Bodybuilder used to make fun of tiny dogs until one saved his life — now he runs a Chihuahua sanctuary

Many times, we are totally unaware of how our behavior and our words affect those around us. Who would have thought that a simple favor a woman asked from her friend would make such an impact in his life.

Bobby Humphreys is a big guy who owned big dogs all his life. It’s not that he didn’t like the small breeds, but he could never see himself owning a tiny dog like a Chihuahua. Well, at least not until one entered his life and stole his heart.

Bobby’s life turned upside down after his marriage of 17 years came to an end. This unpleasant event drained his desire to live and left him in a terrible condition. However, his friend Connie was there to remind him that everything was going to be just fine. Despite his pleas to leave him alone, she never left his side. Not until she was sure he could move on with his life.

“She literally just wouldn’t go away no matter how much I told her to. She had lost friends to that before and wasn’t going to lose me,” Bobby told I Heart Dogs. “My friend, Connie, had shown me what friendship really meant. No matter what I needed, she was there for me. Needless to say, I feel I owe to her quite a bit.”

Connie was about to move houses and asked her friend whether he could take her Chihuahua Lady in for a while. Bobby wasn’t really happy with welcoming the dog in his place but he simply couldn’t say no to Connie after everything she did for him. He knew the dog wasn’t that friendly and wasn’t sure whether the two would get along. But he did say yes.

Once in his home, Lady acted as Bobby has never seen her before. She was actually pleased to be spending time with this big guy and crawled in his lap. When Connie came later that day just to check on her dog and her friend she was stunned by the sight of the two snuggling.

“[Connie] swore she’s never seen anything like this, this dog hates everybody. Lady and I have been literally inseparable ever since,” Bobby said.

When the time came for Lady to get back to Connie, it made Bobby sad. He got used to being around the sweet doggy so much that he decided to adopt a Chihuahua on his own. The sweet little pup that was lucky to end up with a loving owner like Bobby was a Chihuahua named Kira. He actually saved the pup from the terrible conditions her previous owners kept her in and showed her how to love and trust humans again.

Rescuing Kira made Bobby think of all those dogs who live in inhumane conditions. He was determined to do everything in his power to save as many Chihuahuas as possible. That is when he stumbled upon two other dogs, siblings named Harley and Quinn whom he’d taken in.

Eventually, Bobby saved many other small dogs and his desire of finding these loving creatures forever homes resulted with the idea of founding an animal rescue group: Big Guy, Little World Sanctuary. So far, he has saved more than 30 pups.

“We rescue Chihuahuas who are living horrible lives, abused, starving, disabled, mental issues, etc. We give them either a furever home with us where they will never have to experience neglect or anything like that again, or we nurse them back to health and adopt them out! We just want to help as many babies as we can,” Bobby said.

It’s truly amazing how this man’s encounter with Lady resulted in so much love for this sweet breed. Bobby you really are a very special big man with a big heart.

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For most people, dogs are not just our pets, they are our family members. When you bring a dog into your life, things just seem to get a lot more exciting.

There’s few things that are better than coming home after a long day of work and having your beloved furbaby happily greet you at the door.

While we love our pups and they love us back unconditionally, there are a few “annoying habits” that our dogs may not really like.

U.S. Air Force/Airman 1st Class Isaiah J. Soliz

Here are 12 pet peeves that many dogs have, according to Bright Side:

Hugging- While it’s hard to resist giving our pups a big squeeze, many dogs feel restricted and consider it a controlling act.

Using words more than body language- Of course, dogs can understand a select few words, but we all know that they can’t comprehend every single thing we are saying. Because of this, dogs tend to watch our body language to understand what we are trying to tell them.

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Patting their heads– Similar to the hugging, many dogs don’t like when their personal space is invaded. Most would prefer being pet on their back or even scratched behind their ears.

Keeping eye contact– Looking straight into a dog’s eyes without blinking, especially a dog you don’t know, may come across as an act of assertion or dominance. If you’re meeting a new dog for the first time, it’s important not to make strong eye contact right off the bat.

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Lacking rules and structure- Since it’s not always easy for dogs and humans to communicate with each other with words, it’s important for them to have rules and structure so that they can feel more comfortable in a routine and have trust in you.

Keeping them on a tight leash- If you hold the leash too tightly, it can make the pup feel stressed or uneasy.

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Not letting them explore and smell- The majority of dogs love to see the world around them instead of being cooped up inside all day. They enjoy sniffing around and visiting new places. Keeping them inside and not letting them explore could make them feel depressed or isolated.

Forcing them to interact with dogs/people they don’t like- Putting your dog in an uncomfortable position can end up badly for either them, or for the dog/person that they feel uncomfortable around. Even if your dog is not aggressive, they may act in a defensive manner if they’re forced to be near someone they don’t want to interact with.

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Being tense- Pets are very good at sensing our moods and feelings, so if we are tense and stressed, our dogs may start to feel that way too.

Being boring- Dogs are energetic, playful animals and love to have some excitement in their lives. They can feel lonely easily if left home alone all day, so it’s important to show them attention and play with them whenever you get the chance.

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Exposing them to strong smells- A dog’s smell is nearly 40 times greater than ours, so certain fragrances like air fresheners or cleaning sprays that may not affect us, could really bother them. Make sure to keep things like this a good distance from them. 

Bathing them- While not all dogs dread bath time, many of them do. Using a slip-resistant mat at the bottom of the tub could help them feel more comfortable. The temperature of the water should be lukewarm, not too hot and not too cold.

U.S. Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III

Of course, our dogs will love us unconditionally no matter what, but paying attention to the things that bother them could help strengthen the relationship you share with them even more!

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