Meet Bastian, The World’s Cutest Rescue Dog From New York, You Won’t Believe What He Can Do
Years ago, Joelle Andres was searching for her first dog. She spotted a scrappy-looking rat terrier on an adoption site, and something about his soulful eyes stopped her in her tracks.
The pup looked nervous and shut down, like he’d been through too much. Joelle knew she wanted him, but fate had other plans. He was headed to an adoption event she couldn’t attend.
For a moment, it seemed like she’d missed her chance. But then the shelter called. Bastian hadn’t been adopted at the event, and Joelle didn’t hesitate.
She drove hours through pouring rain to meet the little dog in person. There he was, a skinny, timid pup with so much sadness in his eyes.
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.
