After suffering a life full of decadence and loneliness, an older dog has finally found the home he had longed for as a child, all thanks to a woman with a heart of gold.

The story of Bear, a German Shepherd mix, is quite touching. The dog had spent most of his life on the street and his years no longer allowed him to move on alone.

The dog is 16 years old and had been on the street for more than a decade, if not his entire existence.

When the hound was found he was in a state that broke everyone’s heart. His sad, hopeless little eyes were the portal to a painful past, which was further evidenced by his poor skin all cracked and reddened.

Bear suffered from a terrible dermatitis.

Being a rather skittish furry, the rescue workers opted to send Bear to a foster home, but as it turned out, the experience was not all positive for him.

Although he had the best intentions, his caregiver had no experience in caring for elderly canines, and Bear went through a crisis before he was able to adjust to the place.

That temporary home was a failure and volunteers sought to re-home him with someone who was truly trustworthy.

At that moment, a veteran in this type of case appeared in the dog’s life. The woman had previously collaborated with the Houston shelter and they were the ones handling the furry dog’s case.

“They [the shelter] know that my weakness is older dogs. The least I can do is give these helpless creatures a soft place to sleep, food and love. Reciprocally, they give me their affection and give a different meaning to my life,” Bear’s new mommy expressed.

The day Samaritan took in the puppy, she decided it was time for him to leave everything behind and that also meant his name. For that reason, the canine was renamed Bear to Norman, even though he didn’t even know it.

“Norman is almost deaf, so he doesn’t really know I changed his name,” his new mom pointed out.

Since being taken off the streets, the little dog has taken many steps to change his life in a positive way, and although there were some stumbles with his first foster home, his transformation is now remarkable.

Norman has said goodbye to his skin problems and is sporting a shiny, well-groomed coat. But, in addition, the little dog now feels more trusting of humans because of all the attention he has received since arriving at the shelter and now with his new human.

Although with 16 years on top and many painful memories, the furry dog doesn’t have much energy to play, the truth is that he slowly shows how happy he is and always wags his tail.

He also turned out to be a spoiled and sleepy furry.

The puppy’s new caregiver is grateful to have found him and to have the honor of caring for him in her home.

“Norman has taught me so much… I hope everyone can experience the love of an older dog. I love my Norman/Bear.”

Norman’s mother is very happy to have found him and encourages the public to become responsible for a senior dog, she knows how hard it is for shelters to find people who want to help them.

“Hitting on someone who wants to foster is extremely difficult for shelters, but I try to look at the positive and I know I’m doing everything I can,” she added.

Going to the end of your days alone is inhumane and neither grandparents nor puppies should have to go through that. Encourage yourself to become a foster parent to an adult canine and let Norman’s story help multiply these generous acts.

Contacting a local organization or shelter can be the first step for you too to achieve happiness with the arrival of a little angel at home. Take the plunge today to adopt or become a foster caregiver.