A homeless Jindo wandered near a shop one day. The owners of the shop noticed that the dog feared humans. Yet, they were very patient with her and tried to win her over with food. After six months, she finally warmed up to them, so they adopted her and named her Haeri.
Even though Haeri trusted her family, she was still extremely afraid of strangers. Whenever a customer came by, she would go to a corner and cower in fear.
Haeri would also get very anxious whenever her owner took her outside to relieve herself. She kept pulling on her leash and tried to avoid people as much as possible. It was supposed to be an enjoyable time, but it was stressful instead.
Haeri might have suffered abuse from people when she was still living in the streets. Even though the couple had helped her regain her physical health, they did not know how to help her heal emotionally. They knew Haeri needed professional help.
An animal behaviorist came to see Haeri. According to the expert, her high anxiety state could escalate into a phobia. A simple behavioral correction will not help her heal.
The expert recommended medical treatment and aromatherapy to keep her calm. She demonstrated what aromatherapy could do. She sprayed scents on herself, went near Haeri, and gave her some treats. Haeri did not try to run away but began eating the treats after a few moments of hesitation.
The owners were amazed. It took them a long time to earn Haeri’s trust, but she dropped her guard within a few minutes of meeting the expert. She mentioned that Haeri needed positive interaction with people, so the couple asked for help from their neighbors. One by one, they dropped by and said kind words to the dog so that she would get used to them.
The expert came back after a week to see how Haeri had been doing. Instead of cowering in the corner, the dog bravely stepped out of her hiding place. The couple was relieved to see that she was willing to get out of her shell. They were hopeful that she would become a confident dog soon.
Source: Kritter Klub via YouTube
