Halifax Co., VA - A Halifax County toddler who was kept alive by puppies last winter, now has one to call his own. You may remember back in December when Jaylynn Thorpe spent the night in the woods in 17 degree temperatures before rescuers found him, cuddling with his babysitter's dogs.

His new pup is a perfect fit. He's a little boy with good reason to love dogs. They saved his life, after all, cuddling up to the toddler after he wandered off into the woods.

Jaylynn’s grandmother and guardian Katherine Elliott said, "It scares me, when he's outside I'm constantly out there with him."
But these days, Katherine Elliott, Jaylynn's grandmother and guardian has a little less reason to worry. Now he has a little black dog named Jake.

Jake is Jaylynn's very own pooch, a little bit bigger than rescue pups Bootsy or Dipstick, but for a little boy prone to wandering in the woods, Jake's a good pal to have.  "I think Jake would stay with him pretty close," Elliott said.

And when you see this duo, there's no denying a connection. "I check him for ticks," Jaylynn said.

Katherine knows Jaylynn's love for animals likely saved his life. "Most of the time he's right close with dogs. I guess he likes them a whole lot," Elliott said.

But she hopes his relationship with Jake is strictly fun. "Cause he likes… he licked me!" Jaylynn said.

Jaylynn still has a special memory of Bootsy and Dipstick -- and talks about them often. Unfortunately, Bootsy was shot and killed recently, but the family says Dipstick and Jake are fast friends.

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