HIGGINS

(aka The Cozy Little Stick Goblin in a Tuxedo)

🖤 A Very Handsome Gentleman With Secret Brindle Business

Higgins is a 3.5-month-old Boston Terrier boy with the kind of face that makes you immediately start talking to him in a ridiculous voice. He is a handsome little 12-pound nugget in a classic black-and-white tuxedo, polished and proper at first glance… until the sunlight hits him just right and reveals his little secret. Hidden beneath that glossy black coat is the most beautiful subtle brindle shimmer, like he’s been quietly carrying around a bronze glow this whole time and only shares it with those paying attention.

He has those big, soulful brown eyes that somehow manage to look both sweet and thoughtful, like he’s taking in the world very seriously while also wondering if you might pick him up immediately. His little face is darling. His corkscrew tail is ridiculously cute. And the whole package is tied together with that unmistakable Boston Terrier charm: expressive, compact, funny, affectionate, and just a little bit opinionated about comfort.

Because Higgins, for the record, is very committed to being warm and cozy.

☀️ Higgins Has Officially Decided the World is Wonderful

When Higgins first came into rescue, he was unsure about things. Not shut down, not unavailable, just cautious in that soft, observant way some puppies are when they’re still deciding whether the world is going to be kind to them.

And now? This little guy has come alive.

Higgins has conquered the world, as far as he’s concerned. He is joyful, curious, and eager for new experiences, especially when he gets to have his people nearby. He’s the kind of puppy who has found his footing and now moves through life with this really lovely mix of sweetness, confidence, and calm. He’s not a chaos goblin for the sake of chaos. He’s an easy-going little guy who enjoys fun, enjoys comfort, and seems very pleased with the arrangement when life includes both.

He wants to explore. He wants to play. He wants to wrestle. He wants a good nap afterward. Honestly? He has balance figured out better than most adults.

🚽 Potty Training: Tiny Professional, Mildly Weather-Dependent

Higgins is doing very well with potty training. He goes outside every couple of hours on a routine, and once he’s out there, he usually gets right down to business so he can get back to the more important work of exploring and playing. He is not trying to stand out in the yard composing poetry about his feelings. He has places to be.

He is also starting to sometimes signal by sitting at the door, which is very exciting progress for such a young puppy. He’s putting the pieces together beautifully.

Now, one honest note from the Higgins Department of Preferences: if it is cold outside, he may look at you like you have personally betrayed him. He wakes up slowly, enjoys the comfort of his cozy crate, and does not always appreciate being asked to leave his warm nest for chilly morning responsibilities. But once he gets outside? He’s fine. Better than fine, actually. He finds the sunniest corner of the yard, locates a good stick, and acts like the whole thing was his idea.

🧸 Play Style: Calm Boy, Loud Wrestler, Stick Enthusiast

Higgins has a pretty low activity level overall, which honestly makes him even more charming. He enjoys a good chase game. He enjoys wrestling. He enjoys toys. But he’s not a nonstop chaos machine. He plays, he has fun, and then he wanders off to chew on a stick in the sunshine like a tiny retired man with a peaceful hobby.

And let’s talk about the sticks.

Higgins loves sticks with a level of commitment that deserves respect. Big sticks, little sticks, mediocre sticks, exciting sticks, sticks with potential. To Higgins, every stick is a multi-purpose treasure. It can be chewed, carried, tugged, admired, and possibly used to initiate a chase game. He also loves his tiny orange ball, though he would like it noted for the record that owning a ball does not mean he intends to participate in fetch. Let’s not get pushy.

He’s also a puzzle master. Higgins is very food motivated and attacks enrichment games with the focus of a tiny scholar on scholarship deadline. Snuffle mats are absolutely his jam, and he tackles puzzles with persistence and enthusiasm until every last edible crumb has been claimed.

🤎 Cuddles: Olympic Level

Higgins is a champion cuddler.

Not just “likes affection.” Not just “will sit in your lap.” I mean he truly, sincerely, deeply understands the art of melting into a person’s arms. He is all about warm, cozy snuggles. He is calm when he’s being held. He relaxes into you like he has been doing this forever. It is the kind of cuddle that quiets a room a little.

Even when he’s in the middle of playing, Higgins checks in for a quick snuggle before heading back off to his next important puppy matter. That combination of independence and affection is such a lovely part of who he is. He can entertain himself. He can enjoy other dogs. He can be your one and only. But he also genuinely loves closeness, warmth, and being adored.

Which is fortunate, because he is extremely easy to adore.

🎭 Sweet, Smart, and Just Dramatic Enough

Higgins is sweet, smart, calm, gentle, and wonderfully good-tempered. He’s the kind of puppy who brings a nice energy into the room. He’s playful without being wild. Affectionate without being clingy. Independent without being aloof. He really is just a lovely little dog.

But let us not erase his flair for performance.

Higgins does not do drama in everyday life. He saves it for wrestling.

When he gets going with the other dogs, he makes such a dramatic racket that you will think this baby is in terrible danger. You will rush over, heart pounding, ready to intervene in what surely must be a crisis. And then you get there and discover Higgins with someone else’s ear in his mouth, looking extremely pleased with himself. He approaches wrestling with the seriousness of a heavyweight title match, despite being 12 pounds of brindled sincerity in a tuxedo.

And one of the cutest things about him is that he truly believes he is winning. Every single time. Even when the dogs two or three times his size are very clearly humoring him, Higgins is out there feeling victorious. That level of self-confidence in such a tiny package is frankly inspiring.

💃 Tiny Dance, Big Joy

One of his foster mom’s favorite things about Higgins is the little dance he does when he’s excited. A tiny tippy-tap of the front feet. Just enough movement to say, “I have feelings about this and they are excellent.”

I mean. Come on.

A tippy-tap dance.
A corkscrew tail.
Secret brindle.
Champion cuddles.
Stick obsession.

This dog is basically a carefully curated collection of delightful details.

🏡 Higgins’ Dream Home

Higgins is so easy-going and friendly that he really could fit beautifully into a lot of homes. He gets along with men and women, does well with small dogs, big dogs, and older dogs, and has been wonderful with new people. He rides beautifully in the car, does great in a crate, and can happily share his human with other dogs. At the same time, he entertains himself well enough that he could also be perfectly content as an only dog.

What Higgins really needs is a home that understands his rhythm. A little fun. A little exploring. A little play. A good nap. A warm cozy spot. Some sticks. Some cuddles. A family that laughs at his wrestling theatrics, appreciates his thoughtful little soul, and keeps helping him with puppy basics like good manners and appropriate chewing while he grows up.

He’s still a baby, so yes, he’s still in that puppy mouthy stage, though he’s already biting less. He’s working on sit, good manners, and coming when called, and because he is so food motivated, he’s a fun one to train. He’s smart. He wants to please. He’s just also making sure the rules are, in fact, real.

Fair enough, Higgins. Fair enough.

💜 Why Higgins?

Because he feels like the kind of dog who becomes part of your daily life so naturally that one day you look up and cannot remember what your house felt like before him.

He’s not trying too hard. He doesn’t need fireworks. He just quietly wins people over with his sweetness, his cuddles, his funny little habits, and that lovely balance of joy and calm.

Higgins is warm sunshine, soft blankets, a good stick, a happy little dance, and a tiny dog who now knows the world can be good.

And whoever gets to love him next is going to get a really, really special boy.