‘Extremely Fearful, Shut-Down’ Foster Dog Wins Millions of Hearts as He Learns to Trust

Tiki was a deeply traumatized pup when he first arrived at Isabel Klee’s foster home in Brooklyn. So “paralyzed with fear,” he wouldn’t eat, go to the bathroom, or leave his crate. He refused to make eye contact and showed absolutely “no will to live.” Rescuers at the ASPCA thought he was one of the most “shut down dogs” they had every seen and were not hopeful for his recovery but Isabelle gently persisted.

@simonsits Day 12 with Tiki: a little celebration for how far our boy has come! @Muddy Paws Rescue @ASPCA ♬ sonido original –

Having previously fostered 25 dogs with challenging backgrounds, Isabel knew that patience was key. She gave Tiki the time and space he needed. Slowly, day by day, he became a little braver.

By Day 10, he was sitting near her, quietly watching her. He even began to cry softly. “I feel like it’s his way of saying he really wants affection and he really wants to be loved,” Isabel said on her TikTok channel @simonsits, “but he just doesn’t know how to do it.”

Then came a major breakthrough on Day 13 — Tiki wanted to be petted. You can watch that heartwarming moment in the video below.

As he continued to progress, Tiki began to capture the hearts of dog lovers around the world, many of whom eagerly follow his journey through Isabel’s regular TikTok updates. Shortly after allowing her to touch him, Tiki began playing with her dog, Simon, even breaking out into joyful zoomies.

On Day 22, he curled up in her lap for cuddles — a remarkable transformation for a dog who once seemed incapable of trust or affection.

By Day 26, he discovered toys and started showing interest in them, after he saw all the fun Simon was having.

There are still many steps ahead before Tiki is ready for a forever home, but with Isabel, Simon, and millions of supporters cheering him on, there’s no doubt he’s going to be okay.