Senior Rescue Terrier's Adoption Glow-Up Is Impossible to Resist
Pet Adoption glow-ups are real. When I first brought home my rescue kitty, who had been picked up off the street, homeless and pregnant, she had barely a fraction of the beautiful floor she was capable of. Her now-magnificent fluffy tail looked like a bottle brush, and even my mother told me that she thought the cat was a bit “ragged looking.” A few months later, though, no one can stop talking about what a beauty she was. All it takes is a little tender, loving care.
And that’s certainly the case for Ziggy, a senior rescue terrier that found a loving home in New York City with his mom, Izzy. In fact, he’s hardly recognizable after a year of being pampered like he deserves!
Ziggy was found bedraggled and starving in Texas. The rescue organization estimated that he was nine years old, and in the first, black-and-white pictures that Izzy got from the shelter, he looks a real mess.
Related: Rescue Dog's Journey to Her Forever Home Is Too Special To Miss
You’d hardly recognize him today. Even the day she got him, he was covered in stringy fur, and his tail looks like it belonged on a rat. But within a few months, a new, full, fluffy coat started growing in, making the dog not only look like a totally different creature, but possibly even a different breed.
Izzy reports that when she adopted Ziggy, she was told that he was a Chihuahua-Terrier mix. But after the full, fluffy coat began to grow in, she had her suspicions. People on her TikTok page were curious as well, speculating that he was likely to be part Pomeranian.
Two DNA tests confirmed that he likely did have some Pomeranian heritage, as well as Maltese and—shockingly—Australian Cattle dog? Whatever his mix is, he’s a really cute specimen!
Eternal Puppies
Ziggy’s puppy-like appearance is one of the biggest surprises of his rejuvenated look. He’s got soft fur, bright eyes, and a youthful mien, despite his advanced years. But in fact, it’s probably due to his mix of toy dog breeds. As the name implies, “toy” dogs were not bred for any working purpose, but rather to be companions to people of leisure, like aristocrats, which is one of the reasons they make such popular pets today. They were bred to look cute and act playful. Even Yorkshire terriers, which are a terrier and do make up some of Ziggy’s bloodline, are known for their playful nature.
Adopting Senior Dogs
Ziggy is a senior dog, but you wouldn’t know it by his lust for life. His Mom says that adopting a senior dog was one of the best things hat ever happened to her, and she encourages others not to overlook older dogs at the shelter.
“One thing I hear a lot is that someone ‘could never do that’ because they could not handle them ‘dying so soon,’’ she says. “I obviously have so much love and understanding for this reasoning, but would also like to challenge it. There are no guarantees in life, whether you get a puppy, a senior dog or something in between. You do not know how many years you will have. So I try not to live in the ‘what ifs’. Instead, I focus on the factors I can control: I can give a dog a loving home for however long they are meant to live.”
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