Shelter Dog Too Scared To Go Near Humans—a Week Later, Everything Changed

Newsweek

19-06-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
A Reddit post has captured the astonishing transformation of a rescue dog who went from being terrified of human interaction to becoming an inseparable, loving companion in just one week.
The post reveals two photos of the pup—one alone at the pound, and the other cuddling up to her new owner after just seven days. Since the post was published, it has received 9,400 upvotes, providing a testament to the healing power of love and safety when it comes to rescue animals.
"At the shelter and seven days later, my rescue dog is experiencing love and safety for the first time," the poster wrote on Reddit. "When we first met her at the shelter last weekend, she wouldn't even approach people. Now, she cries if I poop with the door closed."
A dog sits in its owner's lap.
A dog sits in its owner's lap.
kerkez/Getty Images
The immediate bond resonated with fellow Redditors, many of whom shared their own experiences with rescue animals and the lingering effects of past trauma.
One user recounted a heartbreaking realization about their own late rescue dog: "Rescue dogs are so incredible. I had a rescue. I noticed that she would look so scared if she ever saw me carrying a long object, like a rake or a long board," they wrote. "My heart broke, because I figured someone raised an object over their head, before hitting her with it when she was a puppy. She lived for 17 plus years, it took several years before she could be around me with something like that and not be scared. It felt so good when she finally relaxed with me."
The original poster responded to the comment, acknowledging similar behaviors in their new dog—particularly around men raising their hands near her in the house. "I'm sure she either got hit or saw somebody hit," the owner wrote. "Really sad, and I have no idea why she glommed onto me so fast."
Amidst the emotional reflections, well-wishes also poured in for what seems to be a fated pair. "She is lovely!" one person wrote. "Lucky you, lucky her. Here's to many years of fun, walks, sploots, treats, scritches, belly rubs and all of the good stuff!"
Curiosity about the dog's breed also arose, and the poster provided some insight into her mixed heritage.
"We think...she definitely has some German Shepherd in her with that face," the owner wrote. "She must have something else in her too, she's too small to be a straight Bernese/Shepherd cross. She's still skinny, but she's only 25 [pounds]."
Newsweek reached out to u/Global_Theme864 for comment via Reddit.