California Woman Sees Fear In An Overbred Dog’s Eyes And Realizes She Expects The Worst
This heavily overbred dog was so terrified that she expected everyone to be mean to her. With time, patience, and a clever trick to get her outside, her foster family helped her discover how beautiful life can be.
A Heartbreaking First Impression
When you look into a rescued dog’s eyes, you hope to see a glimmer of hope. But for one heavily overbred California dog, her gaze held nothing but fear.
You could sort of see in her eyes that she was expecting people to do something mean.
The physical toll on her body was just as devastating as the emotional one. Her rescuers were stunned by the visible signs on her belly, a heartbreaking reminder of her difficult past.
An Unplanned Yes
Her foster family wasn’t even planning on taking in a new dog at the time.
However, the moment her foster mom saw her, everything changed. She simply couldn’t say no to a dog in such desperate need of a soft landing.
They quickly realized they were dealing with a deeply traumatized soul. In fact, she was the most shut-down dog they had ever worked with.
Finding A Safe Space
To help her decompress, the family set up a cozy crate right in the living room.
That crate immediately became her ultimate safe space. She didn’t want to come out, preferring the security of its enclosed walls.
Her fear was so intense that even a simple glance would send her retreating. If anyone even looked in her direction, she would try to make herself as small as possible.
The Bedding Trick
Because she was so terrified to leave her crate, getting her outside to go to the bathroom was incredibly challenging.
Her foster family had to get creative to help her move without causing her more panic.
Instead of forcing her to walk, they would actually pull her bedding through the house all the way to the back door, letting her ride along in her safe zone.
Discovering The Outdoors
Once they reached the back door, something finally clicked for the frightened dog.
She stood up, looked around, and seemed to realize that the outside space was actually a safe space, too.
While getting her out was a victory, getting her back inside the house was just as challenging. Her foster family often had to carry her back in when she froze up.
Invisible Progress
Recovery for a shut-down dog rarely happens overnight. It is a slow, delicate process built on tiny victories.
Very, very slowly, she got brave enough to walk in the back door on her own.
There was just one catch: she would only do it if her foster family wasn’t looking. When they weren’t in the room, she finally started to get a little braver.
Asking For Love
It was heartbreaking to see her so shut-down in the beginning, but watching her progress made every hard day worth it.
Her confidence started to grow a tiny, little bit at a time.
With patience and tender loving care, a beautiful shift occurred. She began to feel comfortable enough to approach her foster family and actually ask for affection.
A Beautiful Spark
Deep down, she always had a little spark inside her that wanted to be happy.
Every time she made a baby step, her foster family was overwhelmingly proud. Seeing that spark return to her eyes and watching her tail finally wag was incredibly heartwarming.
Fostering is hard work, but playing a part in her journey has been a privilege. Now, her family just wants her to wake up every day, enjoy her newfound freedom, and truly love life.
