Rescue Pig Is So In Love With His New Dog

Dexter the pig has been through A LOT, so it must be a relief to now have his very own dog ...

... who just gets him ...

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

... and is always there for him ...

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

... no really ALWAYS there.

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

Life did not begin well for Dexter, who is now about 6 months old. Rescued from neglect, he ended up at the Asheville Humane Society (AHS), in North Carolina.

He was so malnourished that he couldn't even walk. "I estimated that he had less than a 50 percent chance of surviving through the day," Michael Mustin, medical coordinator at the AHS, tells The Dodo.

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

For the next two weeks, thanks to Mustin's care, Dexter slowly regained the use of his legs. That's when he went to recuperate with Diana Dauer, who was also having a rough time of it.

Dauer had recently fallen while riding a horse and suffered a traumatic brain injury - she would recover with bedrest. But, since she was home anyway, she thought she could help Dexter by fostering him.

It was, of course, a foster fail.

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

Although she made Dexter a Facebook page to attract adopters, and she even took him on "dates" to meet them, nothing worked out. And then one day, she realized something important about Dexter and her dogs.

"One day he was just snuggled up with Moose and later with my hound dog, Houston," Dauer tells The Dodo. "I was floored! They had the choice to lie anywhere but there they were spooning. I realized that Dexter had adopted us and I was the only one that hadn't realized it."

And so a new family was born.

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

Dexter originally bonded the most with Houston, who'd also come from a rough background. He was found starving on the streets, emaciated and sick.

"Houston was very gentle in playing with Dexter and he was the first I trusted around Dexter," Dauer says.

Dexter and Houston | Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

"Fast-forward a few months and Dexter and Moose are the unlikeliest of friends," she adds. "Moose, despite the stereotypes of his breed, is one of the most lovable and love-giving dogs I have ever met. He brings toys to Dexter and shares food with all the household animals. He snuggles with everyone."

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

"Moose just has a good sense of how to interact with Dexter - they play, they sleep together, they would probably share food together (if I would let them)," Dauer says, "and they 'talk' with each other when there's a closed door separating them. Moose will sit outside of Dexter's door and make sounds and Dexter will respond with grunts in kind."

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

Dexter is lucky to have other brothers and sisters as well: a 13-year-old chocolate lab named Diesel and Elmo, a 14-year-old cat. There is also Snowmane, a 15-year-old paint horse, and Steeler, a 3-year-old horse.

Dexter hasn't met the horses yet, but Dauer hopes to introduce them soon.

For now he's busy with Moose. And keeping up with his favorite activities.

Like blowing bubbles underwater ...

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

... burying himself in blankets ...

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

... and politely waiting for food to fall in the kitchen.

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

"His personality is still emerging but he is very expressive about what he likes and what he doesn't like," Dauer says. "I've read that pigs make over 20 distinguished sounds. So far we're at a little over 10. He says things like, 'Let me in,' 'I'm hungry,' 'I'm thirsty' and 'Don't touch me.'"

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

Nowadays Dexter has his own room and goes in and out of the house as he pleases. But Dauer is working on building him his very own barn and play area so that he'll have somewhere "safe, comfortable and stimulating when I am able to go back to work full-time."

The barn will have several rooting areas and lots of things to keep Dexter occupied - "He really enjoys solving 'puzzles,' so I've been collecting toys where he has to pull on something and push on things to get a treat," she says.

We're sure that Moose will be his first visitor.

Facebook/Unofficial: Dexter Oliver Bentley

See more pictures of Dexter and Moose - and the rest of their family - here.

And watch them play here: