Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Rescue Conquers Fear Of The Outdoors And It Couldn't Be Sweeter
Everyone — including dogs — is afraid of something. For some people, it's spiders, confined spaces, or heights. For others, it's public speaking or the less common phobias like rubber bands or clowns. Certain dogs have fears too, for specific reasons, like venturing beyond the driveway. A Cavalier King Charles spaniel named Toula had this crippling phobia, but defeated it, thanks to her patient humans who filmed her moment of bravery and shared it on TikTok.
@merefran_4 Toula has been terrified of the outdoors. Today she had her longest "walk" yet! (And by walk I mean we carry her two doors down and try to get her to walk home to varying degrees of success.) #cavalierkingcharles #puppymillsurvivor #rescuedog #adoptdontshop #shessobrave
Toula was rescued from a puppy mill and has been petrified of the outdoors ever since, according to the video caption, but on August 30, 2025, her fear began to fade. Her humans carried her two doors down from their home and encouraged her to walk on home — dog leash attached. Although she attempted to return home down the first sidewalk she saw, they were pleased that she walked as far as she did. Toward the end of the clip, Toula resumed her brief quest back to the comfort and safety of her home.
The clip has been liked more than 2,000 times, with dozens of viewers cheering her on in the comments. "She is so brave and a precious, precious pup!!" one person said. "Going to candy mountain," another TikToker said.
More about Toula, the puppy mill survivor
Sadly, many dogs die in puppy mills, but Toula was one of the lucky ones. She found her furever home in February 2025. It's unclear exactly what she endured before her rescue, but what is clear is that she's safe and loved now. "In six months, our timid rescue babe has become absolutely obsessed with my husband," the caption of an August 14, 2025, TikTok reads. In the clip, Sean (the "husband") holds Toula like a baby in his arms and gently rubs her chest as she stares up into his eyes.
A more recent clip from September shows her making even more progress with her walks, tackling a few more houses, with Sean again holding the leash. Just weeks later, she went on her first outing to a brewery and seemed to behave well with Sean by her side. Hopefully by now, she's more than tripled her distance around the neighborhood and replaced her fear of walks with joy and excitement.
Toula's humans describe her as timid, introverted, and nervous, but they continue to love her and make her feel like a queen. Her personality continues to blossom as she plays with odd toys, like hoodie strings and scrunchies. Maybe the next video will be of her confidently running around in the backyard or even at a dog park. Fingers crossed!
Want to read more rescue stories? Check out this rescue dog grieving the loss of her puppies who found happiness with a new best friend, or the blind rescue dog that learned a genius trick to get treats.