When choosing a dog to adopt, we often think about a lot of things like breed, age, or personality. A lot of us often neglect to think there are other dogs, too.

They are the ones who have some form of disability or a rare illness that makes their life difficult. What is also true is that they are the ones who are most often ignored.

It shouldn’t be that way. While I understand that it may be too costly for some people to treat them, they still deserve a loving home and someone who will care for them.

Yogi was in the same situation. He was born with a rare genetic condition that caused him a lot of problems, but his life would change when he was adopted by someone truly amazing.

Yogi’s Mom

Before Molly first adopted Yogi, her family was struck by a terrible tragedy. Her daughter passed away from a heart condition. They tried to recover so she adopted a dog named Teddy.

He lifted up their spirits and helped them get through the difficult time in their lives. However, he would get a bit lonely, so the family decided to adopt another dog as well, and that’s how they met Yogi.

Yogi’s life has been difficult. He has an unusual condition called ‘Somatic mutation’ and it causes strange changes in a dog.

Firstly, his tail has a different color pattern. The condition impacts his brain and is causing some neurological problems. He has a weaker side, which is why his face tilts to the left. 

He experiences mild seizures and heart murmurs. To help people understand his condition, Yogi’s mom, Molly Alive Volker, compared it to down syndrome in dogs.

They are similar in a few ways, and it’s the easiest way to explain the dog’s condition to other people.

This basically means that Molly doesn’t know how long Yogi will live. It could be months or years. Regardless, she wants to give him the best life possible.

While it is heartbreaking to think about, Yogi is enjoying his life to the fullest extent. He loves playing and taking walks. His neighbors love him and often give him treats.

Internet’s Reaction To Yogi

Molly shared Yogi’s story on TikTok where it went viral pretty quickly. It received millions of views and a lot of people just fell in love with this sweet Golden Retriever right away.

One person commented: “More ear skritches and belly rubs for Yogi! and that little snarl makes him look like Billy Idol!”

You know, I would have never thought to make that comparison, but I think that I am starting to see it a little bit.

Another person said: “My golden makes that face when you scratch a certain area. We call it the Elvis. Literally so adorable.”

Okay, so it’s not just Yogi who makes this face. I didn’t know other Golden Retrievers also do it when they receive scratches.

Lastly, somebody commented: “He’s beautiful, perfect and wonderful family. take good care of this special boy.”

It’s always heartwarming to see this kind of reaction to a dog as special as Yogi. It really gives me hope that dogs like him can find a forever home regardless of their condition.

He is just so amazing and deserves the best for being such a good boy. I am glad that he has someone so special in his life to care for him.