A dog raced into my pub after owner died in fatal car accident...now I've adopted him

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An adorable pub dog is proving a hit with locals after being adopted by a kind-hearted landlord when his owner died in a car cash.

Two-year-old Shih Tzu Rex (shown in the video above), dashed into a busy bar after surviving a car accident which sadly killed his original owner last September. Regulars were left startled when the lost pooch ran into the pub during a football match.

Dogs owner died in crash

Manager Dan Morris, 33, also in the video (click to play) caught the runaway hound and took him to the vets to see if he was OK and where he needed to be returned to. But he was left shocked after being told by the vets that Rex's owner had passed away and he had nowhere else to go.

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Manager Dan Morris, with Shih Tzu, RexManager Dan Morris, with Shih Tzu, Rex
Manager Dan Morris, with Shih Tzu, Rex | Express & Star / SWNS

Refusing to let the poor pup find his own way, Dan saved Rex by adopting him and he has been living at the pub ever since. As well as becoming a firm favourite among locals he also now acts 'like a bouncer' with an uncanny ability to sniff out any troublemakers at The Leaping Wolf, in Wolverhampton.

Dog was running around

Dan said: "It was last year's Liverpool [versus Wolves] match, it was rammed inside and outside the bar. Everyone said there was a dog running around and we had no idea where he came from.

"I took him the vets who said they could not tell me too much because of data protection, but that the owner was now deceased. So we decided to adopt him. He has been great, all the customers love him and even bring treats in the pub to give him.

Customers love him

"Some pop to Asda over the road to get stuff for him before they get here. He's so spoilt, if we have takeaway he has takeaway, if we have roast dinner he has roast dinner. He's a really well behaved dog but I think he needs a girlfriend. He loves attention, he loves treats and he's so well behaved.

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Manager Dan Morris, with Shih Tzu, Rex, who is a firm favourite with locals at The Leaping Wolf in Wolverhampton.Manager Dan Morris, with Shih Tzu, Rex, who is a firm favourite with locals at The Leaping Wolf in Wolverhampton.
Manager Dan Morris, with Shih Tzu, Rex, who is a firm favourite with locals at The Leaping Wolf in Wolverhampton. | Express & Star / SWNS

"When we first took him there was a period where it was difficult, when you're trying to run a business and a new dog is running around the place it can be tough, just having a dog is tough so a dog and a pub is even harder.

"But now he just likes to sit down and chill, its like he's found his home now, he's well trained and we're so thrilled to have him with us."

Adorable video shows how Rex is a huge hit with customers, sharing their crisps and sitting on their laps as they enjoy a pint.

But he has been known to spot the 'undesirables' and barks at guests who tend to be the ones that end up causing trouble in the pub.

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Dan added: "He sits and waits for people to come in and inspects them, if an undesirable comes in he will bark at them.

"We don't know how he knows which guests are up to no good, but he's usually right."

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