‪If you look past a pet’s appearance and see straight into his heart, you will discover hidden gems in shelters everywhere.

Wilbur didn’t look so hot at the shelter. He had untreated allergies, horribly painful infections in his skin and ears, and was at least 25 pounds overweight. But his little nubby tail just wagged and wagged.

Because the shelter was over capacity and Wilbur had a number of medical conditions, he didn’t have much of a chance of being adopted. Luckily, he was pulled from the shelter by Sit With Me Shelter Dog Rescue, based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and placed into a foster home, where he lived for six months.

Wilbur received medicated baths and foot soaks, and was placed on a special diet and medications for his allergies. Through it all, he was just as sweet and happy as can be. Walks and playtime with his foster dog siblings helped him shed pounds and build muscle. Although he didn’t seem to “get” the concept of fetch, Wilbur had a blast chasing after the other dogs as they played, developing his doggie interaction skills.

He was eventually adopted by Maia and Everett, who say their new dog couldn’t be more wonderful.

‪”From the moment we met Wilbur, we knew that he was the dog for us,” said Wilbur’s new dad Everett. “He adjusted so well and so quickly — even sharing his space with our cat — that it was like he knew he was home.”

Wilbur has grown accustomed to waking up early with Maia every morning. If she doesn’t wake up by 6 a.m., he even comes to check on her to make sure she’s OK … and then he goes right back to sleep!

“He’s still a little pink due to his allergies, but it’s improving every day,” Everett said. “He’s such a handsome boy, and he knows it! Wilbur loves to go for walks and loves meeting other dogs at a nearby park. He learns very quickly and looks up at us with those big puppy eyes.”

Probably Wilbur’s most endearing characteristics are his playful attitude and his snuggly personality.

“He loves to play almost as much as he loves to cuddle, which we do every evening before we all go to sleep,” Everett said. “The highlight of our day is coming home to this big boy and seeing his little tail wiggle back and forth.”

“He’s the perfect dog for our family and we look forward to many more years of fun adventures with him … and many more cuddles,” Everett said. “Wilbur never forgets about the cuddles.”

Some people think that rescue dogs know they have been saved. To Everett and his family, it sure seems that way.

“From the start, Wilbur was a very loyal dog. Every time we look at him, he looks back at us as if to promise to continue to be loyal. The promise is mutual. We promise to be as loyal to him as he is to us. If we do this, we will have given Wilbur the life that he so fully deserves.”

Top photo: Wilbur courtesy Sarah O’Neill Photography.