Some dogs just never get the chance to see the true beauty of life, and it’s one of humanity’s great failures. Used as breeding dogs in shady puppy mills, these doggos cope with trauma their entire life.
Charlie Brown, the Labrador, was one of those dogs for years. He was found in terrible condition in an Ohio puppy mill.
For Charlie, freedom was an unknown concept. He was so used to life in a cage that he practically didn’t know how to be a dog. Traumatized, fearful, and shy, this canine was on the path to spending his entire life cut off from the world until one day, his destiny turned upside down!
Saved From A Puppy Mill
The good people of Lake Erie Labrador Retriever Rescue, from Ohio, saved Charlie Brown from the cruelty of puppy mill life in 2020. Since it was during the time of Covid, this sweet boi needed to be in quarantine, and that’s when he met Shelley – his foster mom.
The two embarked on a journey in Shelley’s Pennsylvania home, where Charlie had all the freedom in the world. But, the problem was – this sweet boi didn’t know how to behave at all!
For the first couple of weeks, he was literally frozen. Every time Shelley would take him out for a walk, he would just lay on the ground. He was very nervous and traumatized, as he wasn’t used to a normal doggo life.
Shelley’s daughter, Bailey, arrived from New York City with her dog, Belle. The two (and even Belle) tried everything to cheer up Charlie Brown and get him back on his paws, but he just needed to go at his own pace.
“It almost seemed like he didn’t even know how to be a dog… When we got him into the house, he was pretty unsure. Every time he went out, he would just pancake on the ground,” Bailey told The Dodo.
Learning How To Be A Dog Again
For the first couple of weeks, Charlie Brown made small improvements. Every day, he would make a tiny movement, which indicated that there was so much life underneath his trauma, but he was still very insecure.
It took this boi 17 days to start wagging his tail. And then, after more than three weeks, he took a toy in his mouth for the first time! It was a wonderful moment and a breakthrough for Charlie Brown, who finally started realizing that Shelley’s home is a safe space!
After a month, Charlie became a totally different dog! He transformed into the sweetest lovebug with the help of the Clement family. He finally learned how to walk, and his playtime with Belle was just the sweetest thing.
Charlie started enjoying his doggo park time. It was the first time in his life that he could actually exhibit his true self in a spacious yard, and he now had all that was so heartwarming.
“Charlie Brown had clearly endured a lot of trauma when we got him and there are still things he is working through, but he has grown over these past 6 months to be the most loving, happiest and goofiest dog. He’s honestly a miracle,” Bailey wrote in her Instagram post.
In April 2020, Shelley and her daughter made a life-changing decision! They officially became foster fails to Charlie Brown, and decided to adopt him – for good!
After months of fostering this sweet, traumatized boi who made such good progress, there was no doubt that this Pennsylvanian family was the right fit for him. They were so grateful to finally be able to give this canine the life he always deserved.
After all the hardship he’s been through, Charlie Brown is finally safe! And, from now on, every new day will be his little adventure to remember!
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