An adorable Golden Retriever mix dog named Gumbo has recently captured the hearts of many on social media. Adopted by 30-year-old nurse Hana Brickman, Gumbo is a retired service dog. Moreover, he is stealing hearts for carrying around his favorite stuffed toy, Shrimp, everywhere he goes.
Reportedly, Hana Brickman met Gumbo when she was volunteering to give training to service dogs. At the time, she was a student at the Washington State University nursing school. She ended up adopting the cute Golden Retriever mix. Several years later, Hana bought a stuffed toy dog from a local IKEA, which looked similar to her adopted dog. Although she picked the toy for herself, it immediately became the favorite stuffed toy of Gumbo.
Retired service dog carries his lookalike stuffed toy everywhere
As mentioned earlier, a charming retired service dog, Gumbo, has been carrying his lookalike stuffed toy dog named “Shrimp” everywhere. Ever since Hana Brickman brought the toy home, the Golden Retriever mix began showing off the stuffed toy to everyone who came to their house. Although it was meant for Hana herself, she let Gumbo have the toy as it was quite evident that he loved it. He also started carrying the toy on hikes and during travels.
People Magazine reported that after realizing how much everyone loved seeing Gumbo with his favorite stuffed toy dog, she held a naming contest for the toy on Instagram. From there, the name “Shrimp” came into the picture. Hana then started documenting Gumbo and Shrimp’s heartwarming journey on Instagram.
Per People Magazine, while talking about the adorable pair, Hana Brickman says, “People love it…We’ve had the same stuffie, believe it or not, since 2017. He’s had stitches and he’s almost gotten lost in a lot of places. He has drifted down a river because Gumbo dropped him, and we’ve had to go rescue him. He’s fallen off the side of a cliff, and we’ve had to [use a] log or something to get him.”
As Brickman shared with People Magazine, Gumbo will soon turn 10 years old in December 2024. Viewers can enjoy his and Shrimp’s adventures on their official Instagram account (@gumbowithshrimp), which is run by Hana Brickman.
