A little update on Toby 💙

Toby is still finding the world around him a little overwhelming. He’s doing okay, but there are moments when things become too much, when certain triggers leave him unsettled, anxious or restless. And honestly, how could we expect anything different, given the circumstances in which he was found and everything he has been through.

We need to remember that Toby hasn’t simply moved into a new home. He’s been taken from everything he knew and placed into a completely different world. A world where even the simplest things are completely unfamiliar to him.

The gentle placing of a lead, the comfort of a soft bed, having somewhere warm and safe to sleep, being able to settle without fear. These are things most dogs take for granted, but Toby has little, if any, experience of them. Imagine having to learn what comfort feels like, what safety looks like and what it means to simply switch off and rest.

His foster carers, Claire and Paul, are doing everything right. They are patient, understanding and, most importantly, allowing Toby to set the pace.

Every day we try something small. A new experience, a little change, a gentle introduction to something that most of us wouldn’t give a second thought. These are tiny steps, but for Toby they can be enormous. We hope that, little by little, these moments will help him find his way towards some kind of normality. But we also understand that Toby’s version of normal is going to look very different for quite some time.

His foster home is deliberately quiet. It’s his safe place. Somewhere he can rest, observe, explore when he’s ready and simply exist without anyone expecting anything from him. There is no pressure to be happy, confident, affectionate or brave. He doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone.

Some days Toby can be calm and settled. Other days he can become overstimulated, restless and unsure of what’s happening around him. That’s okay.

Having worked with dogs for many years, particularly those who have experienced physical or psychological trauma, we know that what Toby is showing us is not unusual. Trauma doesn’t disappear because a dog has been rescued. And safety isn’t something every dog immediately understands just because we provide it.

It takes time. Consistency. Patience. And an awful lot of love.

There will be no deadlines for Toby. No expectations that he should be further along than he is. We will celebrate the little things, accept the difficult days and keep showing him, over and over again, that nobody is going to hurt him, rush him or ask more of him than he can manage.

Toby has already been through enough. Now it’s his turn to learn that life can be kind.

To Claire and Paul, thank you. Thank you for opening your home, for understanding that this little boy needs something far beyond a roof over his head, and for giving him the space and security to work things out in his own time. We know it isn’t always easy, but what you’re giving Toby is something incredibly precious.

And to everyone following Toby’s journey, please be patient with him. Recovery isn’t always visible, progress isn’t always a straight line, and sometimes the biggest achievement of the day is simply feeling safe enough to rest.

We’ve got you, Toby. One little step at a time ♥️