Today we’d like to introduce you to Joelle Andres.
Hi Joelle, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Bastian is a Hurricane Florence rescue who was found wading in the flood waters of the 2018 storm. Not long after, he was taken in by Burlington County Animal Alliance, where he was adopted by his current family in October 2018. When he was first adopted, he was skittish and suffered from separation anxiety. Eventually, with time and patience, he opened up and became more playful and snuggly. In 2020, Joelle gave Bastian a set of recordable buttons after seeing Hunger4Words and WhatAboutBunny using them to communicate with their humans. Bastian picked up the buttons quickly, learning TREAT that same day, and then WALK and OUTSIDE the next. Within a couple of weeks, Bastian had over 20 buttons and was making the connection that he could make his own decisions about when to go for a walk, hike, boat ride, see friends, or eat dinner! Our once timid terrier began showing the confidence and tenacity of a more self-assured dog. Since then, Bastian has participated in several scientific studies with UCSD, appeared in documentaries, national news articles, and magazines. In 2025, Bastian won World’s Cutest Rescue Dog for PEOPLE Magazine and appeared on CBS Mornings. He’s gone on to model for NYFW and LAFW and travel to see his other talking dog buddies. One of his favorite locations is Ann Arbor, where his friend Parker Posey lived.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Yes, Bastian’s separation anxiety made it challenging initially. He needed to be crated when we were at work. I would leave a camera on and could see him crying, which broke my heart. Bastian also frequently outwitted us and broke free from the crate. We began using a carabiner to latch it when we were away, and even then he learned to kick out the bottom tray and walk the crate across the room, Flintstones-style! He destroyed a few comforters and pillows in those first three months. Fortunately, I worked very close to home and had the flexibility to come home and check on him throughout the day, which helped him ultimately settle in.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Bastian is known for his use of recordable buttons to communicate. He is a terrier, and with that comes the tenacious energy terriers are known for. He has big opinions and isn’t afraid to share them, which is why he resonates with so many people! A true self-care king! His social media account was started just to document his adventures to share with friends and family, but has grown to hundreds of thousands of followers between platforms. We’ve leveraged this attention to raise money for local rescues who help dogs just like him.
What matters most to you?
Bastian is my first dog, and prior to adopting him, I had a lot of ideas about what training a dog might look like. We worked with several trainers early on who were amazing, but since introducing the recordable buttons, Bastian has much more agency in our day-to-day lives, which has drastically improved our relationship. Buttons are not the only way to create agency in the lives of our pets, but they were such a helpful tool for me. My biggest hope is that people realize how incredibly bright our furry companions are, and provide them with choice in order to be participants in their own care.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bastianandbrews.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bastianandbrews
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bastianandbrews
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BastianAndbrews
