A dog named Dilly was a very well-known resident of a local school campus in Houston, Texas.
Even though this black and white pup made her presence known to everyone who passed her, she was often running away, not letting anybody approach.
Rescue Mission
A rescuer by the name of Kristin Erwin was determined to gain the trust of this dog and get her comfortable around people.
“[I] quickly realized this was a very spooked dog. As soon as you showed interest in her, she booked it and ran off. There was no stopping her or getting her attention,” said Kristin.
Erwin decided to set up a trap and patiently wait for Dilly to be ready and make her way inside.
Luckily, it didn’t take too long for this skittish dog to enter the trap, allowing Kristin to take her back to her Houston home and start showing this dog what life inside of a warm home is all about.
At Home
Kristin made a very strategic plan in order to get Dilly used to her new environment without making her feel overwhelmed.
I gave Dilly her very own room. The first couple of days I left her completely alone, and then I started spending a few minutes in there throughout the day, either just talking to her softly or hand-feeding her. She had the cutest little lips and underbite. I remember it was day 10 when I got my first tail wag out of her.
It took Dilly a month in Kristin’s care to gain the confidence just to come out of her room.
However, as soon as she realized that there was nothing to be afraid of and how loving her new foster home was, Dilly simply never wanted to go back in.
She finally ventured down the hallway on her own and observed what the living room was all about. Once she found the couch, the rest was history. I remember we would even put her food bowl on the couch like a princess.
Over the time that Kristen spent with Dilly, she realized just how much this dog had taught her about resilience.
Seeing how Dilly went from such a fearful dog to a relaxed puppy who enjoyed life, Kristen knew that everything was possible with just a little bit of patience and love.
Forever Home
As Dilly gained all of her confidence, Kristin knew that she was ready for a forever home.
Kristin was very excited to find out that one of her high school friends had been following Dilly’s story and had slowly fallen in love with the pup, wanting to adopt her.
I was super excited that Dilly could potentially be rehomed to someone close.
Looking like a brand-new pup, Dilly settled in her new home right away.
Dilly really hit it off with her family. She quickly befriended their dogs, as well as her young son. They go for puppuccinos at Starbucks, walk around the neighborhood [and she] sleeps in their bed. She has it all now. Most importantly she has a family that loves her unconditionally, even if she is still a little quirky.
