When a couple named Tess and Jakob Johnson first laid eyes on Scout, she appeared to be a shy and nervous dog that had a sadness about her. And it wasn’t her fault if she had a difficult time opening up to everyone around her. She spent much of her life in an overcrowded shelter before getting transferred to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. However, the couple believed that she was exactly the dog that they were looking for despite her uncertain demeanor.
And along with Scout’s second chance is a change in her personality as well. She is living her best life by enjoying everything that this world has to offer—perky ears, bright eyes, mouth in a happy pant and all! She is taking advantage of this opportunity by exploring the outdoors and basking in the simple joys of life. If she only had her tail, she would probably be happily wagging it!
The Johnson household is a rather busy abode—balancing work and school, with a considerable amount of backpacking on the side. For quite some time now, Tess and Jakob have been looking for a furry companion which she describes as a ‘happy adventuring buddy’ that could blend in beautifully with their lifestyle. After checking a bunch of local shelters, they monitored the Best Friends website and patiently waited for the dog that would fit the bill. That was when they saw Scout.
Since then, all things fell right into place. Like many of us, the couple has been staying home a lot because of the pandemic, and they figured it was the right opportunity to bring in a new member of the family. They received a phone call from Best Friends, and just like that, they were on their way to see Scout!
Tess shares that she has photos from the first day they met Scout. And even though her eyes looked forlorn, and she seemed a bit scared, it didn’t stop her from being sweet towards them. The couple immediately fell in love with her.
It wasn’t difficult for the newcomer to settle more comfortably in her new home. But what brought the twinkle back in her eyes and revived her energy was when they played lots and lots of fetch with her. Tess even teased that while her doggy did not know the command ‘sit’, she did know how to play fetch.
Scout was happy chasing after a ball, or a Frisbee, or any other toy for that matter. She became more ecstatic with each throw, and before anyone knew it, her scared and sad look vanished completely. She also began tailing her new fur-parents everywhere they went and loved cuddling with them every morning.
As Scout got used to her new environment, her more playful side came out. Tess says that her new ward enjoys bath time, and shows this by sticking her head and licking the inside of their shower curtain.
However, it just wasn’t the home life that Scout got used to so quickly. When Tess and Jakob took her out for a hike, their lovely newcomer has proven that she was exactly the kind of dog they were searching for—their ultimate adventure buddy.
Scout has proven that she is well suited for the great outdoors. During hikes, she can be counted on to sniff the trail, run around and roll in the grass, and of course, spend lots of quality time with her new family.
And of course, what is a great outdoor adventure without your own gear, right? Scout has a backpack, and she carries this with great pride! She has adapted so well to being an explorer, that her fur-parents had created an Instagram account for her so they can document her exciting excursions.
Tess recalls that their favorite trip so far was when they went backpacking in the Unitas. And she has tons of photos to prove this, which includes mementos of Scout and her best dog friend named Charlie. They have been captured enjoying the flowers, splashing through waters, and cuddling with their families, amidst rocky bluffs as a background.
Charlie is a regular in plenty of Scout’s trips and Instagram photos. She has also made a bunch of other canine friends because of her expeditions. Tess proudly shares that Scout is an amiable dog, too, who can get any dog to play with her even though they don’t seem interested at first. The once frightened dog who can’t seem to get out of her shell has turned out to be a gentle and persistent canine.
Her friendship-making preference isn’t just limited to those with paws, either. From her origins as a herding dog, she easily gets attracted to cows and sheep every time they go on car rides. And it’s definitely considered her best day ever when she gets to meet some of them. Tess narrates that during one of their visits to their family’s property where cows roam free-range, Scout happily ran after the herd.
Herding experiences won’t be so far-fetched for Scout in the future, after all. Tess says that they have a friend who owns a sheep farm, so they will have to wait and see how it unfolds. But of course, if their lovely Scout will come to meet some sheep in the near future, they will make sure that it’s safe and fun for everybody who will be involved.
And the fun never really runs out in Scout’s new life. Whether she’s happily chasing a soda bottle, or sweating it out in fetch, or looking for a new campsite, Scout welcomes everything with the same vigor and zest. When the Johnsons went on a search for their happy adventure buddy, fate led them to Scout who just needed a little cheering up!
Source: Scout the Adventure Dog / Instagram
