A Rescue Dog Can Make a Great Traveling Companion

When six-foot-tall Finis White climbs out of his big rig, he looks every inch the tough, world-weary truck driver that the general public expects to see at a rest area or truck stop. And then a little ball of fur who answers to the name Bailey comes trotting out after him.

The fluffy white Shih-Tzu has found a home and a hero in White, happily living the traveling life of a true trucking dog.

“He rescued her, and she rescued him,” says White’s wife Paige. “He can be away for weeks at a time, and the loneliness and time away from home was getting to him. That’s why we looked for a small rescue dog that he could travel with.”

The couple answered an ad on Craig’s List from a woman who had a small dog to give to a new home. Once she brought Bailey over it was clear that something was not quite right. The woman explained that the dog had been abused and was scared of men. Bailey seemed terrified of everyone and everything around her. She didn’t like people. She cowered when the Whites’ other dog appeared.

But Finis figured that after a while on the road, Bailey would learn to trust him — and that’s exactly what happened.

Bailey sticks by Finis on the road and home. When he leaves her in the truck to take care of tasks or grab a meal, she runs over to his seat and waits patiently for his return. When he’s back and settled in, she curls up on his stomach to rest. If he gets up, she pads after him. The one time she left his side happened at a truck stop. When another driver knocked on the cab door, little Bailey tore away from Finis, barking as loud and ferociously as she possibly could. She was determined to protect him the way he had protected her.

So while they make an odd pairing at first glance, Finis and Bailey clearly have each other’s backs. Finis isn’t sure if he’ll be making it home for the holidays, but he does know that wherever he may be, Bailey will be by his side.

Many truckers take in rescue dogs or help to find them homes through organizations like Operation Roger, Musical Truckin’ Dogs and Kindred Hearts Transport Connection.