Tucker 24-003

On February 18, 2024, GRRoIowa contacted me to pick up Tucker from a local shelter. They warned me that Tucker was a “mill dog” and would be extremely scared and withdrawn. When I arrived at the shelter, my heart broke as I saw Tucker sitting in a cage, completely frozen in fear. He would not sit up or look at me. I had to carry all 60 lbs. of him out of the shelter and into my truck, then into my house to start his healing process. Tucker looked like he either wanted to hide in a hole or run away as fast as he could.

GRRoIowa had already made sure that I had a confident resident dog and informed me that she would play a crucial role in Tucker’s recovery. I went to my bedroom where Charley, my resident dog, was eagerly waiting, and put her on a leash. I calmly walked Charley to the mudroom, where Tucker was cowering, and introduced them. I was amazed to see the life Charley brought back into Tucker. His eyes lit up when he saw her, and he stood up and began wagging his tail. At that moment, I knew Tucker was going to be okay.

It was evident that Tucker had never played with any toys or received any treats before. We noticed that he was more comfortable outside than inside the house, as he seemed to be scared of the interior. During his first week with us, he and Charley would play and run around outside, but as soon as he stepped inside, he would run into my bedroom and hide next to the bed. Throughout his second week with us, Tucker slowly started feeling less fearful inside the house. He began eating his food in the kitchen and found out how comfortable the couch was. Despite his progress, he still felt uneasy walking around the house and would become anxious with any movement or noise, quickly retreating to his safe place next to my bed.

It has now been four weeks since Tucker joined our family and he is living his best life as a family pet and inside dog. Tucker has made significant progress and now moves around the house freely. He loves to wrestle with Charley in the living room, snuggle on the couch, and play with ALL his toys. He’s even become comfortable enough to surf the counters (silly Golden). Although Tucker still has a long way to go and lots to learn, we are grateful that he is part of our family and that we can show him the love he deserves. We can’t thank GRRoIowa enough for trusting us with Tucker’s care and for all their efforts to help the Goldens in our community.