Exiting the car, he was cautious, scared, and heavily medicated with deeply sad, droopy eyes. He wouldn't let me near him, but he followed me around the yard on a leash and eventually into the house.

We let him explore on his own, with no forced human interactions, and he watched our dogs happily come to us from a safe distance. It took him a few days to think clearly, start eating, and eventually ask someone to love him. He was scared of fast movements and loud noises, but learned our routine quickly and found his favorite sleeping spots around the house.

Slowly, we learned that he liked dog treats, knew how to sit, was very frightened of children and gunshot/firework noises. He followed me everywhere, pretending to be sleeping but always having one eye out for the UPS man. We earned Duke's trust and out came his goofy, loving, loyal self that always was beneath the big, scared shell.

He stopped flinching or hiding when we picked up objects like a shoe or a wrapping paper roll; he knew I would hold his face and kiss him instead of yelling at him. We had Duke for six weeks, and when it was time to go to his new adopters, I didn't want him to feel like he did something wrong; I didn't want him to think I'd sent him away, but that's something you can't explain to a dog.

As a foster, I just hoped his new family would fully know what a really good boy he is and love him for his quirks, making his transition as easy on him as possible. Duke's new family not only knows that, but is more than the perfect forever home for him.

I left him with his new mom, proud that I could help find his perfect spot in this world with her. His rescue took many stops on his journey, but each one brought out more trust and positive experiences for him that eventually led Duke to the place he was meant to be, just being himself with his forever family.