Shepherd Mix Becomes A 'Foster Fail' And He Looks So Happy He Could Cry

Sometimes, a foster home is just a stop along the way, a place for a needy dog to get a bit of much-needed TLC before continuing the journey to a permanent home. Other times, a foster home can transform into a forever home. 

In a heartwarming TikTok video that's been viewed more than 566,000 times and racked up over 121,000 likes, a shepherd mix named Louie is so overjoyed to be reunited with his foster mother that he can't stop climbing on her and wagging his tail. Text overlaid on the video reads "POV you come back and adopt your foster dog when he didn't get adopted," and the caption says, "His smile 🥹 welcome home Louie 🫶🏻shelter dogs are the best dogs."

@nikkihudsonpillar2

His smile 🥹 welcome home Louie 🫶🏻shelter dogs are the best dogs. #adoptdontshop #bestfriends #shelterdog #dogsoftiktok #dogmom

♬ original sound – Nikki Hudsonpillar

Words can scarcely describe the emotions on Louie's face in the video. "Omg... His face... His smile... I can't... ❤️🥰❤️🥰❤️," one viewer wrote, while another commented, "He's like don't cry don't cry don't cry 😢." One netizen shared, "OMG, the squinty eyes get me every time," and another focused on Louie's expressive ears: "Those sweet ears could not fold back any farther 😭😭." Louie's obvious joy elicited strong emotions in everyone, with one viewer writing, "He's crying, I'm crying, we're all crying 😭," and another confessing, "My God, all I do is cry at dog videos 😩😩."

Shelter surrender is worse for a dog than you thought, given how crowded, noisy, and chaotic many shelters are. Shelters can struggle with too many abandoned animals and not enough funding and staff. That's why foster parents can play such an important role, taking dogs home to calm environments to get the love, attention, and exercise they need while they wait for their forever homes. A foster home is the perfect place for a dog to heal from past trauma or a physical injury. In a foster home, a dog's true personality can emerge, making it easier for the animal to get adopted. Plus, foster homes help to free up much-needed space in shelters, so more animals can be rescued.

Of course, the downside of fostering is the ever-present risk of a foster fail. After bringing a scared and needy dog into your home and watching the animal start to relax and trust again, it can feel impossible not to keep the dog. "Sitting here with my foster fail boy on his birthday with tears in my eyes! These babies just are the greatest and the most deserving, aren't they? 🥹💕" one netizen wrote. Another declared, "FOSTER FAIL STORIES ARE MY FAV STORIES EVERRRR 😭😭."

Looking for more heartwarming stories about foster fails? Grab a tissue and check out this rescue dog who was "starved for attention," but now his happiness is contagious, and these 17 foster fails that prove resistance is futile.