Maribelle is about 11 weeks old. When she first arrived, she was extremely scared and wouldn’t leave her crate. With a lot of patience—and the help of my own dog—we set up a puppy pen around her crate, which helped her feel safe enough to slowly start coming out and exploring. Over time, she’s grown much more comfortable and loves to run all over now. Right now, she is using pee pads in the home, as getting a leash on her and taking her outside has been a challenge. However, we’ve been working on it, and she is making steady progress. I’ve found that clipping the leash while she’s still in her crate works best, and once she’s outside, she does enjoy walking around. She is still a bit sensitive to touch, especially from above, so we approach her gently—petting under her chin and moving slowly. Initially, she would snap when approached out of fear, but as she’s become more comfortable, that behavior has significantly improved. She may still get nervous when being picked up, but using a leash helps make things easier and less stressful for her. We currently crate her at night and when we’re not home. She may cry a little at first but settles down fairly quickly. She’s eating small meals 3–4 times a day, though she can be a bit picky. Maribelle does tend to open up more with another dog around, but I do believe she could adjust well as an only dog with the right patience and guidance. She is already starting to show her sweet personality and is happy to see us—it just takes her a little time to trust. We would hope you continue to socialize her with dogs as she truly loves them. A good puppy training class would be a great thing for her as well. We’ve also been working on keeping a light leash on her while she’s out so we can guide her gently without startling her. We’re pairing this with treats to build positive associations with touch, brushing, and handling. With time, patience, and consistency, Maribelle has the potential to become a wonderful companion. She just needs someone willing to help her continue learning that not all humans are scary.