When Kristen Lee first met Remi three years ago, she instantly knew they belonged together.
“It felt like fate,” Lee told The Dodo. “He had the biggest head I’d ever seen, and I just fell in love with him.”
At the time, Lee thought Remi would always be her one and only. Though he adored people, Remi was uneasy around other adult dogs.
But after moving into a home with a larger yard, Lee felt called to open her heart — and her home — to foster puppies through PJ’s Rescue.
These were pups who had been abandoned, many of them afraid and unsure of the world. She knew they needed a soft place to land.
Still, she worried how Remi would react to sharing his space.
“I was super nervous,” Lee admitted. “When I brought home the first puppy, we took the introduction slowly — but to my surprise, Remi just seemed to know. It was like he understood that this little puppy needed him.”
From that moment on, Remi’s gentle, nurturing nature took over.
As more foster puppies came through the door, Lee watched in awe as each one bonded instantly with Remi. They didn’t just look to him for comfort — they looked up to him as a role model. One by one, the puppies began mimicking his every move.
“They pick up so many of his habits,” Lee said. “He has this quirky way of sitting with his legs sticking out to the side — and every single puppy ends up doing it, too. It’s hilarious and adorable.”
Despite his size, Remi is remarkably gentle with the tiny fosters. He’s careful during playtime and always seems aware of how fragile his little friends are.
“He plays so sweetly with them,” Lee said. “You’d never expect it from such a big dog. And when he yawns, the puppies get so curious — they stick their heads right in his mouth. It cracks me up every time.”
For Lee, having Remi by her side has made the fostering journey not only easier but far more meaningful.
“I don’t know how I’d do it without him,” she said. “He’s the perfect example for the puppies — patient, kind, and full of love.”
To support puppies like the ones Remi helps care for, consider donating to PJ’s Rescue.
