The adorable transformation of a shelter dog who lacked confidence and was scared of children has melted hearts online, and now the pup is never without his human siblings.
Bennie the English mastiff arrived at the shelter when he was just 5 months old, already weighing 85 pounds. By that time, he had been through multiple homes and became increasingly confused. While he had been adopted in the past, he was sadly returned to the shelter every time and his search for a home continued.
That was until mom Michelle Miller, 31, learned about his story and instantly wanted to help. She told Newsweek that she “immediately began researching” the best food, routines and training methods for large dogs.
There was just one problem: the shelter warned that Bennie wouldn’t be a good fit in a family with children because of “the fear he has.” The shelter added that he often jumped up, and, at 85 pounds, he was very powerful.
“He had been returned several times by the time we got him, so he has some trust issues and seemed to fear men in the beginning,” Miller, of West Virginia, said.
She and her family were prepared to encounter problems, especially with young children at home. But, to their amazement, Bennie ended up being “the best dog and such a teddy bear.”
While Bennie may have feared children at first, that changed when he finally found his forever family. Miller’s children, aged 7 and 2, are obsessed with their enormous puppy, and he makes sure that he is never too far from them.
Miller continued: “Anywhere the girls are, Bennie is close by. When we are outside in the yard, he will not settle down. He’s in constant guard mode with them, but he’s also incredibly gentle and playful with them, too.”
Bennie is now 5 years old and has made so much progress over the years. He is no longer scared of men or children, and his confidence levels have soared.
After adopting the gentle giant, Miller started documenting Bennie’s antics on TikTok (@bennieandbucky). A video about how the Millers took a chance on the dog who “had a fear” of children has gone viral with over 353,900 views and more than 37,600 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
The clip shows Bennie cuddled up to Miller’s daughters and playing so gently with them. The caption alongside the TikTok video calls him their “best friend and protector.”
Miller said she hopes to show the softer side of large breeds and encourage others to take a chance on a rescue animal in need of a home.
She told Newsweek: “Large dogs are overlooked because of their size in shelters. But Bennie was the best fit for our family and has been the best part of our girls’ childhood.
“Bennie loves his kids, and they have been raised to respect and treat animals with gentleness and kindness as well. The video really highlights that it’s an effort on both training for the dogs, and boundaries for children with giant breeds, too,” Miller continued.
Internet users can’t get enough of the adorable bond that Bennie shares with his family, leading to almost 350 comments on the TikTok video already.
One comment reads: “The bond between a mastiff and their babies is so special.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “He needed a home with gentle girls and not rowdy boys.”
Another person replied: “Big dogs are the best with kids.”
One commenter said: “they just didn’t understand what that baby really needed.”
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