Entered: 05/12/2018
Status: Adopted
Age: 6
Color: Liver/White
Weight: 37 lbs.
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, receiving inexpensive anti-anxiety medication daily
Temperament: Good with adults, not recommended for very young children, unknown with older children, good with dogs she knows, unknown with cats
Original: “Happily, she has not been overwhelmed by changes that life has imposed on her in recent weeks and she has begun to look forward to her daily adventures with her foster family!”
Annabelle was much loved and well-cared for by her Pennsylvania family. When their first baby was born, all went well until the child startled Annabelle out of a deep sleep and she nipped him but didn’t break any skin. The owners took Annabelle for a behavioral evaluation at U-Penn. She was diagnosed as having a mild anxiety disorder and put on a regime of medication. Also, they were given behavioral guidance, which the owners followed with reported good results. However, this year the same sort of event was repeated with the now 2 year old child. With their second child due in August, the family made their decision to relinquish Annabelle to MAESSR where she can find a quieter forever home.
Annabelle is doing well in her foster family’s household. She’s good with the disabled resident corgi. Housetrained, she stands by the door to indicate she needs to go out. She is not crated trained but is trustworthy, having the run of the house when her foster parents are not home.
Although Annabelle would like to sleep in the master bed, that will probably not happen because of the resident dog. Instead, Annabelle has been invited to sleep on the bed in one of the other bedrooms near the master bedroom and she does that fairly quietly now – after a nightly bribe. In her foster home Annabelle is permitted on the furniture as she was in her original home.
Her house manners are great. She doesn’t counter-surf, get into the trash, or chew inappropriately. Furthermore, this good girl doesn’t guard resources or beg for food! She’s fed in the kitchen a little apart from the resident dog.
On leash Annabelle is good and getting better. Sometimes she gets somewhat nervous and lies down on the street but responds within a few seconds after an offer of a treat if she looks at her foster mom and takes a few steps with her. She actually has done very well in a great variety of situations; she has walked daily in neighborhood streets, in dog parks, and in town streets. She now meets strange dogs daily on her walks, showing a preference to the males over the females. When she meets people unknown to her, she sometimes barks but doesn’t growl. She greets people who come to the house with more barking and jumping but is pretty easily deflected and, while still a work in progress, is doing better in all social areas than when she first arrived in foster care.
Annabelle did very well at the vet. Her foster mom was able to continue using the vet that had been seeing Annabelle for the past six years, so she was comfortable there. The vet thought continued use of the inexpensive, anti-anxiety medication was advised and Annabelle’s foster mom is following through on that. Although Annabelle has not visited the groomer yet, she doesn’t object to having her ears or paws handled. Good girl!
This very bright girl will need continued socialization with people and with dogs. Happily, she has not been overwhelmed by changes that life has imposed on her in recent weeks and she has begun to look forward to her daily adventures with her foster family! She’ll enjoy being an integral part of your family too.