Joshua Ferguson is a veteran of the United States military who lost his leg in an explosion in Iraq. Once he got home, he adopted a three-legged dog named Scooter who had been rescued in Tennessee.

Joshua adopted Scooter from the Humane Society of Dickson County in Dickson, Tennessee, and he said the dog brings a smile to his face every day.

“It’s impossible to not smile around him,” Joshua said. “Everybody’s so happy to see him, then they notice he’s got three legs. … He’s happy you were overjoyed to see him. Don’t pity him!”

Scooter was found in the middle of the woods near a creek with a severely injured leg. Though it is not known how the dog got injured, veterinarians think his leg got caught somehow, and they were left with no choice but to amputate it.

Joshua could relate to Scooter because he lost his leg when he and four other soldiers were in a truck that drove over an improvised explosive device. Though Joshua lost his leg, he is still grateful that none of the soldiers were killed.

“There’s silver linings to anything,” Joshua said. “You can find something. And even if you can’t, somebody’s had it worse, so just stop complaining.”

These days, Joshua and Scooter love doing everything together, particularly doing yoga and exploring the park. Joshua said that Scooter always raises his spirits when he’s feeling down.

“He makes it easier for me to remember that, hey, it’s still a beautiful day,” Ferguson said. “You realize really just how tremendous a journey life is.”

Find out more about them in the video below.