Winston used to be scared of everything, but with the help of his family, the rescue dog is now a lot braver. He even helps foster puppies his family takes in — but his role as a teacher and big brother isn’t always glamorous.
Recently, Winston helped foster a puppy named Ardsley who had a lot of energy. She always wanted to play, whether Winston was ready for it or not.
“He would grumble when she walked all over him (as puppies do) but had a great time playing with her,” Emily Pincofski, Winston’s mom, told The Dodo. “We really are so proud of how much progress Winston has made.”
One Day, Winston and Ardsley were hanging out on the couch when Ardsley decided she was ready to play. Instead of asking Winston if he wanted to join her, she began chewing on his tail — and at first, Winston didn’t even notice.
“We were just hanging out, and Eric and I looked over and saw her munching on Winston’s tail,” Pincofski said. “When I realized he wasn’t stopping her, I picked up my phone and started recording.”
Pincofski was surprised Winston was letting his foster sister use his tail as a chew toy and told him so. Suddenly, the big brother realized what was happening.
“I imagine she must have been chewing on the end where it’s really just fur, and when he snapped his head around, she must have gotten his actual tail,” Pincofski said. “Although, I really wouldn’t put it past Winston to know what I had said to him.”
As soon as Winston saw Ardsley chewing on his tail, he stared her down — and her reaction was absolutely priceless.
“I couldn’t catch a reaction like that on camera again if I tried,” Pincofski said. “We still crack up when we watch that video!”
Ardsley sheepishly stopped chewing on Winston’s tail and switched to watching her big brother adoringly while Winston continued to stare at her. The whole interaction was hilarious and wholesome and shows just how wonderful fostering can be.
Ardsley was recently adopted, and her new name is Nala. Winston will miss her but is no doubt excited for future adventures as a foster brother.
