
Jordy and Keira
Best Friends
In the winter of 2009, I found myself ready, willing and wanting to bring a dog into my home. I didn’t have a preference for any particular breed or whether it was male or female. All I did was simply start my search.
At the time I was admittedly naïve to the realities of dog rescue and I didn’t realize just how many dogs were spending their days in shelters, foster homes and on the streets. I soon discovered endless websites devoted to canine rescue with profile after profile after profile of dogs that needed a warm, loving home to call their own.
I was initially drawn to smaller breeds because, at the time, I was living in apartment. Soon after I started combing through adoption profiles, I found one for an almost-three-year-old, rusty-coloured Pomeranian cross named Jordy. Alarm bells went off in my head when I saw that his profile came with a warning that he was a dog with high anxiety and would require a lot of care. Though barely three, in Jordy’s short life he had already been re-homed six times including his foster home. Before he was in foster care, Jordy lived with a man who was unkind to him and hurt him a great deal – both physically and emotionally.
Not up for the challenge, I kept clicking and moved on.

Jordy – Totally Zen
However, something about the sad, frightened eyes in Jordy’s profile photo kept drawing me back. I found myself clicking over to his profile at various times throughout my work day, re-reading his profile so many times I practically had it memorized. After a little bit of deliberation and the notion that there must be some reason why I keep coming back to him, I decided to submit an adoption application. The rescue group, Furever After Small Dog Rescue, immediately responded to tell me that Jordy already had several pending applications but that it wasn’t on a first-come, first-served basis; whoever was the best match for Jordy would be bringing him home.
Undeterred, I filled out the mammoth-sized application, dove through the numerous hoops of a home visit, telephone interviews and reference checks before I was even invited to meet Jordy. To most it would seem like too many hoops to jump through, but I knew that the rescue organization wanted to make sure that whoever would be Jordy’s guardian needed to have a lot of moxie and a little bit of fortitude.

Handsome Jordy
After about a month, I visited Jordy at his foster home on nearby Vancouver Island. He lived there with a handful of other small dogs – all of whom were very well taken care of – but it was clear from the start that Jordy was different from the others. While his foster brothers and sister played in a large heap in the family room, Jordy was the “sad little orphan” hiding in corners and shadows, out of sight. He seemed completely disinterested in interacting with me and was clearly attached to his foster mom. We decided to take Jordy and one of the other foster dogs for a walk in the nearby woods with me holding Jordy’s leash. After 10 or 15 minutes, Jordy’s foster mom told me that I could drop Jordy’s leash and he would not run away. I told her that I was pretty sure he’d run ahead and walk with her rather than with me, but I dropped his leash anyway. To my surprise, Jordy didn’t run ahead. He continued to trot right alongside of me. After about a minute he stopped walking, turned and placed his front paws on my shins. I stooped down to pick Jordy up and hold him in my arms. To my astonishment, he started to lick my face! I looked over at his foster mom and saw her jaw quite nearly on the ground. “In the six months he’s been with me, he’s never done that to anyone,” she exclaimed. We both laughed a little as Jordy continued to lick my face before she said “Well, sometimes they just choose you…”

Jordy in his yard
How right she was! I was certain then as I was a month before that I wanted to adopt Jordy. His foster mom informed me that all the requirements had been met and that the rescue group was comfortable with the idea of me adopting him. She told me that if I wanted Jordy, he was mine.
A week later, after returning home to prepare my apartment for Jordy’s arrival, adoption day arrived. A car ride and a ferry sailing back to Vancouver later, Jordy was finally home. Really, truly home.
I still remember that day, over four years ago now, how he leapt up onto my couch upon entering my apartment and made himself quite at home. I remember how he’d circle around me on our walks in Jordy’s new neighbourhood. I remember how every single day I would return from work to find that he’d peed somewhere in the apartment, allowing his fears to materialize as he staked his claim. I remember how he’d crawl into bed with me in the evening, kiss my face goodnight with his little pink tongue and continue to pant in his sleep throughout the night. The first few months were filled with a lot of struggle as Jordy learned to adapt to his new home and routine and as he learned to trust his new and forever circumstances. It was challenging for both of us but my love and commitment wouldn’t let me fail him.
It’s been more than four years and to say that Jordy is a different dog today would be an overwhelming understatement. Jordy is bright, affectionate, cuddly, quirky and downright hilarious. He has more nicknames than furry hairs on his head. If Jordy has it his way, he’d be outside in nature with us all the time – going for walks and camping trips are his favorite!
Jordy is such a central part of our lives. My fiancé and I can’t imagine what each of our days would be like without his happy smile greeting us when we arrive home. Lazy Sunday afternoons would feel incomplete without his furry body stretched out on the couch next to us. While my love of dogs includes all breeds, it’s no surprise that Pomeranians have taken a special place in my heart – all thanks to this furry little monkey who has given us so much more than we have given him.
10 comments
I absolutely loved this story! So happy for jordy and family. I love the pommy mommy website and all the wonderful stories. I always cry! Love rescue stories!
I HAVE HAD POMS FOR MANY YEARS. I LOVE THE BREED SO MUCH.I CON’T TELL U HOW MUCH I LOVE THEM. UR STORY TOUCHED MY HEART. I HAD TO PUT DOWN MY SHEBA GIRL LAST YR. BECAUSE SHE LOST THE USE OF HER LEGS.THERE WASN’T ANYTHING THE VET. COULD DO. THAT WAS & IS THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE. SHE WOULD SING,DANCE,PLAY PATTY CAKE. I MISS HER SO MUCH.
Awwww!!! Such a sweet story!!! Thanks for sharing!!
This sounds so much like how I got my HoneyBear. He had been kept on on outside leash or in a cat carrier while in the house at all times. Never left free or given loving. When the man who owned him brought him over I thought he wanted information on Poms since I already had one little boy…but no, he said he didn’t want him because he couldn’t handle him. Bear came to me, licked my nose and I was in love. He was a real handful because he didn’t trust humans. I made a regular playtime of brushing him and massaging him and he slowly came around. He is totally my dog and I am totally his “mom”. He didn’t trust men in particular with good reason but has come around to love “daddy” too. Nothing like a pomeranian. And by the way, HoneyBear even looks like Jordy.
love this story. made me cry. thanks. 🙂
I loved Jordy’s story!!! I cried during the last half. It was happy tears!!! I have a 9yr old Blue Pomeranian. He doesn’t want me to ever leave. When he sees me put on lip stick he starts barking and running around in a circle. When he sees me put on chap stick he doesn’t do a thing. He knows I don’t leave after putting on chap stick as I do with lipstick. He now has a routine when he eats. He barks twice and does a dance with all 4 feet moving, then he gets a bite of food. This is repeated with each bite.
I loved this story..sounds like Jordy has a forever home…I was given a female Pom 4 years ago (Phoebe – 8 years old) and I love her to pieces…..so smart & loyal…she loves her Mommy & her Mommy loves her!!
While reading this story I almost couldn’t believe that I didn’t write it myself. My story with Chester is so similar! After college I moved into an apartment by myself and it just didn’t feel right not having a dog. I had always grown up with dogs and I just couldn’t help but feel like something was missing. I spent an entire year searching adoption websites and never quite found a dog who stood out to me. I knew that I wanted to adopt a small dog considering I lived in an apartment I just had no idea what breed I wanted. One day my aunt got a call from a friend of hers who volunteers at an animal shelter in a rough town about 15 minutes from my home. All the dogs at that shelter were pit bulls or pit-mixes. Her friend called her and said they found a little pomeranian in the woods who they assumed was left there for about 3 days (mind you I live in the north east and it was February..very cold). This pom had a collar but no tags and was not microchipped. They determined he was roughly 2 years of age and after looking all around town for Lost Dog signs and called the police departments and local shelters they came to the conclusion that whoever had him just let him go. They sent me a picture of him he was in the corner of a kennel and looked absolutely terrified. I rushed to that shelter as quickly as I could and waited in a little room to meet “Slick Rick.” When they brought him in he immediately jumped into my lap and I absolutely fell in love. I knew that he was my dog. He is a reddish color and I have red hair, we matched perfectly. I joke around saying he was dropped down from heaven for me. The shelter asked me to foster him for 7 days to make sure we were a good fit before i adopted him. When I took him home I first gave him the more fitting name, Chester. Then I started to see just how anxious and scared this little dog was. His past owners must have treated him terribly. Any loud sound caused him to panic. He was afraid of everything. Even going from one room to another he would do circles before finally sprinting into the next room. But this did not change my mind about keeping him. I knew in my heart that he was just meant for me and was determined to build his confidence. Fast forward to a year later Chester and I couldn’t be happier. I am fortunate enough to work for my family’s business and am able to take him to work everyday. It has helped him socialize by being around a lot of new people each day. Chester and I are inseparable. He is like my shadow always following me wherever I go. When we sleep he always has to have some part of his body touching mine. Chester is so full of love and I can just tell how happy he is with his new life. Like every other pom he has a very strong personality but that’s just another reason why I love him so much. Sorry to ramble but I just had to share my story! I will always be grateful for my little man who was dropped down from heaven for me!!!
I loved your story. Jordy looks so much like my precious Sunny. Poms have a special place in my heart. I’m so happy Jordy found you. You’ll never be the same once you’ve been loved by a Pomeranian.
What a great story! I got my Pom, Sassy, in April 2009. I just love her to pieces. Poms are so quirky and just the smartest furballs ever.