The True Story of Dunkin's
Guardian Angel Werner D. Jones
As told by Wyatt, who heard it firsthand from Mom and Dad.
Well folks, as I've mentioned before, I come from a long and distinguished line of adopted Wiener Dogs - also known as Dachshunds. And the story of Werner D. Jones is one of my favorites. You see, Werner wasn't just a character in the books. Werner was a real Dog. And if you ask Mom and Dad, he'll always hold a special place in their hearts.
Back when Mom and Dad were living in Florida, Dad would often stop by a local pet store during his lunch breaks. Now most people stop somewhere for a sandwich or a cup of coffee. Not my Dad. Dad stopped to visit a Dachshund. That Dachshund was Werner. Dad had named him long before he ever knew that Werner would come to live with them. You see, Dad knew how smart we Dachshunds are and he said if we ever get another Dachshund we are going to name him Werner, after the German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, and that's how Werner got his name.
Sometimes Mom would go to the pet store with Dad, and together they would spend time talking to little Werner through the front of his cage. Now folks, there was just one problem. Actually, there were three. The first problem was that the pet store wanted over $900 for him at the time. That was a fortune, and at that point in their lives, there was simply no way Mom and Dad could afford that much money.
The second problem was that Werner was already over nine months old and still growing. Most people walking into a pet store wanted a tiny little puppy. Werner was rapidly becoming a full-sized Dachshund.
And the third problem was the one that broke Mom and Dad's hearts. The cage he was living in was simply too small. While it was long enough for him to stand and lie down, it was far too narrow. He couldn't comfortably turn around. Most of the time he could only stand or lie down and wait. Dad said it was so heartbreaking to see him sitting there month after month. Every time he visited, Werner was still there. Still waiting. Still hoping. Still watching people walk by.
Then one day Dad reached his limit. He walked into the store, looked at Werner sitting in that cage, and decided it was enough.
Dad marched straight up to the store manager and said, "That Dachshund has been here for months. My wife and I have been watching him, and I want to get him out of that cage." The manager explained that Werner was priced at over $900.
Dad nodded and said, "I understand that, but I've got 300 dollars cash, and I'll take him home today." The manager shook his head and said, "If I sell him for 300 dollars, I'll lose money." Dad looked him right in the eye and replied, "You're already losing money on him. He's been here for months, and nobody's buying a nearly grown Dachshund for that price." Folks, that's what pilots call a direct approach.
The manager thought about it for a moment and finally said, "Alright. But I won't give you a warranty." Dad later told me that was one of the easiest decisions he ever made. He said, "I don't care about a warranty. I just want to get him out of that cage and give him a good home."
So Dad handed over the 300 dollars, the paperwork was signed. And just like that, Werner became part of the family.
Now here's my favorite part of the story. Dad didn't tell Mom. He brought Werner home as a surprise. Folks, if you've ever seen a Dachshund surprise someone, you'll know they're much better than flowers. When Mom saw Werner, it was love at first sight. And when Werner saw Mom? Well, I think he decided right then and there that he had found his Mom. The two of them became inseparable.
Dad often said that Werner wasn't just Mom's dog. He was her soul mate with four paws. Werner adored Mom. And Mom adored Werner.
For more than fifteen wonderful years, Werner filled their home with love, laughter, companionship, and enough Dachshund stubbornness to keep life interesting. And folks, that's the true story of Werner D. Jones. A little Dachshund who spent months waiting in a pet store cage until one day a determined pilot walked in and made an offer that changed their lives forever. Sometimes the very best family members are the ones who simply need someone willing to give them a second chance.