As a competitive bodybuilder and hardwood floor contractor, Bobby Humphreys of Boonsboro, Maryland has always considered himself the kind of guy who only likes big dogs. He’d laugh at male friends who were seen with small pups, in fact.
Humphreys has owned 3 Rottweilers over the course of his adult life. He admits that his love of big, fierce pups probably stems from insecurity – something he claims all men have at heart with their egos.
Then, his life took a turn for the worst. Just a day before New Year in 2016, Humphreys’ wife of 17 years left him. Then, just a week later, a shoulder injury caused him to need reconstructive surgery. The man found himself spiralling into depression, leading to alcoholism.
Even when Humphreys got better and he was able to work again, his depression stuck around. That’s when a friend of his named Constance Rogers messaged him and asked if he would help take care of Lady, her little Chihuahua, for a short while.
Humphreys knew about Lady’s bad disposition, which was known among friends, and didn’t want to do it. But Rogers had been there for him in his most difficult times, so he gave in and let Lady stay in his home. He didn’t want to just keep her in her kennel – especially after she gave him sad eyes through it – so he let her roam free.
Within just one and a half hours, Lady had clambered onto Humphreys’ lap. The two immediately became inseparable. He had four months to look after her, and in that time, their bond deepened. When Humphreys struggled just to wake up in the morning, Lady would keep him going and cuddle with him in bed. Soon, Humphreys was in love with the tiny pup.
But Humphreys knew Lady wasn’t a permanent resident, so he began to look into adopting a tiny Chihuahua pup of his own – something he would have recoiled at the idea of just a few years ago. That’s why he came across Kira, a one-year-old with problems with aggression and food. Then he found Harley and Quinn, sisters with nervous dispositions. Then he found Bella, with overgrown nails that curled into her paws.
It wasn’t long before Humphreys realized that so many Chihuahua pups had been subjected to abuse throughout their lives. He knew they needed somewhere safe to be – so he founded Big Guy, Littles World Sanctuary – and now there are 37 little pups living there!
Through all the hard times, Humphreys founded love and a savior where he never knew they would be – in the hearts of the tiny little dogs he’d always overlooked.
Images & Feature Image Source: Facebook/Big Guy, Littles World Sanctuary