Rescue Dog 'Shows Her Belly For The First Time' And Would Like It To Be Rubbed, Please
Dogs love people. Once you create a solid bond, dogs can be total love bugs. It's truly a special sight to see signs that a dog has bonded with you. One obvious sign? When your fur baby shows its belly, like in one extra-sweet TikTok. In the clip, liked over 135,000 times, a rescue dog shows her belly for the first time to her foster mom, animal advocate Isabel Klee, and it's the definition of true love. See for yourself!
@simonsits I have no words 😭😭😭 @Muddy Paws Rescue
Isabel fostered Marmie to rescue her from a formerly abusive home, and the shaggy and adorable pup apparently took a while to warm up. "This is the first time Marmie has truly given me her full belly," says Isabel in the video to a relaxed little Marmie. She expressed that Marmie seemed to feel quite happy and safe, finally, which is a huge win.
Marmie was truly "the face of happiness," just as one viewer said. Another major win: Isabel found Marmie a forever home. Marmie was very uncomfortable around men, as her abuser was male, so she was paired up with a girl-powered trio (a woman, her 9-year-old daughter, and her mother) to help her feel safe.
Isabel Klee's history of helping dogs like Marmie
Marmie's forever home success story is not Isabel's first. The beloved dog advocate and author of "Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About" has journeyed through over 35 wonderful foster and rescue dog and cat stories, especially with her lovable Simon. She cared for Simon for seven years, navigating his frequent seizures and other health issues, making loving memories, and then finally saying goodbye to soul pet Simon in July 2026.
But Isabel's work is far from over. Recently on TikTok, she shared the results of another foster dog, Honeycomb's, successful amputation, stating that the pup seems to be in far less pain post-surgery. Previously, she documented foster dog Tiki's transformation from a dog considered to be "too broken," as shared in a BuzzFeed write-up, to a well-adjusted fido, later adopted by a happy couple.
All the while, Isabel has worked closely with New York City-based Muddy Paws Rescue. Fostering continues to be one of the ways to help pet shelters without adopting. If you're interested in learning more about fostering dogs, consider reaching out to your local shelter. You just might be on a journey to help precious rescues find their forever homes.