Anyone who spends time volunteering at a shelter knows the job doesn’t stop at feeding dogs and cleaning kennels. A huge part of it is figuring out how to help the ones who’ve been waiting the longest finally get noticed. That’s exactly what Julie Saraceno from @jsaraceno has been trying to do for Mystic.
The latest video stars a shelter dog who accidentally gave the camera one of its easiest viral moments. This smart three-year-old German Shepherd has been waiting for a family in Kennewick, Washington, since late 2025. If the comments are any indication, this might be the moment that gets more people paying attention to him.
Shelter dog up for adoption gives a wink to volunteer
Julie had already put together a much longer video showing Mystic outside, happily chasing a herding ball around the yard. But that clip did not quite get the views she wanted. So she pivoted to a raw, six-second snippet instead. The camera simply zooms out from his official kennel info card, revealing his face. The second Mystic comes into view, and one eye closes in what looks like an awful lot like a wink. Julie instantly gasps out loud in pure shock. He just stands there looking completely casual. The short video of the shelter dog received more than 1,500 likes in its first 9 hours online.
Mystic is clearly a smart dog. He actually understands basic training commands in both English and Spanish. But he becomes extra attentive whenever he hears Spanish cues like sentado (sit) or ven (come). He loves pool time and will happily chase toys for as long as someone is willing to throw them. At a solid 40 kilograms, this guy thrives on structure and needs an active household to keep his mind engaged.
People in the comments seem completely won over by the wink. One viewer commented that their own Shepherd mix winks constantly and promised it would draw in a family. Plenty of viewers say they’re sharing the video in hopes that the right person sees it. He’ll do best in a cat-free home with older kids where he can be the star.
What Mystic really needs now is someone willing to give him a chance outside the shelter. Not every dog arrives with a bilingual résumé, which only adds to Mystic’s appeal.
The post Bilingual Shelter Dog up for Adoption Has a Wink That Will Melt Your Heart appeared first on DogTime.
