“He was so excited …”
The minute Courtney Tushaus adopted Goose, a 1-year-old shepherd mix, from New York’s Muddy Paws Rescue, she knew he’d thrive as a city dog. Energetic, fearless amid the urban bustle, and endlessly curious, Goose quickly made it his mission to explore everything around him.
“During his walks, he will constantly walk up to random storefronts/windows and try to look through to see what’s going on and say hello to people,” Tushaus told The Dodo.
One day, while strolling down Christopher Street, Goose gazed into an apartment building lobby and locked eyes with a stranger who seemed just as delighted to see him: a concierge named Isabel.
“It was love at first sight,” Tushaus wrote on Instagram.
From that moment, Isabel became Goose’s favorite stop on their walks. The sweet boy wagged his tail wildly and eagerly greeted her every day, checking in each time they passed her building.
“[He] looked for her every day when we walked by her building,” Tushaus said.
Visiting Isabel became part of Goose’s daily routine, and he always sought nothing more than hugs and attention. One evening, Isabel surprised him with a Christmas gift: a Santa Claus plush toy.
“Thank you for being my friend,” she told him as she handed it over.
Goose was overjoyed. He had plenty of toys at home, but this one felt extra special.
“He was so excited to get a toy while outside his house and felt so special,” Tushaus said. “[He] has been cuddling with it every day since.”
Touched by Isabel’s kindness, Tushaus decided Goose should give her a gift in return. She snapped a photo of him with his Santa toy, framed it, and packaged it in a festive gift bag along with candy and a card. Later that night, they delivered the present to Isabel, who was thrilled and promised to place it under her tree for Christmas morning.
After saying goodbye, Goose ran home to snuggle with his Santa toy and dream about his next visit with Isabel.
Tushaus, who adopted Goose three months ago, couldn’t be happier seeing him so at home in his neighborhood.
“Seeing her reaction was so heartwarming and just reminds me of how important community is,” she said. “My favorite part about adopting Goose is how much happiness he brings to both [me] and everyone he meets.”