Mailman Notices Dog Is Always Tired, Realizes Why When He Flips Dog Bowl

No One Watching

He was fuming and wondered why the owner had a dog if they let something like this happen. He wanted them to see what they did wrong and thought about reporting them, but that would mean the dog would be taken to a shelter. That was the last thing he wanted to happen. There must be something else he could do.

He took in his surroundings and ensured no one would notice him calling the dog. He and the dog had spent the past few weeks, and the Dachshund didn’t hesitate to run toward him. The dog had no idea how much his life would change from that moment onward.

Working As A Mailman

Jeffrey Edwards was a man like any other and lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. He lived alone in the suburbs and worked as a mailman in the postal delivery service.

He enjoyed the finer things in life, like remembering the names of his regulars when he delivered the mail. He always greeted the Johnsons on 9th Avenue with a smile and the Mendozas on Hamilton Drive with a kind wave. They were all friendly in response, but there was one family he liked most.

A Special Dachshund 

Jeffrey had a soft spot in his heart for the Denson family, but it wasn’t the family that had won him over. It was their dog who had stolen his heart. The mailman adored the little guy.

He had come to look forward to seeing the little Dachshund on the front lawn every day on his route. The dog would collect the mail from him with some excited tail wagging before dropping it off at the front door for the owners.

A Friendly Dog

Jeffrey had grown fond of the dog over time and eventually started buying him treats. He would give him one every time he came by with the mail. One day, he looked closer at the dog’s collar and saw he was named Buttons.

Jeffrey had encountered many dogs in the neighbourhood, like the rottweiler owned by the Jenson’s. His barking always unsettled him, and he realized that Buttons was the friendliest dog in the area. But then something strange started happening.

Not So Little Anymore

Jeffrey noticed that the little dog was bigger than when he last saw him, and it wasn’t just that. He seemed to have doubled in size! Jeffrey couldn’t believe it and started thinking about what would have caused it.

He thought about the treats he had gotten for Buttons and decided to hold back on them for a little while to see if it changed anything. Three weeks went by without any treats, but the results were shocking.

No More Energy

With every delivery Jeffrey made, he noticed the pooch continued to grow. What was worse was that he seemed to have little to no energy. What had happened to the always chipper dog he was used to?

The enthusiastic greetings had stopped, and Buttons refused to collect the mail and put it on the porch for his owners. Jeffrey grew more upset each day when he saw the dog sitting on the lawn with a lazy look in his eyes.

Concerned

The change was undeniable by now – they had been too dramatic over the weeks not to notice. Jeffrey grew more and more concerned by what he saw.

It upset him that Buttons was triple his body weight, and he felt he couldn’t leave the little guy in such a state. He needed to understand the cause and went inside looking for answers.

Investigating 

The changes he had seen in the dog warranted an investigation. Jeffrey was determined to find answers but didn’t want to get into trouble. He decided to park his van before making his way to the back of the house.

He spotted a kennel at the back of the house and assumed that Buttons slept there. Next to the kennel was a dog bowl. He bent down to look closer but had no idea what he would uncover.

Something Odd

Something inside him told him to tip the bowl over. That’s when he saw a pile of food infested with ants. But that wasn’t all. He stood up and walked around to the front door to find something else that was strange.

He had spotted white papers lying on the floor. He picked them up and felt they were wet from sitting outside for a long time. That’s when he realized something.

Left Alone

As he picked up the papers, he could tell they looked familiar. He had been delivering these letters for the last month, which meant the owners hadn’t been home to receive them. He felt a burst of anger within him. How could they have just left the dog alone? They had poured an excessive amount of food into the poor dog’s bowl and left.

Jeffrey strongly believed you couldn’t leave a dog alone and expect them to be 100% okay without a sitter. If the owners knew that would go away, why had they not asked someone to look after their dog? He had to teach these owners a lesson.

Careless Owners

He felt his blood boil. He couldn’t believe the owners could have been so careless. He knew he could report them for this, but he didn’t want the dog getting put in a shelter. He’d find his own way of getting them back.

He looked around to make sure no one was looking and then called the Dachshund. The dog had bonded with him over the weeks and came running over. But what he did next would change the dog’s life forever.

Taking Him To The Vet

Jeffrey took the poor dog to the vet to see what was wrong with him. Thankfully, once there, they were understanding about the situation. Even though he wasn’t his dog, he wouldn’t get into trouble for taking him in.

They started their examination to figure out why Buttons was so lethargic and big. Once they finished taking a look at him, they gave Jeffrey the news.

Overfeeding

They explained that Buttons was big just because he had eaten too much of his food too quickly. This is often when owners leave their animals alone with a lot of food. 

Animals don’t know how to portion and will often eat as much as they can as quickly as they can. It was also the reason why he was so tired all of the time. Now that Jeffrey knew the cause, he could help the dog out.

A Full Recovery

The vet told Jeffrey that Buttons would thankfully make a full recovery. He had no digestive impaction, and he would lose the weight with a bit of care in no time. They asked him if he knew any of the owner’s relatives who could look after him.

Unfortunately, he had no idea, he was just their mailman after all. But he knew what he had to do.

Looking After The Dog

Jeffrey told the vet he’d look after the dog while the owners were on holiday. He had to sign a foster contract so that they knew he would take care of the dog and let him leave with it.

Jeffrey never owned any dogs of his own, but he was happy to look after a dog in need. Especially Buttons, he had bonded with the dog and couldn’t leave him on his own now.

Looking Better

Over the following week, Jeffrey made sure to feed Buttons the right food and a small amount to make sure he started losing weight. He played with him in his back garden and walked him each day.

In no time, Buttons started to look a lot better. He was losing weight rapidly and was on the road to being his normal self.

His Fostering Came To An End

As much as Jeffrey enjoyed spending time with Buttons, he wasn’t his dog. He knew that he couldn’t look after him forever, and now that he was doing much better, it was time to give him back.

He was reluctant to, but it was the right thing. Buttons was interfering with his job, and life had to return to normal.

Taking Him Back

Jeffrey got Buttons in his car and took him back to the vet. They freed him from his contract and told him they’d temporarily keep him until his owners picked him up. Jeffrey thanked them and said goodbye to Buttons.

It was a sad goodbye, but Jeffrey knew he’d soon see Buttons in a week at his house anyway. Things didn’t have to be so sad!

Owners

The vet got into contact with the owners and told them about the trip to the vet. They came home from their vacation early and thanked Jeffrey for taking him to the vet. Jeffrey told them about the bond he had made with the dog.

He told them that he would continue to drop off their mail and check in on Buttons every week. It was a subtle way of telling them that he would be keeping an eye out for any trouble.

Good Relationships

Thankfully, there didn’t have to be any trouble, and the family did seem genuinely sorry about the whole circumstance. They promised never to let it happen again, and Jeffrey even got to know the family over time.

It was a happy ending for everyone involved. Buttons got to keep seeing his favorite mailman, and Jeffrey got to make sure he was okay.

Getting To Know The Family

Jeffrey managed to get familiar with the Denson’s. They were good people who made a mistake regarding their dog. He even got close enough to be invited to dinner. Jane and Marco were happy to share dinner with the man who helped their dog.

Jeffrey was excited to join them. He didn’t have many friends of his own, and it was nice to get some finally. But he had no idea what he’d find once he was in their house.

An Invitation

One week while he was dropping off the Denson’s mail, Marco walked out to greet him. The two exchanged words before he invited him to dinner the following day. Jeffrey happily accepted and continued his day of work.

He looked forward to being had for dinner the following night. But there was one detail he wasn’t aware of.

Getting Ready

Jeffrey had to get ready for his dinner because he didn’t have anything to wear. He was a simple single man that lived alone. The bachelor only had his work uniform, jeans, and t-shirts.

After work, he went to the clothing store and bought a button-up shirt and some khaki pants. It was a smarter look than he was accustomed to, but it was still relatively casual.

Going To The Dinner

Jeffrey couldn’t wait for his shift the next day to end. The day dragged on, and all he could think of was the dinner in the evening. Once work finished, he dropped the delivery van off and got dressed at home.

He got into his personal car and drove over to the Denson’s. Not knowing what dark secret they were hiding.

At The Door

Now at the door, Jeffrey nervously waited with a bottle of wine in hand. He was bending over to scratch his favorite dog on the head. Buttons were happy to see him, and the feeling was mutual.

Then the door opened, and Jeffrey saw his new friends beckoning him in. But he should never have stepped into the house.

An Interesting Dinner

The dinner was beyond Jeffrey’s wildest expectations. They had a pot roast and cracked open his wine. But just as he thought his evening was perfect, he noticed something strange.

He looked over past the dining room table and saw something heartbreaking. He immediately confronted the owners with what he saw.

A Wooden Box

What he saw was a collar sitting next to a wooden box with a plaque that read “Whisper.” His heart sank. His morbid curiosity got the better of him, and he had to ask if it was what he thought it was.

He had hoped that he was wrong. But they only confirmed his suspicions and nearly had him in tears.

Button’s Old Playmate

The two explained through teary eyes that they used to have two dogs. One used to be Button’s playmate, and he was much older. His name was Whisper, and they never had to watch him in the yard because they’d look out for each other.

But just a year prior, their dog passed away. Jeffrey felt so sorry for them. He understood their pain.

Remembering Him

The couple had never felt the same after their special boy passed away. They still cared for Buttons just as much as they did before, but things were dark for them.

They went on vacation to look for other dachshunds to adopt. They wanted to find a friend for Buttons.

Finding Him A Friend

Jeffrey sympathized with the family. He couldn’t believe what they had gone through. He told them that he was happy to help them find a friend for Buttons. They searched far and wide, and eventually, it paid off.

Jeffrey helped them find a cute Dachshund puppy at a shelter. The Denson’s adopted him without hesitation, and Jeffrey would check on him every week when he delivered the mail.

In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.