Update: Week Three

So, the holidays stress is over and we have had some more time to get to know Annie better...

I really must say, I am very impressed with the progress she is making! She still has her issues with other dogs, things like that don't go away over night, but I really did anticipate a lot more hard work with her as far as obedience and all around manners go, but she is very eager to learn and is a true lady!

She listens very well and responds quickly to corrections. In the house she'll come when I call, sit and wait nicely before eating, sit for treats and take them gently. She also learned to catch treats, it's so cute! She has learned to release toys when asked, and hasn't growled a single time with a toy since I corrected her almost 2 weeks ago! She is learning to wait and let you pass before her through doors, instead of bullying her way ahead like she used to, and she will now sit nicely when putting on her collar, sweater and leash for walks (Yes, she gets a sweater, we live in Maine and it's cold! ).

But most of all she has learned to ignore the other dogs barking! I am very happy about this, and it's great progress! They are all aware of each other's presence and for the first week they would all get very worked up hearing each other. Annie doesn't bark (I have never heard it!) but would jump on the door and get very agitated, with a few corrections she would learn that the door to the rest of the house is off limits (I just don't want them obsessing over each other). She would try to sneak over to the door and sniff under it, and now all I need to do is a warning "a-ah..." and she'll come strutting over to me again. And when she hears my dogs barking she completely ignores it! Huge progress!

She is visibly more relaxed and comfortable here. She loves her people time and will sit next to me any time she gets a chance. She loves snuggles and scratches, and will give lots of kisses! She has been wonderful with everyone who's visited and adores people! We had a bunch of people over for Christmas and she was wonderful with everyone! Just cruised from person to person to get her butt scratched...

She has a tendency to jump on people when greeting them, but a quick "Off" command and lots of praise when she gets down has been taking care of that! She really just wants to please and to be part of the pack... She loves her toys and can spend forever chasing her Orbee-ball, or play with her kong. (She has strong jaws and require heavy duty toys! Others she'll rip apart and could choke on loose pieces! For potential adopters, I have a great list of tough toys for strong-jawed dogs).

She has also been making great progress with her weight. Lots of walks and a healthy, controlled diet, and she is down to a healthy 35 lbs! She could still stand to loose a few pounds, but she is no longer obese and her breathing is so much better! She is still completely housebroken, not a single accident since she got here!

She is still a bit reactive on walks, but is much better and as she has gotten to know us and feels more comfortable she also listens better. We are taking it nice and slow with her training but will move further along in the coming weeks and hopefully in time she will be able to interact comfortably with other dogs...

When I first met her I really thought she was going to be more of a bully, but she is proving me completely wrong! She is a big, headstrong girl, but who just wants to be loved! She is turning out to be such a great girl and I am really falling for her! She will make someone a great companion...

Annie is here...

Annie arrived on saturday December 6th and we now know quite a bit more about her...

First and foremost, Annie is NOT good with other dogs. She had an incident with our dogs the first night and we have determined that she would do best in a home as an only dog.

We had been told by her former owner that she was good with other dogs. I don't believe this was a lie since she has lived with other dogs, but I do believe that she has not necessarily been exposed to strange dogs, and in combination with the stress of being separated from her family and the long transport from Tennessee, she lashed out aggressively.
We are currently working with a behaviorist and are laying out a behavioral modification program for Annie, and as her foster mom, and a behaviorist in training, I will be more than happy to continue working with her with her potential adopters, even after she is adopted...

Annie is not, however, aggressive with people. She is living separated from the other dogs in her foster home, and is an all around happy, friendly girl with all people she meets! She is very affectionate and loves to snuggle. She loves to go for walks and is very good on a leash. She is a large girl, overweight at about 40 lbs, but even at a healthy weight she should probably weigh in at about 30-35 lbs, so she is just a big girl. Because of her size we would not recommend her to a home with young children. Homes with older children or teenagers will be considered on a case basis.

She can be a bit bossy if given the chance and might not be a dog for an inexperienced dog owner. But with a calm, assertive approach she listens well and is a very good girl! She has shown mild toy possessiveness by growling, but a firm "no" and removing the toy until she is calm takes care of it. She is still very stressed and will act a bit worked up, so by encouraging calm behavior she gets a chance to relax.

She is an overall low energy dog and an all around couch potato. She does love her walks are they are great for her to socialize and get exercise, but that's really all she needs. She is a content dog that just wants to be around you. She loves to sleep in bed with you (but will sleep on a dogbed or crate if you prefer). If she can lay on the sofa next to you while you watch TV she'll be the happiest girl in the world...

She had a rectal prolapse 8 years ago (scroll down to a previous post for a link on the topic), but had surgery at it is completely under control, as long as she is on a low-fat dry dog food (right now she eats Solid Gold Hund-N-Flocken). NO human food! It could aggravate a reoccurrence... But overall, besides being overweight, she is in great shape and no one would ever think she was 11! She has a sweet, young face with no grays and a beautiful velvety soft coat.

She would make a wonderful companion for a couple or single person who doesn't mind that Annie can't be around other animals. She is a great people-dog and would make someone a great buddy!