Foster dog was terrified to step outside the crate for the first time — until something made her pause and look up

When you become used to living a certain way, stepping outside your comfort zone can feel impossible, even if that space is detrimental to your health. As a result, all the exciting new possibilities remain untouched. However, taking that first brave step can feel as powerful as conquering the world. Such was the case with Faith when she decided to leap out of the cage that had confined her for years. The foster dog, who had spent her entire life in a crate, was too afraid to even place a paw outside it. Her story of bravery was shared by her owner, who goes by @ttthatskaitlynnn on TikTok. The video documenting Faith's journey, posted on August 4, has received 1.7 million views.

Faith had spent 1.5 years in a crate before being temporarily adopted by Kaitlyn. The shelter staff decided to keep her in the den because she was only accustomed to life behind bars. But Kaitlyn wanted to change her new foster companion's routine. The new approach included urging Faith to step out of her crate at least once a day. Seeing her dog terrified by seemingly nothing pained Kaitlyn, who chose to gently lift Faith out of the crate and take her on a walk through the city to meet new people and make friends.

Hoping this would encourage Faith to trust her new family, Kaitlyn continued the process regularly. One day, she deliberately left the crate unlocked and encouraged Faith to step out of the cage and move past the trauma it carried, so her new life could finally fill her with all the love and nourishment she deserved. As she lay in bed with her husband, Kaitlyn made the choice to follow through with her plan. She also wrote and sang a song to her dog to bolster the quick progress. After gently calling her for three hours, Faith finally gave in. She happily jumped out of the traumatic cage that had confined her for years, and she leaped onto the bed to cuddle with her new owners.

The viral video was loved by the internet, and people praised Kaitlyn’s efforts in ensuring a better life for Faith. “This is dangerous, she might like the bed and refuses to sleep anywhere else,” jested @maarveo. “The happiness I get watching foster dogs unlearn their fearful behaviors and realize that not everyone in the world is bad is unbearable, man. Like, of course, you can get on the bed, baby,” shared @leanap_03. Another user, @trin_316, chimed in, “My rescue is afraid of our hardwood floors and generally stays in the kitchen or living room. Yesterday, she ran across the hardwood to come to our extra bedroom, where we sometimes hang out. Brave girl.”

Meanwhile, there is a 3-3-3 rule that specifically outlines how long it takes foster dogs to calm down. Stress and anxiety tend to peak during the initial three days of a temporary pet adoption. If the unhealed past experiences linger, then the overwhelming period of adjusting to a new environment, while facing already existing fears, stretches to three weeks. From a period of three weeks to three months, the dogs finally learn to get comfortable around a new setting. Trust builds, and love is shared. For Faith, it took only three days to jump out of the crate, a sign that her new environment was enriching and nourishing enough for her to quickly build trust.

You can follow Faith @ttthatskaitlynnn on TikTok for more such content.