As much as our beloved pups enjoy hanging out with their furry pals, sometimes too much togetherness can be overwhelming.
Sure, the occasional playdate with a group of dogs is great, but when a pup is forced to share a small space with far too many animals, the stress and constant stimulation can take a serious toll.
Sadly, one little dog named Radon knew this experience all too well.
Overwhelmed By Fear
When Woods Humane Society in California stepped in to rescue several pups from a large hoarding case, they were hopeful that every one of them would quickly find their forever home.
That happened for most of the dogs, but Radon wasn’t quite ready. The staff noticed he struggled with people, so they knew he needed more time and care. A foster home seemed like the best way forward.
They reached out to Arianne, a compassionate woman who immediately agreed to help.
The moment she welcomed Radon into her home, she understood this was going to be a challenge.
Radon was utterly terrified of humans, so much so that he wouldn’t even meet their gaze.
“He was struggling. You couldn’t touch him, he was just so stressed out. He was vibrating so much that his crate was shaking and any sudden movements, any eye contact, he would just run away,” Arianne told GeoBeats.
Knowing how fragile he felt, Arianne made sure to give him plenty of space. She could see that people felt like a threat to him.
Fortunately, he seemed much more at ease around other dogs, and Arianne’s own pup, Gator, helped him feel a little safer.
Learning To Trust Slowly
After a week in his foster home, Radon started showing small signs of progress.
“If we were stationary, he would come out and just kind of peek through. Anytime we would move, he would run away. I assumed that he had no socialization and that night time he felt the most safe because that’s when he was most active,” she stated.
Mealtime also took patience. Radon wouldn’t eat directly from Arianne’s hand at first, so she slid food to him in a jar.
But the day he finally felt secure enough to eat from her palm, Arianne knew it was the beginning of something beautiful.
“It took more than two months, but yeah, it was a long journey to just gaining his trust and little by little, he’s come such a long way that I think that he can do anything,” she added.
Radon transformed from a trembling pup who couldn’t bear human contact to a dog who loved being around people. When friends came over, he happily took treats from them and enjoyed every moment of attention.
That was the clearest sign that he was finally ready for a forever family.
It didn’t take long for this sweet boy to be adopted. Now, Radon is thriving with people who absolutely adore him and make sure he knows he’s safe every single day.