Boss takes pride in his special gift of giving guests to his home the ultimate doggy welcome. But it was this friendly approach to life that saw him become the victim of a dognapping.
The 12-month-old Bull Mastiff x Husky was taken from his Upper Coomera home after giving the offenders one his trademark slobbery greetings. His family were left distraught, fearing they would never see his goofy face again.
“When Boss was taken from me I felt like a part of me was taken as well,” owner Nikki said.
“Boss and my son Isaac are the same age so the plan was to have them grow up together and be best friends. It was just devastating having my son’s buddy taken from him.”
After four very long months of searching pounds and shelters and posting photos on the internet, Nikki’s friend stumbled across Boss while browsing the AWLQ website.
“If it wasn’t for his unique speckled egg colouring we may never have found him. My friend said she recognised him because she could never forget a face like his. She always called him the ugliest dog she had ever seen,” laughed Nikki.
“She sent me through photos of him and I just knew straight away that it was our Boss. I started bawling – I was a mess.”
The reunion was one of tears, laughter, hugs and of course slobbery kisses – all the key elements of a scene straight out of a movie.
“When I arrived at his pen at the Coombabah shelter it was empty. My heart sank – I thought he’d been rehomed,” Nikki said.
“I got down on my knees and called his name. Instantly I heard a bang and a crash and there came Boss, flying out of his bed. He was jumping up and his tail was wagging frantically and he started howling and making puppy noises.”
The same day Boss, who was known as Wyatt at the shelter, returned to his home and was reunited with his best friend.
“As soon as Isaac saw Boss he yelled ‘pup pup’. Boss gave him a big lick up the cheek, making Isaac giggle like crazy. He has always giggled around Boss, ever since we first brought him home,” Nikki said.
The AWLQ had trouble rehoming Boss because of obedience troubles, but when he was by his mum’s side he became the perfect dog.
“At the shelter I got him to do our little routine of commands – sit, shake, lay down. Helen, a staff member, couldn’t believe what she saw, she just stared with her hands over her mouth and started getting teary,” Nikki said.
Despite the tears shed while Boss was gone, Nikki says her family has learnt a very valuable lesson.
“If Boss had’ve been microchipped he would never have had to experience such trauma. If I had kept checking the ALWQ website he could’ve come home a lot sooner,” she said.
“But we were so lucky because Boss had been looked after so well at the shelter. He’d
been fed well and looked so healthy.”
It is now business as usual for Boss who has returned to the life he loves so much –
life beside his best friend.
