This NY Rat Terrier Is The World’s Cutest Rescue Dog And You Won’t Believe What He Can Do
Years back, when Joelle Andres was hoping to adopt her very first dog, one photo stopped her scrolling instantly. It showed a small, rough-around-the-edges rat terrier, and his deep, expressive eyes told a story she couldn’t ignore.
He looked scared and withdrawn, like life hadn’t been kind to him. Joelle felt an immediate pull toward him, but the timing didn’t work out.
The dog was scheduled to attend an adoption event she couldn’t make, and it felt like her opportunity was slipping away.
Then came an unexpected call from the shelter. The little dog, named Bastian, hadn’t found a home after all. Without a second thought, Joelle said yes.
She set off on a long drive through heavy rain just to meet him. When she finally saw Bastian, he was thin and timid, standing quietly with a sadness in his eyes that only deepened her resolve to bring him home.
The moment Joelle held him, something clicked. He was coming home with her, as she shared in an interview:
“He was just a little, sad, skinny boy. I held him, and I was like, ‘That’s it. You’re coming home with me.’”
And just like that, that day became their forever “gotcha” day. But Bastian’s journey from shy, nervous pup to confident superstar wasn’t instant.
He’d been rescued from the Carolinas after Hurricane Florence, a tiny nine-pound dog who flinched at every noise and suffered from separation anxiety, as Joelle explained:
“If you went to pet him, his ears would go back, and his eyes would kind of dart around.”
Joelle patiently helped him adjust. She built a routine of long walks, trips to dog-friendly spots, and lots of love.
Slowly, day by day, his energy and curiosity began to shine. He went from a fearful little pup to a high-energy dog who could easily rack up 30,000 steps in a day and still have the pep to play frisbee.
As Bastian grew more confident, Joelle introduced him to something extraordinary: communication buttons. They started simple: “treat” was the first one.
Every time Bastian pressed it, he got a snack. He caught on fast, and soon, he was using a whole board of around 100 buttons.
From “walk” to “outside” to more playful words like “ouch” or “paw,” Bastian began showing a level of understanding that amazed everyone around him.
He now has over 130,000 followers on Instagram, where fans delight in watching him communicate and learn. Researchers even use his videos to study dog cognition.
And it’s not just about clever tricks. Watching Bastian thrive has been a lesson in resilience, patience, and love for Joelle.
The timid little pup who once feared everything has become a confident, determined, and playful companion. He’s living proof that with care, patience, and a little creativity, dogs can overcome even the hardest starts.
Recently, Bastian’s journey reached a new milestone: he won PEOPLE’s World’s Cutest Rescue Dog contest.
Thousands of people and celebrity judges like Kristin Davis and Shawn Johnson East fell in love with him, as well as the CBS Mornings hosts, who shared the news of Bastian’s win on air.
The grand prize included a year’s supply of dog food and a donation to his original shelter, the Burlington County Animal Alliance in New Jersey.
It was a full-circle moment, celebrating not just his adorable face but his courage, heart, and journey from fear to confidence. Joelle shared:
“I thought it was an accident, and then I started crying. I just felt such pride, and I’m still in disbelief.”
Bastian’s story shows that with love, patience, and a little trust, rescue dogs can thrive, learn, and even teach us something about resilience along the way.
