15-yr-old dog grabs his leash every morning and runs to neighbors house to go on ‘sweet mission’
Meet the fluffy and adorable Cheddar, a 15-year-old Golden Retriever who goes nuts whenever he sees his favorite person.
If you think it’s his owner or any members of their family, then you’re wrong.
Cheddar goes crazy with happiness and excitement whenever he sees their neighbor, Jean.
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Wait, what?
That’s right! Cheddar’s favorite person isn’t his fur-mom or fur-dad; it’s their neighbor, a kind-hearted and sweet lady named Jean.
“He just loves her and I can’t explain why. I really don’t know,” says Shelley Vassall, Cheddar’s fur mom.
We think it’s safe to say that Cheddar effortlessly opened up and fell in love with their neighbor.
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Sure, it’s not the usual setup because you’d think this big fluff would go crazy in the presence of his family, but no, he wants Jean.
“We started going to see her just about every single day. How he took to her. I mean, it was instantaneous. She babysits when we need a babysitter. When we leave her house, he just wants to stay there.”
Seeing Cheddar so happy and outgoing is a blessing for Vassall and her family.
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Cheddar wasn’t always like this. The 15-year-old dog had a sad backstory.
One day, they informed Vassall about a huge golden retriever that was about to be given up. After she heard his story, she fostered him.
Though, Vassall’s family voiced their concern that they might get attached to the then-8-year-old senior dog.
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They knew senior dogs only have a brief life to spare, and losing one would be devastating.
Just two days after the family accepted Cheddar as their foster, they changed their minds and adopted him instead.
“When we met Cheddar that kind of all went out the window. Even my husband’s like I know he’s about to turn 8, but it didn’t matter. It was about Cheddar it wasn’t about his age. He’s a big dog. Cheddar’s just beautiful. He has a beautiful personality,” Vassall recalled.
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Day by day, they found out that Cheddar was a shy dog.
He wouldn’t even get close to his toy or even play. Everything changed when Cheddar met Jean.
It’s as if Jean knew how to take Cheddar out of his shell.
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One day, Cheddar just showed everyone his happy, playful, and silly personality.
“We sit outside and he just wants to sit next to her and he just wants all the attention from her. He just wants her to pet him,” Vassall shared.
When everybody is busy, Cheddar would even help himself and walk to Jean’s house.
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The fluffy senior dog would get his leash and put it in his mouth, then walk.
Indeed, this dog is adorable and smart!
Once he’s inside Jean’s home, he would feel right at home and would get cozy on her couch, waiting for hugs and pets.
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“She’s helped him so much. I think it’s given him more confidence,” Vassall told in her interview. “He can be very timid and sort of afraid of his own shadow. But he’s quite bold when he goes over there.”
Soon, Cheddar started warming up to other people as well.
Cheryl, one of the family’s cleaners, is also Cheddar’s friend. He loves Cheryl and would even make weird sounds when she’s around.
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“There are sounds that come out of him that we have never heard him make before,” Vassall recalled. “It almost sounds like he’s in pain. He’s so happy.”
Though everyone knows Jean has secured her place in Cheddar’s heart.
“It’s just about her [Jean]. He just wants to be with her. She’s his favorite who now has become our friend,” Vassall told The DoDo. “All dogs are special and Cheddar is just that. If he was a human being, he would be just really kind. He’s the most gentle soul. It’s just a joy to be around him.”
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This gentle giant is always ready to go to Jean’s home and spend cuddle time with her, and we think that’s really adorable.
Follow Cheddar on his Instagram account and watch the full video below.
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