Iris came into the care of Philly Bully Team foster-based rescue, after being surrendered by a backyard breeder in Brooklyn.
This gentle girl was so shut down that even the sound of someone opening a treat bag would make her flinch and hide.
Her history remained unknown, but her reactions suggested either painful abuse or a total lack of human contact, leaving her without any sense of love or comfort.
But wrapped in the care of her rescuer, she slowly began to feel safe. The progress was slow and filled with challenges, yet every day brought a small step toward healing.
The Frightened Pit Bull Girl
When Iris first arrived at her foster home, she was still completely closed off.
“You could tell that she did not understand why we were near her, why we were around her, and she would flinch, and she just looked so sad,” Lauryn, Iris’s foster mom, told The Dodo.
She refused to step inside the house and instead remained in the same corner of the yard. No matter how much her foster family coaxed and pleaded, she stayed behind the planter, unmoving.
“Sometimes her head would pop up, and it looked like she was like growing out of the planter,” Lauryn joked a little.
Her foster family gave her all the time she needed. They knew that eventually, she would trust enough to let her guard down.
For an entire month, they left the back door wide open, giving her the choice. “She would like, come in, and she’d poke her head in, and then she’d leave, and she’d do that 15 times,” Lauryn said.
It was a long, patient process, but eventually, Iris gathered the courage to come inside.
Step by step, she learned that being near people was safe, that pets and affection felt good, and that she could finally relax in her new home.
Everything was new to her. Every touch, every interaction was something to figure out.
“I don’t think she really understood human engagement. I would like, you know, hug her, and pet her more often. She would look at me like, ‘I don’t know what you’re doing, but I like it’,” Lauryn commented.
Playing For The First Time
After about a month, Iris’s foster family decided to introduce her to their dog, Max.
At first, Max simply kept her company, sitting quietly behind a tree in the yard. They spent days just sitting near one another, not doing much at all.
Little by little, that began to change. They started engaging, and once it happened, Iris’s progress soared.
For the first time, she let herself play.
“She was frolicking around our yard, pouncing around like this baby elephant. And I was just sitting there like ‘Oh my God, what, who is this dog?’,” Lauryn said.
Around that same time, one of Lauryn’s friends reached out, wanting to know more about Iris.
Iris Moves To Her Forever Home
Jacki and Matt, friends of Lauryn from Philadelphia, decided to officially adopt Iris. They already had a loving dog named Clio, who turned out to be the perfect companion to help Iris continue opening up.
“The first night, she jumped in the bed right away. She never even thought about it,” Matt told The Dodo.
Clio quickly became Iris’s guide, showing her how to be a dog. Wherever Clio went, Iris eagerly followed, and soon they were inseparable.
Each day, Iris discovered more joy, and her playful side only grew stronger.
“She’s an absolute sweetheart, she doesn’t have a vicious bone in her body. She loves Clio. We are super lucky to have her. We love her,” Iris’s parents said.