Mom Says Her Dog Is ‘Invisible’ For The Sweetest Reason

A TikTok user named Jess Bolton recently posted a video to her account introducing the world to her “invisible dog,” an Italian greyhound named Otto. Of course, Otto isn’t actually invisible, but Bolton treats him as if he’s a ghost and sometimes pretends like she can’t see him. “It sounds sad, but he loves it,” Bolton said in the video.

When Otto joined Bolton’s family in April, she noticed his confidence was lacking and that interacting with humans added to his anxiety. So, to help Otto feel more in control of his situation: “No one looks at him, talks to him or touches him unless he explicitly asks them to,” Bolton continued in her TikTok.

“We [took in] Otto last month from a very loving home where he sadly wasn’t getting on with another dog,” Bolton told The Dodo. “It had become very stressful for him, so he was looking for somewhere new to settle down.”

Bolton said she and her partner were able to spend time with Otto in his previous home and know that he’s a happy guy underneath the nerves. “The move has knocked his confidence, and he’s taking his time to adjust to his new life,” Bolton said. “Our role at the moment is keeping him safe and comfortable while he gets used to living with us.”

And if that means treating him like he’s invisible, then that’s exactly what Bolton will continue to do.

Bolton and her partner are very well versed in caring for anxious dogs. “Our whippet, Jess, had a difficult start in life, and she’s got more than her fair share of worries,” Bolton said. “She really comes out of her shell around her four-legged friends, though, so for years we’ve had an eye out for another dog to add to our family.”

“We wanted a dog with the right mix of calm, cuddly and quirky characteristics, and Otto sounded like the perfect fit!” Bolton continued.

And just as Jess opens up around other dogs, she’s helping Otto do the same.

“Otto and Jess are getting on beautifully,” Bolton said. “They’re both quiet dogs who love cuddling up together in the sunny spots in our home. We were anxious it was going to take a while for Jess to get used to having another dog around all the time, but from day one they’ve been best mates.”

Bolton believes Jess will likely be the one to help Otto regain his confidence, and she suspects Otto’s happy personality will begin to shine in the months to come.

The biggest challenge Bolton said she’s faced so far in caring for Otto is not invading his personal space — and coaching from a pet behaviorist has been extremely helpful. “We’re working on getting him happier being handled so that he can have his nails cut, feel confident at the vet and put his coat on when it gets colder,” Bolton said. “We’re taking our cues from him, and we know we’ll get there eventually if we keep moving at his speed.”

While Otto still has a ways to go, he knows that when he does reach out to his humans he can get all the cuddles in the world.