When Melanie Price first spotted a tiny dachshund with a crooked little nose, she had no idea the adorable pup was about to steal her heart — or that her husband was secretly planning to bring him home.
The puppy, now affectionately known as Newt, had already experienced more than his fair share of challenges. Born with a perfectly ordinary snout, he reportedly suffered a jaw injury after being attacked by another dog as a young puppy. The injury was never properly treated, leaving his nose permanently crooked and giving him the wonderfully fitting nickname “Newt with the Crooked Snoot.”
At just 11 weeks old, Newt was rescued along with several other dachshunds by Dream-A-Dream Dachshunds in Pflugerville, Texas. When Melanie saw his picture online, she immediately fell in love with his unusual little face. There was just one problem: she and her husband already had three dogs and weren’t planning to add another.
She showed her husband the photo anyway, hoping he might be as smitten as she was. He barely reacted, and the conversation ended there. But while Melanie tried to move on, she couldn’t seem to get that sweet little face out of her mind.
Newt eventually found a family, but the adoption didn’t work out because the household’s other dogs wouldn’t accept him. When Melanie’s husband discovered that the puppy had been returned, he remembered just how much his wife had adored him.
Without telling her, he submitted an adoption application.
The surprise couldn’t have been sweeter. Melanie later learned that their application had been approved, meaning the puppy she’d been thinking about for weeks was finally going to become part of their family.
Of course, bringing home a fourth dog came with a little uncertainty. Their oldest dachshund, Oscar, liked reminding newcomers who was in charge, and Melanie worried he might not appreciate having another little brother around.
But Newt apparently didn’t get the memo that he was supposed to be nervous.
The confident little pup walked into his new home ready to make friends, and his new siblings welcomed him almost immediately. Even Oscar took him under his wing, while Luna, the family’s youngest dog at the time, happily stepped into the role of big sister.
The two quickly became inseparable, with Luna helping Newt learn the ropes of his new life. After everything he’d been through, the little dachshund finally had a family that adored him exactly as he was.
And if anyone thinks his crooked nose slows him down, Newt would probably disagree — especially when dinner is involved.
According to Melanie, one of the most common questions people ask is whether Newt can eat properly. The answer is an enthusiastic yes! His family uses a round bowl with high sides to help him scoop up his kibble, and eating happens to be one of his favorite activities.
He also drinks water without trouble, breathes normally and enjoys life just like his canine siblings. Although a veterinarian once suggested he might need dental work depending on how his teeth developed, his family says his mouth adapted well as he grew.
As for surgery to straighten his snout? Melanie says they’ve never seriously considered it. Newt is happy, healthy and perfectly comfortable being himself.
His one-of-a-kind face has even turned him into something of an internet sweetheart. Melanie began sharing photos and videos through his social media accounts, including TikTok, where his goofy expressions and playful personality have attracted plenty of attention.
One post went viral, introducing countless animal lovers to the little dog whose crooked smile seems to brighten everyone’s day.
While a few internet trolls have made unkind comments, Melanie says the overwhelming response has been heartwarming. Some viewers even admit that watching Newt’s videos brings them to tears, and strangers have become emotional after meeting him in person.
But for Melanie, the best part of having Newt isn’t his growing online popularity. It’s the way he manages to make his entire family laugh without even trying.
Sometimes all he has to do is look at them with that crooked little face, and everyone starts smiling.
After a difficult beginning and an adoption that didn’t work out, Newt has found exactly where he belongs — surrounded by loving humans, devoted doggy siblings and more than enough reasons to wag his tail.
And thanks to one husband who knew his wife couldn’t stop thinking about a certain puppy, this crooked-snooted sweetheart finally got his happily ever after.