Dogs that live in shelters can be fearful of people. Many of these canines came from abusive households or have spent most of their lives as strays with minimal human contact. Because of their past, some dogs have difficulty trusting humans and will avoid them at all costs.
Rescue dogs that are afraid of humans are less likely to be adopted. When they are not adopted, they either spend the remainder of their lives in a shelter or are euthanized. It is terrible that this happens because many of these dogs have the potential to become loving, playful, and affectionate pets. The only thing these dogs require is a loving, patient, and understanding family.
Donnie, a rescue dog, was so terrified of humans that he refused to leave his kennel. When Donnie sees a human approaching him, he would either flee or sit in a corner with his head bowed. Donnie’s actions prevented him from being adopted, and he was inching closer to getting euthanized.
Thankfully, a woman named Shira Scott Astrof heard about Donnie and wanted to help him in regaining his faith in humans. When Shira arrived at the animal shelter to get Donnie, Donnie was so terrified that it took Shira hours to convince him to board her vehicle. Shira was very patient and allowed Donnie the space he required to relax and come to terms with the fact that he was finally in a safe place.
Donnie realized that the kitchen was the most comfortable spot to sleep during his first night at Shira’s residence. To help the dog trust again, Shira chose to spend the night with Donnie on the kitchen floor, lying next to him. This made Donnie realize that he was finally protected and can just relax. Eventually, Donnie began to trust Shira and would even rest his head on her lap on occasion.
When Donnie moved into his foster home, his true nature emerged. Shira was astounded by Donnie’s progress. He was no longer the timid dog that she met at the shelter. Donnie now enjoys playing, and he began to like connecting with humans.
Source: The Dodo
