Dogs who have been mistreated find it hard to trust humans. They are afraid that they will be hurt again.
Oso arrived at the shelter carrying that weight. He endured mistreatment, and as a result, he had a guarded heart. He felt overwhelmed and exhausted.
Luckily, kind people believed there was more to him than his past and decided to help him heal his wounds.
Oso didn’t know it, but his life was about to change completely.
A Foster Home And A Second Chance
Before he was Oso, the pup was known as Goliath.
Laurel and her husband, rescuers who run Mythological Dogs, first heard about him while he was still at the shelter. They saw how terrified he was and were determined to help him.
After a rescue group pulled him from the shelter, Laurel and her husband took the pup home to foster him.
They focused on helping him feel safe and respected his boundaries.
Goliath felt hesitant at first, but thanks to his amazing fosters who gave him a lot of love and showed him patience, he started relaxing.
After a couple of weeks, his personality started to emerge. His foster family won his trust, and the doggo began showering them with love.
Once he completely healed his emotional wounds, he started searching for a permanent home.
During this time, Jonathan and Channing saw his photo online. They learned about his size and his medical needs. They felt connected to him right away.
The kind-hearted couple decided to drive 16 hours round trip to meet him and see if he was meant to be a part of their family.
A New Name And A New Life
Jonathan and Channing fell in love with Oso and took him to their Florida home.
The doggo settled in quickly and changed his name from Goliath to Oso, marking a new beginning.
Oso felt safe and hopeful about his future.
He had some health issues that needed to be resolved. The pup had skin allergies, eyelid issues that required surgery, and ears that had been poorly cropped.
He was missing large patches of fur, likely from old injuries. Fortunately, most of his fur grew back thanks to treatment and care.
Oso proved to be a love bug, and he believed he was a lap dog. He loved being close to his parents and soaking up their love.
“He has a big personality. He definitely has presence. Once he walks into a room, people always notice his energy, and that’s something that we absolutely love about him,“ Channing, his mom, told GeoBeats Animals.
For Jonathan, Oso also helped mend a deep loss left by a previous dog. It wasn’t easy to let love back in, but Oso made it possible.
“It’s just been beautiful to see him blossom and just really feel safe and comfortable with us,“ Channing added.
Oso lives his best life in Florida with his new family. He feels safe and deeply loved. The dog who once arrived at the shelter broken and scared now spends his days feeling immensely loved.