Man on vacation spends hours searching for stray dog that followed him, set on adopting it

A man’s Puerto Rico vacation became extra special after meeting an unexpected tour guide, who later became a new family member.

Eddie, known as @eddienchooch215 on TikTok, has shared videos of his American Bully, Chooch, for the past two years.

Recently, he introduced a new dog, CiCi, who he adopted during a vacation in Puerto Rico.

About a month ago, Eddie and Krystal began their island trip on May 7th with a beach visit.

They were unexpectedly joined by a black-and-white puppy who led them directly to the shore.

Eddie captured this moment in a TikTok video, which has gained over 3 million views, where he marvels at the dog guiding them to the ocean.

The video showed the dog joyfully playing with Eddie in the water, rolling around, and reluctantly following them back to their car, evoking warmth and sadness among viewers.

“It sucks saying goodbye,” Eddie captioned his video. “She would love Chooch.”

After expressing gratitude to the dog, giving her water, and driving off, the pup started chasing after the car.

“Before I leave the island, I’m gonna come back to this spot to say goodbye for good,” the video reads. “Life is sm better w dogs no matter where you go.”

After sharing the video, Eddie received numerous messages encouraging him to reunite with the dog.

“It just broke my heart when I had to drive away, but it was kind of our first day there,” Eddie shares with TODAY.com, adding that the support from his followers urging him to adopt the dog ultimately convinced him to return for her.

Eddie’s followers tagged Chelsea from Souls of Satos, a dog rescue in Puerto Rico.

Chelsea contacted Eddie and offered to help with the adoption process, reassuring him that locating the dog was the next step.

After deciding to adopt the pup, Eddie and his girlfriend delayed their search until 5 p.m. due to prior plans during their Puerto Rico vacation.

They spent hours showing people videos of the dog and asking for help finding her.

“I was starting to lose hope because it was about a good hour and a half (of searching for her), and I thought she was going to be in the same spot where we saw her originally,” Eddie recalls.

Fortunately, Eddie received a tip to check a nearby neighborhood where vendors often feed stray dogs. “And that’s where she was,” Eddie says, relieved.

He then took CiCi, as she’s now named, and began documenting their journey back to his home in Philadelphia.

Eddie didn’t plan to adopt a dog from Puerto Rico during his vacation, but he couldn’t wait any longer to find CiCi.

CiCi’s name, chosen by Eddie’s girlfriend, honors the place they found her in Ceiba, Puerto Rico.

After their vacation, Eddie and Krystal worked with the organization to adopt CiCi, who appeared ownerless without a microchip.

In Philadelphia, Eddie prepared Chooch for CiCi’s arrival as his new “sister” and updated his followers on her journey home.

When Eddie and Krystal picked up CiCi, they brought balloons, and she seemed to recognize them.

They introduced her to Chooch in a neutral environment and had a cake prepared for her at home, although she was too exhausted to enjoy it.

Upon CiCi’s arrival, a vet check revealed she had pale gums, signaling anemia and hookworms, which were confirmed through tests.

Eddie updates that by early June, CiCi will recover nicely; she’s free of hookworms, and her anemia has improved.

He will continue to monitor and retest CiCi’s health. He also intends to conduct a DNA test to discover her breed.

“Once she gets some healthy weight, we will start the heartworm treatment,” he says.

Eddie says CiCi gets along with Chooch and everyone she meets. She wasn’t with the other dogs when they found her, unlike many strays Eddie saw during their Puerto Rico vacation.

CiCi loves people and eagerly greets anyone passing by their yard, showing her love for attention.

Eddie mentions that CiCi enjoys playing with her big brother, Chooch, and they adjust well together.

He describes CiCi as playful and affectionate as she settles into her new home and family.

Eddie describes CiCi as wanting to be close by, even more so than Chooch.

He shares his story on TikTok and TODAY.com, highlighting that his dogs are cherished companions beyond being pets.

Eddie credits Chooch with providing invaluable support during his sobriety journey, demonstrating unmatched love and companionship.

“I do treat my dogs just like people, people who are my best friends, my family members,” Eddie says before thanking people for their continued support. “Chooch’s and CiCi’s followers are awesome.”

Watch Eddie find CiCi during his Puerto Rico vacation:

@eddienchooch215 What a good girl ❤️ #foryou #eddienchooch #dogsoftiktok #love #parati #trending #pov #doglover ♬ Snow on the Beach – siti maesaroh

You can follow Eddie on TikTok and see more videos of him, Chooch, and CiCi.