Dilly had no place to go. The black and white dog, terrified of people and walking by herself in Houston, Texas, hurriedly swerved in and out of traffic. She always made herself known, yet she was frequently averse to approaching closely.
Dilly required some time to feel at ease with others. Kristin Erwin, a dog rescuer, was fortunate to have endless time.
Erwin said, “[I] quickly realized this was a very spooked dog. As soon as you showed interest in her, she booked it and ran off. There was no stopping her or getting her attention.”
Erwin waited patiently for Dilly to feel confident enough to approach one of his traps. Erwin brought Dilly inside once she was secure and started the painstaking process of acclimating the fearful dog to live in a house.
You can watch a video about Dilly’s journey that Erwin made here:
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According to Erwin, “I gave Dilly her very own room. The first couple of days I left her completely alone, then I started spending a few minutes in there throughout the day, either just talking to her softly or hand-feeding her. She had the cutest little lips and underbite. I remember it was day 10 when I got my first tail wag out of her.”
After being in Erwin’s care for a month, Dilly eventually worked up the courage to leave her room by herself. Dilly rapidly grew accustomed to all the amenities the mansion gives after she understood she had nothing to be scared.
“She finally ventured down the hallway on her own and observed what the living room was all about,” Erwin said. “Once she found the couch, the rest was history. I remember we would even put her food bowl on the couch like a princess.”
Erwin became close to the eccentric dog and was impressed by her courage and endurance.
“I really enjoy watching a dog’s transformation, but when it’s from a fearful, shut down, dog to a relaxed, ‘enjoying life again’ dog, it’s everything!” Erwin said. “Once she let her guard down, she was a whole new dog.”
Dilly had gained confidence, but she now required a stable household. Unbeknownst to Dilly or Erwin, someone had been stalking Erwin’s Instagram updates and developing a slow romantic interest in the once-nervous dog. Even though she had not seen Dilly in person, Erwin’s old high school acquaintance made her feel instantly attracted to her.
Erwin remarked, “I was super excited that Dilly could potentially be rehomed to someone close.”
Dilly adjusted her permanent residence gradually. Dilly is now safe and comfortable with her new family, doing everything she loves.
“Dilly really hit it off with her family,” Erwin said. “She quickly befriended their dogs, as well as her young son. They go for puppuccinos at Starbucks, walk around the neighborhood [and she] sleeps in their bed. She has it all now. Most importantly she has a family that loves her unconditionally, even if she is still a little quirky.”
Source: The Dodo
