When Joshua first met the stray Yellow Lab, Allie, it was as if she had no idea what petting was. She was distant and scared and distrustful of any human she met, even her new owner.
Before Josh took Allie into his home, Josh’s boss’s husband had found Allie freezing in a pile of leaves. When he discovered the shivering dog, he took Allie to a no-kill shelter and told Josh, “You gotta go get this dog.”
According to the shelter, Allie had birthed several litters of puppies before she ended up on the street. Josh said that the shelter told them this was common for puppy mills. “I guess when they get done having puppies, they just go drop them off somewhere and let them go,” said Josh.
So, Josh understood when Allie arrived in his home with her emotional walls up. “She’d hide in the back of her cage and wouldn’t come out unless we got her a treat or begged her to come out,” said Josh.
But Josh and his family were patient with their newest family member, and after six months, Allie started to show them her trust. While her tail was practically nonexistent before, she would wag it occasionally. Still, she had a long way to go.
After two years with her new family, Allie was a completely different dog. “She’s a really happy, fun — she’s a completely different dog,” said Josh. Allie followed Josh wherever he went, including the gym.
Looking back on Allie’s progress, Josh could not be happier. “She’s come so far, and she loves to cuddle,” said Josh. “I mean she’s really the perfect dog. I mean, honestly.”
