09/03/2026
🐾Balto update🐺 I feel hopeful he's starting to overcome some of the trauma he's been through. He's doing incredible with slip leads plus a regular leash + collar in my fenced yard. The leads used to terrify him but now he gets a slight twinkle in his eye when he sees them, because he knows he gets to go outside!
Balto was hard to read around my pups at first, but now that we've gotten to know each other better, I feel safe letting them spend time together. He takes lots of cues from Maisy (pictured), who almost always matches other animals' energies.🖤 She even earned his very first tail wag which totally brought tears to my eyes! I think it's really helping him watch other dogs navigate indoor spaces and interact with people.
As far as humans go, he's still terrified and shaky. If someone besides me spends time in his room, even for a few minutes, there's a 90% chance he'll skip his next meal (unless I bribe him with canned cat food😅). But while brushing him today, he laid down next to me, stopped shaking, and enjoyed some gentle ear scratches. It felt like a huge step in the right direction.
You've got this, buddy.🐾
