Playdates for life!
Rachel Salas was driving home from a dentist appointment when she spotted an unexpected visitor in her neighborhood: a tiny dog wandering around in a little plaid button-down shirt.
When Salas opened her car door, the dog immediately ran over to her. It was a warm day in Arizona, and the little pup seemed tired from the heat, so Salas brought him home to keep him safe.
Her daughters were thrilled when they met him. The family began calling him Henry, and for the next few days, they focused on two things: finding his real family and giving him a fun, loving stay while he was with them.
During his short “vacation,” Henry went on walks, visited an Emo Picnic, spent time at a train park and played in the family’s backyard. Salas also posted about him online and walked around the neighborhood knocking on doors, hoping someone would recognize him.
Eventually, her search worked. Salas saw a post on Nextdoor about a missing dog who looked exactly like Henry. She learned that his real name was Baby and quickly contacted his family.
Baby’s family was overjoyed to have him back. Salas’ daughters were sad to say goodbye, but they were also happy he had a home. After he left, they kept asking whether he missed them.
Since the girls couldn’t stop talking about him, Salas arranged a playdate with Baby’s family. Thankfully, they were happy to let the little dog visit his new friends again.
When Baby arrived for the playdate, he was dressed in another adorable outfit. The girls were delighted. They carried him around gently, gave him a fuzzy pink bed, tucked him under a blanket, read books to him and sang songs.
The family already has a dog named Wednesday, whom the girls love deeply, but Baby’s tiny size made him especially fun to cuddle and carry.
The playdate went wonderfully, and by the time it ended, the girls were already hoping for another one. What started as a mission to help a lost dog turned into the beginning of a sweet friendship between two families — and one very loved little pup.