A police officer and Redditor who goes by the handle “KattooKing” posted a video on March 30, 2020 that is melting hearts around the world.
Originally posted in the r/aww subreddit, dedicated to “Things that make you go AWW! Like puppies, bunnies, babies, and so on…,” the video of her foster dog Max is now sparking conversations in many different Reddit communities.
That’s because Max is heartbreakingly afraid to let anyone touch him, but he still has a special way to show his foster mom he cares.
In a video of fewer than 40 seconds, we see Max thoughtfully bundle up his foster mom under a blanket to keep her warm and snuggly.
Pushing the edges of the fleece with his nose, he then tucks it up around her, trying to cover her exposed skin. He clearly knows what it takes to be cozy.
KattooKing first met Max when he was brought into the Golden Paw animal shelter in Joplin, Missouri. All that’s known about the Schnauzer is that he’s around eight years old and was surrendered by his owner.
He’s not in bad health or aggressive, but he is terrified of being touched and will start shaking uncontrollably as a result. His foster mom will only put her hands near him very slowly and carefully and only to attach his leash so she can take him for a walk.
Otherwise, she’s letting him acclimate to the new environment in his own time.
“I can touch Max! I have to to take him on walks. However, he is incredibly scared to be touched. Because of that we are taking very small steps to him to be comfortable.”
She’s careful only to touch Max when it’s necessary and not push boundaries — and she had some words of advice for dealing with fearful fosters:
“Time and patience is key. I think it helps to learn about dog behavior to learn how to communicate with your dog.”
Of course, commenters were shattered to see sweet Max showing his affection knowing that he couldn’t receive any snuggles in return.
In true internet fashion, EVERYONE had an opinion about the “right” thing to do in this situation. Luckily, KattooKing is an experienced foster mom who knows exactly what she’s doing.
Plenty of people feel that she should keep the dog, but KattooKing refuses to have a “failed foster” for a good reason:
“…I wouldn’t have more room for dogs just like him who need someone like me!”
“If I keep Max I can’t help the hundreds more in shelters who need my help just like him! There’s a great family out there for him that will adopt him.”
Other commenters felt that making attempts to pet Max might be a good thing and help him overcome his fear, but his foster mom disagrees, saying that would break the trust they’ve already built.
“Petting him would be throwing him outside of his comfort zone and would make him MORE fearful. It would be 10 steps back from the work I’ve put in.”
She trusts Max to welcome affection in his own time. Meanwhile, he knows he’s in a safe place.
KattooKing said that despite refusing to be touched, the dog will sit on the couch with her. And he’s also good friends with his temporary “big brother,” a cat “who shows him all the good stuff human love does.”
And it turns out Max’s “tucking” behavior isn’t entirely out of the ordinary. According to KattooKing:
“Max does this with his toys, food, blankets, etc. Nuzzling and burying is a very common schnauzer trait.”
As you might imagine, Max’s video has made dozens of people reach out and ask about adopting him. KattooKing is referring everyone to the shelter for vetting.
As of three days ago, he was ready to meet some potential families over the coming weekend. But if he doesn’t find the right home, his foster mom is willing to care for him as long as is necessary:
“I foster until they’re adopted. If that means years it means years. Whatever the individual rescue needs,” she said.
In the meantime, Max continues to make himself at home, especially in his favorite window, which he shares with some garden gnomes.
Be sure to scroll down to see Max’s adorable show of affection towards his foster mom.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
My foster dog, Max, is too scared to let me touch him but makes sure I’m taken care of. from r/aww
Source: KattooKing on Reddit, Golden Paw on Facebook
h/t: Reshareworthy
