The story of Doby

Doby’s Background

Doby is our dear dog, a mix of unknown breeds, who was found wandering the streets in Bulgaria. He was eventually captured, placed in a shelter in Bulgaria, and a few weeks later (after neutering, quarantine, and vaccinations), he was transported to the Netherlands.
Because he was found wandering the streets, his past is unknown. We suspect that he must have lived with someone before, as he adapted very quickly and easily to the house and is incredibly sweet to people (well-socialized).

How he ended up on the streets is a big mystery. We suspect he may have been mistreated, judging by how he reacts to certain situations. But unfortunately, it’s impossible to find out exactly what he went through.

Unexpectedly, He Came to Us

We often talked about how we would eventually like to have a dog together. But this was really just an idea for the distant future because, for now, we preferred to have the freedom of not having to worry about walking times, vacations, etc. But then Doby came along as a surprise.
Our mother and her partner were actually looking for a dog. Through an organization that brings dogs from abroad, they came across Doby. Doby lived with them for about 4 weeks. They absolutely adored Doby, but the connection was just not quite perfect. They also live in a house where the living room is on the intermediate floor. They do have a kind of extra living room downstairs, but this is not the space where they spend most of their time. And since Doby is not able to go up and down the stairs by himself (and he is too big and heavy to lift), this resulted in a less than ideal situation.

After much deliberation, they decided that it would be better for both Doby and themselves if they made the choice to return Doby, so that they could look for another loving home where he would fit in perfectly. And so they could go for a dog with which the connection was perfect, and where the dog could also stay in their most used living area.

In the 4 weeks that Doby was with them, all four of us naturally went to see Doby. We all fell in love at first sight. When we heard that Doby would not stay with my mother and her partner, there was no need for a long discussion for us either. We decided that we would take Doby into our home with all the love, and that he would be part of our family.

Given our living situation, Doby also has a luxurious position. He can choose which house he wants to be in at any given moment, there is always someone nearby to give him attention, and he has so much love to receive from all of us. Doby has been with us for a little over a year and a half now and he really has become an integral part of our lives!

We all have a different unique bond with Doby, and our partners (my boyfriend Mitch and Joen, my sister Monica’s girlfriend) also adore Doby and enjoy spending time with him.

Doby’s Character

Doby is already a senior, so this is also noticeable in his behavior. Because his past is unknown, it’s a guess how old he actually is. But several veterinarians have estimated that he must be at least 13+ years old (in the year 2023).