You’ve heard of “too big to fail,” but is there such a thing as “too big to love?” It certainly seemed to be the case for a puppy named Ronald in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Ronald already weighs 63 pounds at just 1 year of age. The dog, now considered a young adult, has had no trouble getting adopted: In fact, Ronald has been adopted 14 times. He merely has trouble fitting in once he makes it to his new family’s house. Over the course of five weeks, Ronald was adopted and returned 14 times, due to complaints that he was “too big” and “too strong.”
In a desperate attempt to help Ronald find his “fur”-ever home, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Wake County posted a plea to their Facebook page, writing: “14 adoptions have fallen through for this lovely guy — mostly due to being too big/strong. It’s true, he’s a big boy!”
Read the full Facebook post here:
“It was all just different versions of that combination of being really playful and kind of clumsy and goofy and still working on his manners, in combination with his large size,” Samantha Ranlet, a SPCA spokesperson, said when explaining the failed adoptions further to The Washington Post.
Although Ronald is large, those who have spent time with him said he is very obedient and loving. He knows basic commands, and his only fault is that he’s easily excitable, as all puppies are. However, unlike most puppies, he can knock down folks who might not be steady on their feet or children who might be smaller than Ronald.
Luckily, the SPCA of Wake County’s Facebook post worked. After it went viral, Ronald was finally adopted by a family with the space and patience to home a large, rambunctious pup.
Kierstin Davis saw the post on Facebook and immediately knew she wanted to meet Ronald, who her family now calls “Ronny.”
“I was like, ‘Oh, there’s no way I’m going to get him,'” Davis told the Post, worrying that the social media post would lead to tons of applications. “Someone, I’m sure, is going to scoop him up so fast. But I applied anyway.”
Davis is a mom of two young boys, and their family also owns an energetic black Australian Shepherd that they adopted a few years ago. The shelter agreed to send Ronald home with Davis for a five-day trial run to see how he would fair with the family and their dog.
Instantly, she knew that Ronald was destined to be part of their brood.
“Just right off the bat, once he saw the kids and dog, I was like, ‘Oh, he’s perfect. He’s staying,'” she said.
The SPCA of Wake County shared photos of Ronny at home with his new family. As you can see, even though he towers over half his family, he is a gentle giant with so much love to share.
It is believed that Ronald is part Great Pyrenees, which is a calm breed that is known for its extra-large size. Individuals can weigh up to 125 pounds and grow to more than 32 inches high (from the ground to the top of the shoulders).
You can donate to the SPCA of Wake County and help dogs like Ronald by clicking here.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
