A Dog Abandoned For Her Aggression Turns Into The Biggest Softie You’ve Ever Seen

Tilly Goble, a Seattle-based photographer, had been wanting to add a canine member to her family when she and her husband found out they were expecting a child. They didn’t want just any pup; they had to be absolutely sure that the new addition to their family would be the right fit, especially since a baby was on the way.

Goble and her husband began the search by looking into numerous rescue shelters and humane societies, some of which were up to 500 miles away! Of the many dogs that they had seen, none of them seemed to be the right fit for her family. Goble was starting to lose hope when one day at work she saw an ad for a dog named Abby who was up for adoption. The only problem was, Abby was a state away.

Nevertheless, Goble called up the rescue shelter and inquired after Abby. The people at the shelter told her that Abby had a handful of behavioral issues, including aggression, and she would therefore be unfit for a household with babies. Even after hearing that, Goble couldn’t shake off the feeling that Abby was the one, so she and her husband drove out to meet her.

They drove nearly 450-miles to get to Abby’s foster home. The minute they arrived, Abby immediately put her head into Mr. Goble’s lap. Since she was usually very aggressive with males…

This was all the convincing that the Gobles needed. In that moment, they knew Abby was a part of their family and they took her home shortly after.

The initial day’s were tough: Abby still had to learn to regain the trust of humans.

This is a phenomenon which is very common in rescued animals who were likely subjected to abuse at the hands of humans in the past. The Gobles nevertheless worked through Abby’s issues, slowly but surely.

As the arrival of their baby was drawing ever nearer, close friends and family began to question whether it was a wise decision to be bringing a newborn into a home with a dog with known aggressive tendencies…

The Goble’s never once doubted their decision and as soon as their son Henley was born, Abby instictiviely knew what had to be done: Henley was her little brother and new best friend. She was ready to take on new responsibilities and become his protector.

Abby took her big sister duties very seriously…

She would check on Henley while he napped, and made sure to be there when he woke. She would keep a close eye on him during playtime, sometimes even joining in on all the fun. She made sure she was always there when he needed her.

Then one day, the Gobles noticed a lump on Abby’s neck. At first they thought it was just a common cyst…

But when it grew to three times the original size, they took the pup to the vet and found that it was cancer. They immediately scheduled a surgery that left Abby with a huge incision on her neck.

Now it was Henley’s turn to take care of his big sister.

He never left her side and would always be watching over her, making sure she always had a pal by her side.

Now that Abby is four and Henley is two, the pup is fully recovered and the siblings are closer than ever.

Goble says that “[Abby] teaches sharing, gentle cuddles, social cues, and so much more. She teaches patience and how to give space or snuggles as needed. She is the most interesting and special animal I have ever known.”

The Goble’s are in no doubt that the emotional and financial investment that they made into Abby was entirely worth it.