JOY

MEMORIES THAT WERE MADE

Pound Puppy Lost in the Trash: An Innocent Childhood Regret

Joey Casentino shared a cute childhood story of his Pound Puppy. Let’s enjoy this innocent tale in his own words.

Picture it, it’s 1980-something Queens, NYC and I’m playing outside with my Pound Puppy when he goes flying into a muddy puddle of rainwater. Well, being the genius kid I was, I thought, okay, let me put my puppy somewhere he can dry off. And as I started walking from my yard through the alley way toward the front of the house I saw a a pile of garbage by the curb. Hmm, I thought. What if I put my Pup by the boxes and garbage cans so he can dry off and then I’ll come get him later.

A few hours later…

I went out to the curb to collect my Pound Puppy when, to my shock, all of the garbage was gone and so my PUPPY!

I’m 43 and I still regret that decision. HAHA My poor little pup got taken away with the trash.

Sorry, Mike! I was only 7 years old and didn’t think that plan through.

A hand written letter from young Beth Johnson to Mike

Dear Mr.Bowling my name is Beth Johnson and I love pound puppies! I had lots of pound puppies and 3 of them are originals. The rest of them are the new ones.For the new ones I have newborn pound puppies with diapers and then i have the regular size Pound Puppies. For the originals I have a little one and a regular sized one I said I had 3 originals when I had 2 Pound Puppies and kennel kuddle,but we call the kennel kuddle a pound puppy. The original repular sized one, his name is Raiph, for the original newborn his name is Brown dog beacuse he is brown. The kennel kuddle’s name is Doggy. For the new, newborns Cloud, Coco, Nilla, Rusty, Coal, Cutie, Butter and the only one with Fluffy ears, squach. Then I have Pound Puppy clipons namned Clipper and Cotton. Then for the regular sized Pound Puppies their names are Sniffy, Spotie, Chocolate, Swirl Sweety, and Toast. Those are the names of all my Pound Puppies and every night they sleep in my bed next to me. Every year we write their birthdays on the calender and Celebrate their birthday. My mom has a Couisin that lives near your office.

One time my dad made me a calender for christmas, and each month was a different Pound Puppy, Also the year for that calender was 2022, and then I only had 12 Puppies so, it was Perfect for a calender. Some times when I got home from school, my dad would do something with the Pound Puppies. For example, Pound Puppy Jenga, or Pound Puppy Scavinger hunt. One time at the end of the school year, my dad and my brother set up a Pound Puppy awards day. He also took a Pound Puppy and put a sign on it saying “Free Hugs!” We’ve also done Pound Puppy Pyramids where we would stack them in the shape of a triangle. We live in chattanooga, Tennessee, and most the time we find Pound Puppies in a store called Target.But we have found them in other states. I went to Target once with my dad and my brother, and got 2 newborn Puppies (Cutie and Butter) with my own money. But the Point is that I LOVE POUND PUPPIES!

Pound Puppy Flies Fighter Missions

In our condo complex, I had a touching conversation with a fellow resident.  She shared a heartwarming story about her son, a Navy pilot who flies fighter planes. She proudly shared this sweet story.   During the Kuwait war missions, her son had a special companion that he took with him from home—a Pound Puppy he cherished and loved since childhood.  She explained that the plush toy had been his loyal buddy throughout his formative years, accompanying him everywhere he went. When he became a pilot, he took his loyal buddy with him for good luck and placed his beloved Pound Puppy under his seat to give him good luck during some really intense missions.  Her son made it home safe and sound and so did his Pound Puppy. This story got to me as I envisioned that brave American pilot and his Pound Puppy companion fighting for our freedoms. I am so thankful for our military, past and present, and all they have done and continue to do for us. Thank you.

Pound Puppies Provided Solace for a Bullied Heart

I visited a local computer store to fix some issues with my computer. As I engaged in conversation with the technician, he curiously asked about my profession. When I told him I was a toymaker, he asked me what toys I invented and I mentioned Pound Puppies as my first invention. 

His reaction caught me off guard. He got choked up and confessed, “You have no idea how Pound Puppies affected my life. When I was in school, I was bullied relentlessly, and I had no friends. My Pound Puppy became my only companion and my best friend.” 

I looked at this grown man and was thankful that the vision for Pound Puppies had given him relief during some of the toughest days of a young boy’s life.  I gave him a hug and he went back to work as I stood there silently thanking God for this encounter.

An “engaging” and romantic surprise

In a wonderfully unexpected surprise, a young lady shared a delightful story about her boyfriend’s clever gift. During a romantic dinner, he surprised her by presenting her with a Pound Puppy.  She laughed and thought it was such a sweet gesture.  And then…he turned the Pound Puppy around and said, “Will you marry me?”  An engagement ring was playfully attached to its collar and glistening from the candle glow on the table. Although the Pound Puppy was an exciting gift, the ring took first prize and she said “Yes.”  That Pound Puppy became a fixture in their home and she was so excited to meet the one who invented it.  Seeing the ring on her finger made me smile at the thought of that young man choosing not only a ring for his bride but a Pound Puppy too! 

Young Girl’s Unforgettable Fishing Trip: A Life Jacket for Her Pound Puppy

Remembering a fishing trip from her childhood, a waitress at a local restaurant shared a touching story. As a young girl, she accompanied her father on a deep-sea fishing adventure, bringing along her beloved Pound Puppy. She took her Pound Puppy everywhere!  Her father insisted that she wear a life jacket. She didn’t want to but did what her father told her to do.  But the kicker of the story is this.  To her father’s surprise, when he turned around, he discovered that she had tucked her cherished Pound Puppy inside the life jacket with her. It was bulging out from the top and all he could see was the Pound Puppies head over his daughters.  He wanted to laugh but gently explained that her Pound Puppy didn’t need a life jacket, it was just a toy.  She was indignant and responded to her father, “If I have to be saved, so does my Pound Puppy.”  I laughed at her memory and thanked her for sharing it.  Then I thought, “Do we need to make a life jacket for the Pound Puppies?”  My mind never stops thinking about the next toy adventure!

Pound Puppies and the Surgical Surprise

As I was being prepped for surgery, the operating room nurse was filling in with small talk as we waited for my “sleepy” medicine to kick in.  She asked what I did for a living and I told her I was a toymaker and had invented Pound Puppies.  Before I could ask her if she had heard of them, she exclaimed – “I can’t believe this.  I LOVED my Pound Puppies and still have them!”  She ran out to the nurse’s station and grabbed her phone.  She came back all giggly and showed me a picture of her beloved collection on her phone. As I began to drift off I could hear her telling others about her childhood memories with them.  When I woke up after surgery, she returned and asked if we could get a selfie together.  I’m on her phone somewhere and wish I had captured one for my files too.  You just never know when or where Pound Puppy owners will pop up even in a surgical unit!

We have been receiving heartwarming stories
about the impact of your Pound Puppy on your life

Tell us yours

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Click or drag a file to this area to upload.
© 2023 · Design by Lilac Marketing