Mother made famous overnight after posting adorable pictures of her little boy taking a nap with Theo the puppy says 'It's beyond anything I've ever dreamed'

  • Jessica Shyba is a mother-of-three from California
  • She adopted puppy Theo from a rescue shelter last week
  • His cries at night made her not want to leave him alone
  • On third night the dog curled up to sleep with 23-month-old Beau
  • Since then the pictures of the pair have gone viral

By Chris Pleasance

PUBLISHED: 04:35 EST, 19 November 2013 | UPDATED: 06:38 EST, 19 November 2013

When one mother from California put her son down for a nap after getting a new puppy, she couldn't have imagined what was about to happen.

And a week after pictures of baby Beau curled up to sleep with puppy Theo went viral, Jessica Shyba says she can't believe how popular the pair have become.

Speaking to KTVU, the mother-of-three said: 'I'm completely flabbergasted. It's beyond anything I've ever dreamed.'

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Mother-of-three Jessica Shyba has said that the public's reaction to her pictures is 'beyond anything I have ever dreamed'
Jessica says the two have not slept apart since

Mother Jessica Shyba said the public's reaction to her pictures is 'beyond anything I have ever dreamed'

The first snooze: Theo started sleeping on his toddler-owner Beau when he accidentally fell asleep on the baby when he was being rocked for an afternoon nap one day

The first snooze: Theo started sleeping on his toddler-owner Beau when he accidentally fell asleep on the baby when he was being rocked for an afternoon nap one day

She added: 'I think there is just so much bad news in the world, all the time every day, that is all we see.

'Based on the responses that I'm getting, it's the peacfulness and the natural way that they are together. It's sweet and it's innocent and it's lovely and people appreciate it and I appreciate it.'

 

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Now Ms Shyba is using her new-found fame to ask people to donate to their local pet rescue home, after she adopted Theo - a part Boxer, part Shepherd, part Labrador Retriever - from Santa Cruz SPCA.

That rescue centre is currently appealing for $1.5million (£930,000) to start work on a new building after already raising $3million (£1.8million).

Make yourself comfortable: The Shyba family in Santa Cruz, California got Theo when he was just 7-weeks-old this month

Make yourself comfortable: The Shyba family in Santa Cruz, California got Theo when he was just 7-weeks-old this month

Snuggle buddies: While they intended to crate train the puppy, mother Jessica Shyba decided she couldn't bear to hear the puppy cry at night

Snuggle buddies: While they intended to crate train the puppy, mother Jessica Shyba decided she couldn't bear to hear the puppy cry at night

The pictures, posted on her blog, have attracted millions of views and thousands of comments since they were posted last Thursday.

She says the nap-time ritual started three days after they took Theo, who 23-month-old Beau calls 'Bee-bo', home with them.

At first the family had decided to crate train the dog, from a litter of 11, by making him sleep alone, but his cries were too much for them to bear.

The dog spent his first night on the sofa with Jessica's partner, Justin, and then the second night sleeping with her.

But on the third afternoon, as she was rocking baby Beau to sleep, Theo decided to join in by laying on top of him, and was soon fast asleep too.

Cozy: Mother Jessica Shyba says she almost woke the two up the first time they fell asleep for a nap because she was 'practically howling at the cuteness'

Cozy: Mother Jessica Shyba says she almost woke the two up the first time they fell asleep for a nap because she was 'practically howling at the cuteness'

Cushy: Theo finds a place to rest his head in Beau's armpi

Cushy: Theo finds a place to rest his head in Beau's armpit

Stretched out: Each day, Theo waits outside the bedroom for nap time and settles in next to Beau once the toddler has fallen asleep

Stretched out: Each day, Theo waits outside the bedroom for nap time and settles in next to Beau once the toddler has fallen asleep

Jessica says she nearly woke both of them up after 'practically howling at the cuteness' but managed not to, and since then the two have been inseparable.

the most organic and beautiful friendship I have ever witnessed - See more at: http://www.mommasgonecity.com/#sthash.DGV9kenv.dpuf

the most organic and beautiful friendship I have ever witnessed - See more at: http://www.mommasgonecity.com/#sthash.DGV9kenv.dpuf

Jessica added: 'The following day, Theo met us up in my room for the nap time ritual, and so began what I can only describe as the most organic and beautiful friendship I have ever witnessed.'

Every afternoon for the past week the pair have slept side-by-side, and Jessica says Theo now knows when it is time for a nap and waits at the end of the bed.

She says she has to get Beau off to sleep first, otherwise the dog will wake him up, but after he is asleep she puts Theo onto the bed who totters over to the sleeping toddler before dropping off himself.

The duo then sleep intertwined for up to two hours at a time.

Lean on me: The puppy and the toddler share an uncommon bond

Lean on me: The puppy and the toddler share an uncommon bond

Wrapped up: The two have synched their sleep schedules

Wrapped up: The two have synched their sleep schedules

More to come: Mrs Shyba promises to continue posting nap time pictures on Instagram under the #TheoandBeau

More to come: Mrs Shyba promises to continue posting nap time pictures on Instagram under the #TheoandBeau

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Hum, thought you "Brits" liked dogs???

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Famous! Poor kid

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Bet she drugged the baby!

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Pictures look staged to me. ie after the mum has made some adjustments to the sleeping pair. Anyway, each to their own for their 15 minutes of fame. I wonder what next.

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If she is selling those puppies, I'll have the one with the pink nose

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Hilarious.

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Dog lovers/owners I hate to tell you this, dogs are unpredictable. It is irresponsible to let any animal sleep all over your baby. People set these poor creatures up to fail in the name of love. That little puppy will be a big adult before you know it and won't understand why he can't sleep with his little friend anymore. All animals need boundaries (including people). The pictures look cute but that doesn't mean it's ok.

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You're absolutly right. Pups shouldn't be removed from their mothers before 10wks, as they don't learn hierarchy and boundaries properly until then. Thats why so many pups that have been separated too early, have seperation anxiety, which either makes them an over anxious exictable , destructive pup, or as it matures it tries to take over its 'pack', which can lead to biting or mauling. You need to be in control of pups that have such a bad start, which unfortunatly means, not giving into crying, orover petting, or feeding treats etc so the dog knows he is the lowest member. No child should be left unsupervised with a dog, even a puppy, until the child is at least 7, and ableto recognise, and act on danger signals. Toddlers can be cruel to dogsas they explore thedog aspart of their world, they don't meab to be , but theygrab, poke, turn ears inside out pull tails, upsetting the dog, and the child is scarred for life. Watch puppies play fight, and see if you want that for yourchild.

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Well you don't have a dog. My brother's dog guards my baby nephew as if he was his own. He used to sleep in my brother's room but now he sleeps outside the baby's room and if the baby wakes up he wakes up wagging his tail and looks completely distressed. I was joking with my sister-in-law that she seems to have found a nanny for her baby without even trying! Dogs are phenomenal beings who are more intuitive than humans and love you beyond reason!

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It's a very cute story, but I would never post pics of my child on the internet, especially with a last name & location. Paranoid? Perhaps. But there are just way too many natters out there.

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Why would you not post pictures of your. Hold on the Internet ? Is your child invisible when you take it out ? Are you impossible to follow from the shops ? Why would anyone but your family be interested in your child ? What a stupid comment.

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A few pictures are fine but we will get bored quickly if we keep seeing these

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So don't look.

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You missed the point of the NO news day pictures and story. It's only a filler and not meant to be taken as a proper story.

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reminds me my childhood

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