When a doggo becomes your partner, it’s hard to be separated from them. So when marine veteran Corporal Aaron Stice worked with a military dog named Keaton, they became best friends and formed an inseparable bond.
Aaron and Keaton worked together for three long years as military police at Camp Pendleton. Every day by the end of their work, the six-year-old Belgian Malinois would always lay on his back and Aaron would shower him with lots of belly rubs.
They have a beautiful friendship and Aaron couldn’t imagine life without his partner. So by the end of his service, he did everything he can to be reunited with Keaton. Aaron then started working as a civilian dog trainer at the Lackland Air Force Base. Meanwhile, his old partner was on his way to meet him again.
Since Keaton was now medically retired, he was granted to be adopted by his former partner. Dr. Lesa Staubus, a rescue veterinarian who works with the American Humane Society that has been animals all over the country, picked the doggo up from San Diego and drove him all the way to San Antonio to make the reunion happen.
As soon as Keaton saw his hooman, he got excited and ran up to him, and then laid down on the floor to ask for all the belly rubs he missed while they were separated. The doggo surely knew that he was finally back with his partner again.
Aaron was so happy to be with his best friend again. The doggo also brought back a lot of memories about their service because he was named after Aaron’s colleague, Corporal Keaton Coffey who died during their deployment in Afghanistan in 2012.
Seeing Keaton again puts Aaron at ease knowing that they are going to spend the rest of their lives together. After being in service for a while, they now have the chance to be with family and be safe and sound at home.
Video Credit: Joe Galli