When a Good Samaritan on their way to Las Vegas recently spotted a scared little dog just outside of Primm, Nevada, the concerned driver swiftly pulled over and called local animal authorities for help.

The timid pup had no collar, ID or microchip. Rescuers assumed he was lost or abandoned and took him to The Animal Foundation for further care.

Shelter staff members named the dog Primm, as an ode to where he was found. When The Animal Foundation’s lead groomer, Krystal Elizondo, met Primm, she knew she had a difficult job on her hands. Primm’s long, matted hair obscured his vision and poked out at odd angles. Elizondo got right to work. As she trimmed, the groomer noticed Primm coming out of his shell.

“He was absolutely perfect during his groom,” Elizondo told The Dodo. “Primm was scared and unsure at first, but he let it happen and slowly started to open up, wag his tail and give me kisses.”

Feeling confident with his new haircut, Primm continued thriving at the rescue. By the time he left for his foster home, rescuers could tell that Primm had learned to trust.

“When he arrived, he would curl up in the back of his kennel,” The Animal Foundation’s marketing and communications coordinator, Max Blaustein, told The Dodo. “When he was leaving for foster, he was relaxing at the front of his kennel, waiting to be taken out for a walk.”

Thanks to the dedication and care of so many animal lovers, Primm is finally living the life he deserves — and he’s looking great while doing it.