"The best option there was"
By Jennifer Stoeckl, MAT-Dire Wolf Project CEO, Nov. 13, 2025
There’s a moment that happens every time one of our puppies flies home.
The plane door opens.
The air smells like jet fuel, coffee, and new beginnings.
A tiny head pops up in the travel crate, ears perked, eyes blinking at the strange world beyond.
Then, at last, there they are!
The new family he’s been waiting for.
That’s what little Boober (now proudly known as Jabroni) experienced just last week when he stepped into his new life in New York.
But this story isn’t mine to tell… it’s his family’s.
Here’s what Jabroni’s new owner wrote to us:
Jennifer,
How are you? [My wife] and I just wanted to let you know that Jabroni (Boober) is adjusting very well and is already doing well with socialization, He has no issues with a few larger dogs he has been introduced to as well as two cats that he is now family with. However, that is not the purpose of this email.
We just wanted to let you know that we feel our decision to have Jay escort Jabroni was the best option there was. Although it was initially considered as an option due to business considerations on my part, it could not have worked out better. There are multiple reasons why I am saying this and I will elaborate on a couple of them.
Reason #1:
Jabroni was already accustomed to Jay and the stress of change and leaving his comfortable environment was stressful enough without the added stress of new people into the mix to magnify a potentially traumatizing experience for him.
Reason #2:
It was actually cost effective because the cost for a round trip ticket, hotel, car rental, food, and miscellaneous expenses to fly out to the Left Coast would have likely been at least 40% more expensive. I am not even considering the cost of an additional flight ticket and food because of the fact that [my wife] would never have allowed me to fly out there to pick him up without her getting to hold him before me. Lol.
Reason #3:
The amount of time it would have taken for us to come out there would have also equated to a loss of income for my business because I am self-employed (time is money).
Funny enough, Reason #3 actually became a major factor in that at the last minute a major business meeting occurred that morning that would never have been possible if I was the one transporting Jabroni instead of Jay.
It was also a nice opportunity to speak with Jay for a little while. We also saw and recognized Chael Sonnen, who was on the same flight as Jay. He was friendly enough and waved to us when he noticed we recognized him and respected his privacy.
But overall, I would highly recommend that if possible, you offer this service to other prospective pack members. The financial savings/convenience for the owners and emotional/psychological benefits for the puppies is without a doubt, the best option.
Thanks again for everything. We will be in touch with pictures and updates.
Respectfully,
Tommy Rob Cuddleoni
When I read that message, I just sat there for a moment smiling like a proud mama wolf watching one of her pups find his place in the world.
This is exactly why we created the DireWolf Express™ Puppy Escort Service.
We want every puppy’s first journey home to be filled with love, not fear.
We hope every new owner can skip the stress, the travel chaos, the jet lag, and simply focus on that once-in-a-lifetime moment when their new companion arrives in their arms.
Because a service like this isn’t about convenience.
It’s about care.
It’s about connection.
It’s about making sure our puppies (and their people) begin their new life together in the best way possible.
If you’d like to see how it all works (and experience Jabroni’s video story), take ten minutes to relax and watch our latest YouTube video:
Thank you for cheering on these incredible journeys!
Every time one of our pups boards a plane, our pack grows just a little bigger… and a little closer, too.
P.S. While Jabroni’s story was a fairytale delivery (exactly as every puppy deserves) not all Fraggle Rock adventures started so smoothly.
Little Willow (fka: Merple) has had a rough start in her new home. Just one day after arriving, she came down with parvovirus. Because of the virus’s incubation period, this means she likely contracted it 3–14 days prior to her arrival home. Willow is now receiving 24-hour emergency care, with an unexpected veterinary cost of around $7,000 - $9,000. Of course, we are doing everything we can to help, but that doesn’t change the emotional toll this is taking on her new family.
Willow’s fever of 105.5 has now broken, which is a good sign, but she’s not out of the woods yet. If she can stay hydrated and her little immune system keeps fighting, she should pull through.
We humbly ask our Inner Circle pack to take a moment today to send healing thoughts and prayers for Willow and her family. Every wag, every yip, and every bit of love makes a difference in this tiny warrior’s journey.
(Note: All other Fraggle Rock puppies report no such issues.)
Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.