What do you do when you meet your doppelgänger on a random errand to the local farmers market?
Beg your mom to bring him home, of course! If you’re a dog, that is. Bethany Coleman and her dog Rogue were out on the street when they met an identical looking pup on a leash, and promptly introduced themselves.
“Rogue and I were out for a nice long walk to our local farmers market when we saw Beast. He was there with Last Hope K9 Rescue and a bunch of other dogs that were all up for adoption.”
Adopting another dog was actually the last thing on Coleman’s mind. She already had a full household with her partner Tyson, with two senior cats and their rescue dog Rogue.
“Tyson had mentioned getting another dog and I was like, ‘no way.’ “We were renting an apartment in Beacon Hill [in Boston]. If we moved, I kept saying no one in their right mind would rent a place to two humans, two cats, and two dogs.”
But meeting Rogue’s mirror image changed her mind. “What made me want to rescue Beast over the other dogs was that he looked just like Rogue.
They’re both cairn terrier mixes, Rogue’s mom was a lab/pit mix and her dad a cairn and with Beast we’re just not sure, it just has cairn mix.” She just had to call her partner to say that she had found the perfect dog to bring home.
Forgetting all about getting produce at the local farmers market, Coleman decided to immediately adopt the dog, whom she named Beast. “I just instantly fell in love with him!
He was Rogue’s twin! They also got along and immediately started playing with one another. So right then and there I started filling out the paperwork.”
It was love at first sight for the dogs as well, and Rogue seemed convinced that she and Beast had been separated at birth.
Though Beast was warmly welcomed into the family, everyone still had to adjust to the dynamics of having a new pet at home. With Beast settling in, Rogue began to miss being the only ‘child’ in the household.
“We’d get Beast and Rogue the same exact toys at first but she would only want whatever Beast had and would always take it from him,” Coleman said.
Still, the relationship has grown from sibling rivalry to the strongest friendship. Now double Rogue’s size, the two dogs still think they’re twins. “He thinks he’s tiny like Rogue is, but he’s not and he can’t understand why he can’t do the things that she does. He’ll step on Tyson and on the cats just to get to me if I’m on the couch or bed.”
The two dogs also perfectly complement each other, with Rogue always on the go while Beast has a calm easygoing nature. “Beast is the big baby and competes with the cats for lap space. Rogue was super hyper when she was an only dog but has definitely mellowed out now.”
The family has since moved to Hawaii and are on a new journey together. “Our adventure across the country together proved this little family will always be together. We will always appreciate each day for the unconditional love they give us and we can’t wait for the next adventure,” Coleman said.
The loving and close-knit family has certainly come a long way since that almost uneventful walk to the local farmers market. “I jokingly say we’re starting our own little Noah’s ark. Two humans, two cats, and two dogs.”