Woman warned about adopting 'big' puppy—3 years later understands why

A woman was celebrating buying her home when she immediately found her new roommate: an adorable puppy called Milo.

And although she was warned when going to collect the pup that he would grow to be big, she didn’t expect just how true that would be.

Arielle Garber, 33, lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with her three children, and had wanted her kids to “experience the joy of owning a dog” in childhood.

Garber, who posts to Threads under the username @arie_gxoxo, shared a post on September 30 recalling the early days of owning her own home, and the freedom it brought with it—such as not having landlords who refuse pets.

“Three days after buying my first home, I came across a Facebook post from a local pig farmer looking to rehome a litter of pups,” she told Newsweek—and she knew it was the right time.

In the post, she revealed that when she saw the “pups that needed a home” she “immediately got in my car and drove over to this pig farm.”

When she spotted Milo, who she described to Newsweek as a “fluffy little pup,” she “knew he was the one”—but the farmer “looked me dead in the eye and said, ‘You know he’s going to get really big, right?'”

Garber’s response about just how large the St Bernard and Bernese Mountain dog cross would grow was to think: “Sure, but how big could he really get?”

Milo as a puppy (Picture: Arielle Garber / Threads @arie_gxoxo)

Undeterred, Garber brought Milo home to her kids—but as she put it in her Threads post: “I didn’t know I’d have a dog who’s 5′ 5″ on his hind legs and weighs more than me, but here we are.”

She told Newsweek that Milo “just kept growing… and growing… and growing,” and now, three years later, weighs around 150 pounds.

“Before long, he was accidentally bowling over the kids in the yard—sending them flying with his ‘gentle’ excitement,” she recalled. But “despite his size, Milo is the sweetest, most lovable pet you could imagine—a true gentle giant who still thinks he’s a lapdog.

“Life with him is full of laughter, paw prints, and a whole lot of love—exactly what I hoped my children would experience.”

In her Threads post, liked 18,000 times, she shared two photos of Milo. One shows him as a puppy, not long after she brought him home, doing an adorable head tilt and giving puppy eyes to the camera.

The next showed Milo now, sitting up in the back seat of the car and taking up an enormous amount of room—but the happy smile on his face and silky coat shows how much he’s loved and cared for.

Milo now (Picture: Arielle Garber / Threads @arie_gxoxo)

Threads users were obsessed, with one calling Milo “a literal angel baby,” and another praising Garber on “such a great choice.”

“They are the ones that grab your heart,” another put it, while Milo described Milo as “big and beautiful.”

Milo was always destined to be big, as he’s a mix of two of the largest breeds of dogs.

Fully-grown St Bernards can weigh up to 180 pounds and stand at 30 inches at the shoulder, while Bernese Mountain dogs can weigh up to 115 pounds and stand at 27 inches at the shoulder, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).

But like Milo, despite their size both breeds are noted for their good nature, being exceptionally friendly towards family and getting along well with small children.

St Bernards in particular are noted for being “famously watchful and patient companions with a fondness for children,” while Bernese get along “with the entire family and are particularly gentle with children.”

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.

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