“His personality is as big as his ears.”

Rudy was taken in by Montgomery County Animal Services three years ago as a stray. He was soon adopted, but unfortunately, he became a stray again and ended up back at the shelter once more. Ever since then, his friends at the shelter have been trying to find him the perfect forever home, but they just keep hearing the same things over and over again.

“Unfortunately, Rudy has not had any adoption interest since he returned to the shelter,” Suzanne Hollifield, foster coordinator at Montgomery County Animal Services, told The Dodo. “Most of the feedback we hear is, ‘He’s too big,’ ‘He’s too old,’ and … ‘He sheds a lot.’”

Rudy is 6 years old, so while he has a few years under his belt, he still has plenty more to come. When it comes to his personality, he’s basically just a big puppy. He loves going on walks, playing with other dogs, going for rides in the car and getting puppuccinos from Starbucks now and then. He has so much love for life, and now he just needs a family to share it with.

While Rudy is handling his time at the shelter with grace, he’s still a very big dog who needs more room to run around and be himself, which is why the shelter is hoping to find him a new home as soon as they can.

“Currently, Rudy seems to be doing okay in the kennel, but he is a large dog and needs more activity before he starts to decline, [in] a home with active humans and another dog,” Hollifield said. “Rudy would probably do best in a home with a fenced yard and humans that like to walk with him.”

What people don’t realize about Rudy is that all of his “downsides” are actually upsides. He’s big, so there’s more of him to cuddle with. He’s a little older, which means he’s already learned the ropes and will fit into any new family with ease. He’s happy, curious and so much fun — who wouldn’t want to add this guy to their family?

“His personality is as big as his ears,” Hollifield said. “Rudy is a bid ole’ goober who loves other dogs and people! He would make a great companion for the family who is looking for a delightful German shepherd mix!”

Rudy hasn’t had much luck in finding the perfect home, but his friends at the shelter haven’t given up. His dream family is out there somewhere, and they’re going to love every huge, fluffy inch of him.

“He may drop some hair, be older, be big, but his heart and love for this world are invaluable,” Hollifield said.