Senior Golden Retriever Spent 9 Years in a Shed as a Breeding Dog. Now, the Pup Is 'Always Smiling' (Exclusive)

• Bruce the 9-year-old golden retriever spent most of his life living in a shed as a breeding dog for a backyard breeder

• A couple adopted the senior pet in 2024 from Humane Fort Wayne

• The dog now enjoys a life filled with toys, affection and TikTok fame

Bruce the senior golden retriever proves that the golden years of life can be some of the best.

Aubrey Turner and her wife adopted Bruce in 2024 after suddenly losing their dog in July.

"She was only 3 years old, and we took her loss very hard. At first, the idea of another dog in the house was unbearable, but after a lot of grieving, we realized how much we missed it, and soon enough, we were applying to local shelters," Turner tells PEOPLE.

While searching for a new dog, the optometrist assistant from Fort Wayne, Indiana, held out hope that a rescue golden retriever would find their way to the couple.

"Golden retrievers have been my favorite dog breed since I was very little, and I had always dreamed of having one," Turner shares.

After starting the search, Turner found Bruce on Humane Fort Wayne's website and felt "immediately drawn" to him. She talked over the canine with her wife, and they agreed that they had to meet the golden retriever.

"Senior dogs have a greatly reduced chance of getting adopted, so with him already being 9 years old and heartworm positive," Turner says of what she read about the dog online. "I knew he wouldn't have as great of a chance at adoption as other dogs would. I thought about him all night, and I still couldn't stop thinking about him at work the next day,"

With Bruce still on her mind, Turner decided to visit the dog at Humane Fort Wayne during her lunch break at work the day after spotting the dog online.

"The first time I saw him, he looked very defeated. His head was hung down low when he walked into the meeting room, his tail was tucked between his legs, and he refused to take any treats from me or the shelter assistant," Turner recalls.

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The animal lover learned from the shelter that the golden retriever was used as a breeding dog before arriving at Humane Fort Wayne.

"He lived in a shed outside, never getting the comfort of being inside a warm home or knowing the loving touch from humans. His grooming needs were severely neglected, as he came to us with long, matted hair," Turner says of Bruce's history.

Despite Bruce's initial hesitation, he gave Turner "soft kisses" during their first meeting and looked deeply into the human's eyes.

"When I looked into his eyes, it really felt like love at first sight. His spirit was worn down and battered but never broken. You could tell there was still a happy, joyful dog deep inside; he just needed a little help to let that side of him out," she says.

"He came home with me that day, and he has been thriving every day since," she adds.

Bruce seems to understand he has entered a new, tender stage of his life. Turner says the canine became a "velcro dog" the second he arrived at his forever home, staying close to his pet parents. At first, the senior pup had no interest in toys, which he likely didn't encounter much during his life as a breeding dog.

"Bruce definitely appears to have a little bit of trauma from his past, most notably when it comes to any sudden or loud noise, as this sends him into a panic. He gets very anxious when we are out of his sight, so I believe he has some separation anxiety from being neglected for so many years. Despite his trauma & difficult past, he is still the most loving, gentle dog I've ever met," Turner says.

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With the protection of a loving home, Bruce has had room to explore his gentle and playful side. "His tail once constantly tucked between his legs, now wags fiercely at even the mention of his name," Turner shares. Bruce now "puppy gallops" around the house instead of using a slow, timid walk, and he is "always smiling."

"He is truly a whole new dog from the first time I met him to now, almost two months later, in his forever home," his pet parent adds.

Some of those smiles come from the golden retriever's new collection of toys, delights he didn't get to enjoy in his previous living arrangement.

"His absolute favorite toy is his Lambchop (Lamby). This was the first toy we bought for him, and he immediately became attached to it. He never chews or destroys it; he just carries it with him to the couch to snuggle," Turner says.

Bruce has discovered that he also loves whipped cream and humans.

"Despite the horrible treatment that people have put him through, he still wants nothing more than to be best friends with every human we meet," his owner adds.

Other animal lovers have witnessed Bruce's amazing transformation through the golden retriever's TikTok (@seniorboybruce), where Turner shares the dog's progress and day-to-day activities.

Bruce already has thousands of social media followers and TikTok clips with over 235,000 viewers.

Turner says she started the TikTok account for several reasons. First, she wanted to document her family's time with their new senior pet.

"I don't want to forget a single moment with him, and because he was robbed of so many experiences that all dogs should get to enjoy, I wanted to be able to capture his 'firsts' to be able to relive them over and over again," she adds. "Second, I wanted to help share the importance of adopting, especially with senior dogs."

According to Turner, not only has her "truly perfect" pup's life changed, but hers has also.

"Since welcoming Bruce into our home, I can honestly say I'm the happiest I've been in a long time. He opened my heart back up and healed wounds inside of me that I didn't think could be healed. He has saved us just as much as we saved him," she says.

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Turner hopes Bruce's growing popularity later in life will raise awareness of the dangers and damage of backyard dog breeding and the joy that comes with adopting a pet.

"One of the biggest things I hope people can take away from Bruce's story is the damage that puppy mills and backyard breeding do. The adult dogs suffer, the puppies suffer, and in turn, all dogs in shelters suffer because the demand for puppy mills is still so high. Bruce suffered for 9 years so his "owners" could make a profit. There are so many wonderful, loving dogs in shelters who could be your best friend; you just have to give them a chance," Turner shares.

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