“They Said He Was Too Wild, Too Much… But I Saw a Dog Worth Loving.” 
Popeye’s Second Chance at a Forever Home

When I walked into the shelter, I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for — just that I wanted to give a dog a chance.
And then I saw him.

A brindle pup, lying quietly on the hard concrete floor.
He looked up, our eyes met — and suddenly, he jumped to his feet, full of energy and hope.
In his mouth, he proudly carried a tennis ball, as if to say,
“Play with me. Pick me. I’m ready to love.”

I asked to take him out for a visit, my heart already tugging toward him.
But the staff hesitated.
They told me this dog had been returned — twice.
They said he cried too much, had too much energy, was too needy.
They said he didn’t settle. That people gave up on him quickly.
When they gently put him back into his kennel, he whimpered softly… and something in me broke.
I just couldn’t walk away.

I told the staff member, “I want him.”
He looked at me with concern.
“You’ll be sorry,” he said.

But I wasn’t.

When we got home, it wasn’t perfect.
He was anxious when I left the room. He followed me everywhere. He cried at night.
He had separation anxiety — something no one ever helped him through.
So, together, we worked on it.
I changed my schedule, gave him structure, offered reassurance, and slowly taught him that he was safe.

Now?
Now, his name is Popeye — and he’s my best friend.
We play catch every single day with his beloved tennis balls.
He sleeps peacefully. He trusts. He thrives.
He knows he’s home.

They said he was “too wild.”
But what he really was… was too full of love with nowhere to give it.

To anyone considering a rescue who isn’t “perfect” on paper — please know this:
Sometimes, the dogs who struggle the most are the ones who love the hardest.
All they need is someone who won’t give up on them.

I’m so glad Popeye finally got his forever.