What’s the definition of the perfect dog? Depends on who you ask. But one thing was for sure – I knew I wasn’t it. Unless the definition was “an anxious ten year old Jack Russell terrier mix who chases his tail and doesn’t get along with other dogs…” but I’m smarter than that. It only took me 10 months to realize I didn’t need to be the perfect dog… I just needed to find the right human.

I’m Homer, and my hopes were high as I entered my foster home back in August of 2015. They tried to help me, doing every test in the book to figure out why I chased and bit my tail (because apparently it was a big deal). I’m a sensitive guy, which can be both my biggest strength and, in this case, weakness. If only I could tell them I chased it because I was stressed… like when I was around other dogs. Don’t worry, they soon figured it out.

Okay, so other dogs weren’t my cup of tea, but boy, did I looove my people. Isn’t that what mattered? I’d watch other dogs act crazy and stress their humans out, going to the bathroom on the floor, chewing and making a mess. Me? I wanted nothing more than to just be with my human. To lie by their side while they watched TV. To snuggle. Go on car rides. Play fetch. Did I have it all wrong? Is that not what humans liked?

Nonetheless, after months of waiting for a home, it appeared my anxiousness was getting the best of me. So I got help from my friends at Top Notch Kennel in Modesto. They taught me how to relax on this thing called a mat. It was hard at first but I got so good at it at that I could eventually just fall asleep on the mat in the busy lobby. I call that skill!

With my newfound confidence I left Top Notch sure that people would be lined up waiting to take me home. But I was wrong. They continued to share me on that Internet thing. Over and over…. and over. Apparently I was the cure to no-dog-home-syndrome, but it didn’t seem like too many humans had that problem.

Except for Charlie.

If you ask Charlie, I am the perfect dog. He’s a senior like me and lives in this place called a retirement community. Basically it’s a dream because we can just relax all the time! He found me in my Facebook ad months after we put it out there. Boy am I glad he did. He was told about my “issues” but saw them as quirks, not deal breakers. He still wanted to meet me. After we met, I knew this was it.

Just to be sure, he fostered me for a month or two. During this time we snuggled. I gave him lots of kisses. I kept myself occupied while he played golf. And there were a few times when I got stressed but he would just hold me to his chest and my anxiety would melt away. Long story short, I’m home. For good.

So to any of you out there waiting for the one, don’t give up. There is a perfectly imperfect someone out there for all of us. Just ask Charlie.