Ever since Tobi lived in the animal shelter, he always kept himself tucked into a corner. He would often make himself look small and he avoided confrontation at all costs. He was also wary of everything in his surroundings as if he had lost a sense of security.
Despite looking all timid and afraid, there was always a part of Tobi that wanted to connect with others but the problem was he didn’t know how to approach others. And so to help Tobi out, a dog behaviorist named Brittany Linkenheimer came to see him and guide him. Brittany was also there to help Tobi recover from the shock and terror that he might have experienced before.
At the start, as for anyone or anybody working through their trauma, it was really difficult for Tobi. He was afraid of the leash, he was terrified by the doors, and he would immediately turn flat to the ground when he gets scared. He was shaky and he always followed his instinct to stay in his little corner. But when she finally got him out of the shelter, he started to show improvement.
While Tobi still looked so shy and scared, the sweetness and curiosity in his eyes started to show. And slowly but surely, Tobi started to really develop connections with the other dogs in the shelter. One time, he just jumped out of the corner to play with the other dogs. It looked like Tobi just needed his time to learn to feel safe again.
Tobi was put up for foster and not long after that, he got adopted. He was still a bit cautious but he definitely improved and learned that he was now safe with his new mom and his new sibling. He has grown so much more sociable and active. He even now goes on trails with his mom and sibling just running around, saying hi to other people and other dogs, and chasing mom when she’s on her bike.
The world is no longer scary and now Tobi’s tail wags high.
Source: YouTube via The Dodo
