“He was terrified at first,” Molly Analore told The Dodo. “He didn’t know what to do.”

After four adoptions had fallen through at his New Mexico shelter, Brownie got another chance at a Colorado shelter. However, he needed a temporary place to stay while he waited for transportation — and that’s where Analore and her family stepped in.

The first few days were difficult as Brownie learned the ins and outs of being house-trained. But once he realized that he was safe and surrounded by love, something in the pup started to change. Within just a few days, Brownie learned how to communicate his needs with his new family.

“Eventually he would alert me if he had to go to the bathroom,” Analore said. “He would sit by the door and cry.”

Analore quickly picked up on Brownie’s communication methods for everyday activities, but one night, he did something completely out of the ordinary. Instead of alerting his new mom that he needed help, the intuitive pup tried to tell her that she needed help herself.

Right before fostering Brownie, Analore began experiencing bouts of fainting and dizziness. On one of her nights with Brownie, Analore started to feel sick, and the loyal pup picked up on it right away.

“He’s not big on cuddling a lot, but he just jumped right on my couch, sat next to me and started cuddling me,” Analore said. “I thought, ‘That’s a little strange,’ but then didn’t think anything else of it.”

Analore cuddled Brownie for a while before deciding to go lie down in bed, still not feeling well. Brownie, who normally kept some distance, refused to let Analore out of his sight.

“When I went to bed, he was outside my door screaming his head off, scratching at the door and headbutting the door,” Analore said. “That wasn’t normal for him. It was almost like he was trying to say, ‘Something’s wrong, let me in now.’”

Analore quickly got up from bed, confused by his behavior, and let her attentive foster pup in the bedroom.

“He jumped right on my bed, sat next to me with his head on my chest, then once my heart stopped racing and I felt better, he just got up and left,” Analore said.

According to Analore, Brownie had never exhibited that behavior before. And as soon as her fainting spell passed, he stopped.

“He just did it all on his own,” Analore said. “He’s such a good boy.”

After two weeks with the Analore family, Brownie moved on to his final shelter as initially planned. He’s currently in foster care through his new shelter, but the Analore family wants to bring him back home for good.

“A dog like that only comes around once in a lifetime,” Analore said. “The connection was so strong.”