family. Before that stage, they're still sniffing around trying to get acclimated with everything, and that phase can be fun as well.
Yogi Bear grew up and immediately knew this was his family. “He certainly thinks of himself as a real person,” Sue explained. “He sits on his own sofa and watches the TV with us.” He must take up a lot of space on that couch.
Don't Let His Looks Fool You
Yogi Bear is one of those dogs that don't want to judge based on their size. You know the saying, never judge a book by its cover, well that certainly applies to this massive pooch.
Even though he was gigantic, he was loving and kind. Sue and Robert thought of him as their gentle giant. He might have used up more space than they wanted him too, but he was friendly to everyone he encountered.
A Special Friend
When they said he was a gentle giant, Robert and Sue meant it! Proof of that is when Sue brought in a stray cat that they ended up naming Toffee. Cats and dogs don't usually pair well, but these two did!
“They’re good friends,” Sue said. “Toffee is always following him around, and he will happily lick her on the head very gently. Bear sees Toffee as his own pet, I think, as she’s certainly not our cat.”
Everyone Loved Bear!
Yogi Bear was just a very personable pet! Not only did Sue, Robert, and Toffee appreciate him, but the neighborhood loved him as well! The children would gather around him in flocks just to pet Bear when he went on walks.
He loved all the attention! After being slightly annoyed for a while due to Sue's deception about the dog's size, Robert wouldn't trade this dog for every dollar in the world. He really is man's best friend.
A Fulshear, Texas Couple Was Caught In Hurricane Harvey
In August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey devastated the lives of many individuals living in Louisiana, Belize, Nicaragua, Texas, and many more places. City streets and country pastures became flooded in the process and folks like Tammy Canton and her husband were in a bad predicament.
Canton and her husband were just one of the thousands who had to figure out how to survive this disaster. For them, however, they faced a slightly different situation on top of the hurricane…
The Cantons Still Opened Their House Up As A Shelter
The Cantons provided a safe haven for two additional families and eight more dogs! Imagine all that commotion going on in your household. Space was tight for them over in Fulshear, Texas.
Then, out of the blue, Tammy's husband saw something that would make things a little harder for everyone and take up more space. What exactly did he spot? In a hurricane, there is no telling what could pop up, so prepare yourself for this shock…
Their Shelter Grew By One Unexpectedly
If you were in this situation, what would be the last thing you expect? Well, one of the family's pet cows had given birth unexpectedly right after the storm passed.
"My husband noticed she [the calf] was standing in water not nursing from her mom," Tammy explained. Usually, the mother cow nurtures the calf after delivering it so for the calf not to be nursing from the mother that sends immediate red flags. Something else was going on…
A Weak Calf
"The water was extremely cold," Tammy added, “and the pasture was holding quite a bit of water.” Have you ever seen a stray dog in the rain? Well, imagine that times ten with this poor little calf.
Tammy also noted that the calf was “weak and shivering from the cold rain.” What could the couple do about this? One thing is certain, they couldn't just stand around and let the little animal suffer out in the cold!
Acting Fast…
Baby animals can't survive long on their own and that’s just a proven fact. The weather was bad and the conditions were even worse, so this calf could only last so long with no support. The clock was ticking.
Tammy knew all of this and was aware that she and her husband had to take action. Even with the house already filled with people and dogs, they decided to play hero again for the sake of the calf.
Help Is On The Way
Like the good Samaritans they are, Tammy and her husband braved the flooded pasture en route to the young cow! We don't know how many others would have the strength to do this.
When Tammy arrived at the calf, she saw how bad of condition she was in. She was super weak and could barely stand all while violently shivering from the cold. "She seemed too far gone for me to help her," Tammy said.
Her Name Is Harveigh
Tammy and the family decided on naming the little calf Harveigh. Due to her being so young, she had not developed a strong enough immune system that could battle that kind of weather. Also, with no help from her mother, things would be tough.
That's why a veterinarian suggested that Tammy needs to keep Harveigh inside as she regained her strength. Harveigh needed a space of her own so Tammy decided to place her in the laundry room.
Road To Recovery
Weeks passed by since the rescue of little Harveigh and things were starting to look brighter for the young cow. She was resting on a dog bed and eating hand-fed formula during this time.
As the days passed by, Harveigh got stronger and stronger so Tammy and the family hoped she would be able to go back to the pasture soon. Surprisingly, Harveigh was able to make some unexpected and much-needed friends during her recovery phase…
Doggo Love
Contrary to popular belief, pit bulls are really a ball of joy. One night, the family pit bull named Sealy decided to start licking Harveigh and the calf perked up with joy almost instantly.
"All of the dogs seemed to love her right away," Tammy said. What anyone didn't know is that this was only the beginning of something special and unexpected. What do you think could have possibly happened next between Harveigh and the rest of the family?…
A New Friendship
Just like that, the start of beautiful relationships blossomed right before everyone's eyes. It was almost like something out of a children’s storybook, but we aren’t complaining! Harveigh started to heal from her past ordeal and quickly began to love her new environment.
Harveigh started adopting the behavior of her new found friends! She swiftly became one of the dogs as she played with them every day and night. Who would have seen this coming??
Animal Kingdom Friendship
The good news is that the feelings were mutual! This is seriously a Disney novel in the making due to the dynamics. Can you even imagine a pit bull bonding effortlessly with a calf?
"Sealy loves to spend her time playing, cleaning, and protecting baby Harveigh. These two have such a special bond," Tammy wrote on her Facebook. The only word to describe this relationship is special. We know Tammy was enjoying every second of this…
Special Accommodations
Everyone knows a regular home isn't equipped to house a cow. The little calf that got along with the pit bull eventually grew to over 400 pounds. She was soon a handful and Tammy needed to figure something out.
Harveigh grew so big that she couldn’t even fit in the laundry room anymore! As a result, she needed a place to crash. What do you think Tammy and her husband decided to do next with Harveigh?
Cow Issues
If an animal starts to live inside for too long then only one thing can happen. Said animal will get used to the luxuries and not like going back outside. That's what happened with Harveigh.
After a while, she wouldn’t even graze the pasture with any of the other six cows. Whenever Tammy and her husband would bring her out to the barn, she eventually showed back up at the door, mooing to come back in.
Welcome To The Cow Condo
Tammy and her husband did whatever any loving caregiver would do. They came up with a way to accommodate Harveigh without compromising her happiness too much. The result was something they constructed called the "cow condo."
They used the shed in the backyard to make a personal house for her! She had a personal space heater in there for crying out loud! She was living the life in this half-way home between barn life and the house.
Not Liking The New Place
Even with Tammy dedicating Harveigh with her a space to call her own, that wasn't enough for her. In only the first night in the condo, she left it and chose to sleep outside by the main house’s door.
Why didn’t she want to stay inside the condo? Harveigh ended up staying in her personal home as little as possible and elected to play with the dogs and everyone in the family. That secluded life just wasn’t for her…
Things Eventually Change…
As more time passed, Harveigh started to grow even larger, as cows do. Her new size became something of a burden as she became a danger to the friends around her.
Harveigh used to be able to hang around the other animals and people without anyone watching, but she soon would need a chaperone. Her size alone could've hurt the dogs if they were roughhousing too much. No one wants to see a hurt doggo!
Making A Cow
As you've followed the story, you’ve learned that Harveigh didn’t have the traditional upbringing a cow has. Due to this, Tammy had to take measures into her own hands and try to convert Harveigh back into a regular cow.
She had different steps in her process but one thing she always did was take her out to the barn for quick visits. Those visits resulted in mixed results so Tammy’s efforts were almost a waste…
The Transition
"We are slowly introducing her," Tammy said. “It's so hard not to go and just get her out. If she wants to learn how to 'cow,’ she will need to spend time with them.”
This sounds like a classic case of trying to turn a house dog into an outside dog. For one, it isn’t easy for both human and dog. Secondly, it takes longer for the animal to grasp the concept, but with Harveigh seeing the other cows outside, that probably helped a little more.
The Sneaky Cow
Maybe you've had a pet or known one that figured out the secret. The secret we’re referring to is opening up the door with no help! Harveigh learned how to get in through the back door on her own.
Whenever she grew weary of cow stuff she would just make herself at home, but there were still rules involved. "I don’t let her free roam in the house," Tammy said. “Just quick visits to come in and say hi to our dogs.”
Happy Harveigh
Yes, Harveigh had to shed most of her dog habits in order to adapt to the cow life, but Tammy couldn't help herself from bringing her in for some pampering every now and then. She even gave her a dog treat on occasion.
"It fills my heart with joy being able to spend so much sweet time with her," Tammy explained. “She will literally lay her head on my lap and be at peace.” What an epic story.