Delta

---

Update 09/12/2026: “She would be a great match for a senior/senior couple, for anyone who can take their dog to work, or as a therapy dog as everybody is this gentle gal’s pal.”

Dear Delta continues to be a delightful houseguest. She is a pleasure to have around and is low maintenance to boot. The girl definitely enjoys an occasional brushing and nail-trimming but otherwise doesn’t require a lot of attention. Of course, she is still a social butterfly and enjoys any interactions with humans that she encounters.

Delta just visited the vet for her annual checkup and did well. She currently has a minor yeast infection and is cooperative in allowing ointment to be applied in her ears. She has not had any incidents of acid reflux in the past couple months as foster mom gives medication at any indication that perhaps her tummy is a little unsettled. Delta continues to eat sensitive skin and stomach dog food. She eats very little people food – foster mom has found beef to be a trigger to her acid reflux. Delta continues to be convinced that foster mom is starving her. She needs to be gated away from the other dogs at mealtimes as she will gladly help herself to the others’ food. Although her meals have been cut back, she may have put on a pound or two. Her weights were taken on different scales so that may account for any discrepancy. Delta is definitely an easy keeper, but she does love to eat! If anything is dropped on the floor, she swoops right in!

Delta is not a great traveler but has shown some improvement. She still needs a boost into foster mom’s car, but on the last trip did not chew apart the blanket on the back seat as she usually does.  Since Delta does not jump up on anything, it is unlikely she will jump up into a car. She will now jump out of the tub after her bath.

While she is not much of a fan for being out in the yard for long periods, Delta loves to go for walks on her harness. She has been disappointed throughout the summer that walks have been few and far between due to heat and humidity as well as rain. She does well on the leash and, if left to her devices, is a fervent marker on walks.

At times Delta can be a little demanding but will give up whimpering, whining, and occasional woofing if redirected. She and foster mom have had an occasional difference of opinion about bathroom schedules. Recently Delta has on occasion refused to go to the bathroom first thing in the morning and had one accident in the house. This has been resolved by crating her after her refusal. She is let out again after the other dogs have eaten and then will gladly do her toileting so that she can have her breakfast, too.

Delta does really well at being crated and will sleep in her open crate at night although she may spend some time on the tile floor. She is given a Pupsicle when foster mom crates her during short absences. She rushes right into the crate for her treat. 

While Delta is content in her current situation, she is patiently waiting to find her forever home. She would be a great match for a senior/senior couple, for anyone who can take their dog to work, or as a therapy dog as everybody is this gentle gal’s pal. Although having had no exposure to kids, she would most certainly be delighted to have some visiting grandkids to give her even more attention. She would probably prefer her human(s) to be home much of the time. While she can be adopted without Seraphine, another canine companion would be ideal for this sociable gal. 

Update 06/12/2026: “She would be a great match for a senior or senior couple to round out a happy home.” 

Delta is doing well and is as sweet and chipper as ever. She has a ninth birthday to celebrate, making her eligible for Seniors for Seniors. The girl is a real pleasure to have around and loves getting attention and occasional brushing. She would be a great match for a senior or senior couple to round out a happy home. 

Delta’s health continues to be good with only a couple minor episodes of acid reflux which were treated with pumpkin and getting her medication a little earlier than usual. It is unknown what caused the acid reflux as no people food had been shared. She still needs to lose some weight but is convinced that she is starving. Oh, how excited she gets at mealtime, jumping backwards the whole time her meal is being carried to her eating spot. The gate always gets closed as Delta has no boundaries when it comes to food. She will gladly pitch in to eat another dog’s food. If foster mom drops anything, Delta swoops right in to grab it. Hopefully, it is food that is dropped and not inedibles so that foster mom doesn’t have to immediately dive for it herself. 

Foster mom has noticed that Delta can get a little demanding at times, indicating that she wants out or is ready to eat. She tends to have her own toileting schedule at times, may not go when out there with the other dogs but decides 15 – 45 minutes later that she needs to go. Sometimes she may toilet right away, other times takes her good ol’ time finding the perfect spot to go. Ah, c’mon, Delta! In the morning, she is generally quiet but may take to whimpering, whining, and progress to barking if foster mom doesn’t get the day started when Delta is ready to seize the day. Foster mom refuses to come downstairs if Delta is making a fuss. She is always happy to see foster mom and the resident dogs, acting as if we have been gone for days when we do go downstairs.

Delta is doing well while foster mom goes on errands, willingly goes in the crate to get her Pupsicle. Upon return, she is happy to see foster mom and may run about the house with utter glee.

Delta loves her foster mom and resident dogs but is ready to find her forever home where she can have short walks and nice long naps afterward. She is a real social butterfly and would love interactions with a wide variety of folks she encounters in her life. She would be great for anyone who can take their dog to work or as a therapy dog as everybody is her pal. She would probably prefer her human(s) to be home much of the time.

Update 04/08/2026: “She will stand in front of foster mom with a sparkle in her eyes and wagging tail to let her know she wants something.”

Dear Delta is as sweet as cherry crumb pie. Foster mom didn’t think she could be any more chipper, but Delta has proven her wrong. In mid-March she paid a visit to the vet after a stressful episode of upset stomach. She was started on an inexpensive medication for suspected acid reflux which also seems to have increased her affect/outlook and made her an even brighter ray of sunshine. At times Delta has even been more verbal if she wants to be fed or let outside. She will stand in front of foster mom with a sparkle in her eyes and wagging tail to let her know she wants something. She will cutely “protest” with a hound dog howl if she is ignored or asked to wait for foster mom to finish what she is doing.

Delta’s favorite activities are still going for walks and eating. Foster mom is hoping to get Delta out for more walks (as much as foster mom’s arthritis permits) to work on her waistline and fitness. Delta could benefit from losing at least five pounds. She is doing well on walks and is always delighted if someone asks to pet her. The girl is a #1 social butterfly. Of course, walks mean a long nap afterward. No need to look around for Delta’s whereabouts – her snoring definitely gives it away.

Foster mom has found that she needs to be careful about people food that Delta receives as she sometimes gets an upset tummy or soft stools if food doesn’t agree with her. That’s not to say that Delta isn’t interested in people food – she loves it, but not everything agrees with her, even in very small amounts. She has been on a sensitive stomach and skin formula kibble for most of her stay. When hand-feeding treats, foster mom must do a finger count sometimes as Delta is still overly enthusiastic in accepting treats. She is quite happy accepting her medication in cream cheese. The girl loves to eat! She is fed in a slow bowl and is still the first to finish even if given her bowl last. If she has access, Delta will even help clean up every little crumb when foster mom shakes out Seraphine’s snuffle mat.

Nights are still spent in a crate in the gated foyer with the crate door now left open which Delta is handling well. She was getting a little resistant to having her crate door shut so she is happy to be sleeping in an open crate. She has been quieter in the mornings without expecting foster mom to get up quite as early as she previously expected. Thank you, Delta!

Delta is more than ready to find her forever home where she can have lots of social interactions, human and four-legged. She would be a great addition to a family which has loads of time to give her lots of love as she has lots of love to give.

Update 01/28/2026: “This honorary Springer might not look like one, but she has the sweet disposition and love for her humans typical of Springer Spaniels. She would love the chance to win your heart!”

Since arrival at her foster home, Delta has been a delightful addition, always cheerful and usually just going with the flow. She enjoys life, especially mealtime and going for walks. Overall, she is a low-energy, low-maintenance gal.

Unfortunately, walks have been few and far between with the December and January central PA weather. She had been walking slightly over a mile with no problems. She is doing really well not getting stuck around signposts and poles and can usually self-correct if she does so. Delta continues to be a loose leash walker although initially she may be raring to go if it has been a while since her last walk. She is still delighted to hear folks asking if they can pet her and the opportunity to frequently sniff on her walks.

Delta has not been a fan of the winter weather when it snows, rains, ices over, or is very windy. She may take some coaxing to go outdoors and go to the bathroom if the weather is not to her liking. At times she has refused to relieve herself even under the elevated deck with hardly any snow on the ground after a snowfall and must be let back outside later to finally take care of personal matters. She has appreciated being blanketed at times, but other times seems to think the blanket interferes with toileting. Delta immediately runs to foster mom to get a treat after she goes to the bathroom.  Feces still need to be cleaned up right away or they become a snack. Oh, Delta!

Delta is a big fan of meals and snacks. She requires gating off to herself or others’ meals become fair game for her after she finishes her meal in a slow bowl. Delta can be a bit greedy and, after six months, still needs reminders to mind her manners when accepting treats. Foster mom is still counting her fingers at times. Delta may have a little bit of a sensitive stomach and is being fed kibble for sensitive skin and stomachs. Since beginning this dog food, she has not had issues with loose stools. Foster mom has observed that if she gets a suspected upset tummy, Delta will start furiously licking everything and may even pull out her own hair. This has happened on three occasions in six months. The last time was not observed, but foster mom found that she threw up a bunch of hair in her crate during the night. Feeding her plain pumpkin for a couple days seems to resolve the issue.

Delta does well in her crate overnight. She tends to be an early riser (6:00 to 6:45 am) and may start whimpering, which proceeds to whining, and finally barking to encourage foster mom to get out of bed. Sometimes if she is ignored, she may go back to sleep for a while. On occasion, after allowed out of her crate early, foster mom may have disagreements with Delta over promptly toileting in the frigid or snowy weather once she is let outside. Once back inside Delta will nap once the rest of the crew is given medication in cream cheese, one of Delta’s favorite routines.

Fellow foster Seraphine is having some minor issues with separation anxiety and may trigger Delta into barking along with her during foster mom’s infrequent absences. Except for that and mornings, Delta tends to be a quiet gal who enjoys napping much of the day in the family room. She still does not bark at people at the door or outside so beware if there are any intruders…Delta will welcome them into the home with open arms as the girl has never met a stranger. 

Other than eating, going for walks, and getting attention, Delta shows little interest in anything such as toys. Every once in a while, she may have a burst of energy and grab a toy and toss it around and perhaps rip it apart. She does try to occasionally play with the resident dogs and Seraphine but may become a little too rambunctious for the residents and make them reluctant to continue.

Delta is more than ready to find her forever home and would probably prefer a laid-back home with multiple humans to give her attention and a canine companion. Foster mom suspects that she would prefer that her humans be home much of the time. This honorary Springer might not look like one, but she has the sweet disposition and love for her humans typical of Springer Spaniels. She would love the chance to win your heart!

Update 12/05/2025: “After a recent snow, Delta  lost some enthusiasm for going outside to take care of business but was delighted to wear a blanket for protection against the cold winds.” 

Delta continues to be a delightful foster, always cheerful and glad to have attention. She spends most of her time wherever foster mom is located, will occasionally join Seraphine in the foyer if Seraphine chooses to spend time there napping or with her hoarded toys.

Delta looks forward to her daily walks, weather-permitting, and is doing well. She has been walking up to 1.4 miles up and down the hills of the neighborhood. She still tends to get tangled up in her leash at times, will stop when told to “wait” while foster mom undoes the tangle. She is finally learning which side of poles and signposts to avoid so she doesn’t get stuck. Way to go, girl! At times Delta tends to stop or walk immediately in front of foster mom which sometimes results in accidentally getting kicked by foster mom’s shin or stepped on. This often alarms Delta; she looks like she is wondering why foster mom did that to her. Delta walks at a casual pace on a loose leash but occasionally steps it up a bit if she is spooked by something or has a goal.

Delta enjoys a good sniffari on walks but sometimes must be made to move on if she wants to stay in one spot for too long. Foster mom is always on the lookout to make sure she doesn’t consume items along the way as she does try. There was a recent incident when a large scrunchy was apparently swallowed on a walk and thrown up on the deck upon return home. It is not clear who it was as foster mom didn’t observe; it could have happened in the tall grass or leaves. Garbage day or the day after requires even more diligence. As always, Delta is delighted when someone asks to pet her.  She is a little better at leaving spots where she sees someone outside when foster mom insists that the person(s) doesn’t want to socialize.

Delta is starting to understand a little bit more about personal space but still gets run into or her toes stepped on if she is too close when foster mom is meal prepping. Foster mom still lets Delta precede her on stairs as she can be a bull in a china shop on the steps and could easily knock someone over or off balance. She is responding well to the direction to “move” if she is in the way. Foster mom has not been successful in teaching Delta to sit, but she is learning commands associated with going for walks.

Delta does well in her crate at night. Sometimes in the morning she will start whimpering and barking if foster mom is not coming out of her room when Delta thinks she should. She enjoys napping in crates or on the dog pillows in the family room. Now that cold weather has arrived, Delta has discovered the gas fireplace and the benefits of stretching out in front of it. There is always a long nap after her walks. The girl does snore! 

There have been no toileting accidents in the house. After a recent snow, Delta  lost some enthusiasm for going outside to take care of business but was delighted to wear a blanket for protection against the cold winds. 

Delta has not destroyed anything but paper items and dog toys.  She will swoop in if foster mom drops anything; on one occasion she picked up a fork.  Foster mom doesn’t think that Delta could ever counter-surf due to her physique.  She seems unaware that trash diving is even an option. Occasionally she will jump up on foster mom when excited. Her indoor manners are good overall.

Delta is a little more independent about toileting without having foster mom go down into the yard with her, but that is now a moot point as Delta has recently developed the habit of eating feces. As a result, foster mom is standing nearby to immediately pick up but sometimes is not fast enough to be successful.  A change in diet has helped keep Delta’s stools solid with occasional instances of soft unformed stools.

While she is content in her foster home, Delta is ready to find her forever home. Ideally, she and Seraphine would go together, but of the two, Delta would handle being separated easier than Seraphine. Delta would welcome a home where she would have the chance for much human interaction and, ideally, a canine companion.  She would prefer that her people would be home most of the time. This sweet girl is patiently waiting to be somebody’s sweetheart!

Update 10/15/2025: “This one is a real social butterfly!”

Delta continues to do well and is always her sweet happy self. She enjoys going for walks and can handle about .8 of a mile before losing energy. Highlight of any walk is when she can meet and greet folks. She was in heaven to socialize with foster mom’s next-door neighbor on a couple occasions and once with a group of neighbors who were out front as we passed. The words she loves to hear are, “Can I pet your dog?” Delta believes everybody wants to interact with her and sometimes is reluctant to leave a spot if she sees someone she wants to visit. This one is a real social butterfly!

With over a month’s practice, there are fortunately fewer incidents of Delta and foster mom getting tangled in her leash. Of concern is that Delta will occasionally cut across at foster mom’s feet or abruptly stop right in front of her, throwing her off balance. Sometimes Delta will walk under Seraphine but is too large to walk under the male resident dog which she has tried. Delta is happy to walk anywhere and is showing consistent improvement. A long nap afterwards is always guaranteed!

Delta is still crated at night and when foster mom leaves for errands. She does well overnight; occasionally she will start to whimper if she thinks it is time for everyone to start the day. There was one night that Delta woke up foster mom on several occasions when she had to urgently go outside. Foster mom was having some issues getting Delta’s stools regulated as she was experiencing mild diarrhea or soft unformed stools. Fortunately, a change in diet has resolved much of the issue. Fingers crossed!

There have been no more accidents in the house. Although Delta is reliable about toileting outside, she often wants to get that treat before relieving herself and may take a little longer to take care of business hoping that foster mom thinks she already went. Foster mom would like to see her a little more independent out in the yard as foster mom usually has to go down into the lower yard for her to go. Otherwise, she returns to the deck to get foster mom to join her.

Delta has shown little interest in toys of late. She hasn’t even torn apart tennis balls. Perhaps she is more interested in going for walks.

An ideal home for Delta would be a moderate/lower energy home. She would love to have people around her so she can socialize as much as she wants. Foster mom thinks she would love children. Delta probably would not like to be left alone for long periods of time as she gets overly excited when foster mom returns from the limited errands she runs. It would be ideal for her and Seraphine to be adopted together as they are a bonded pair. Seraphine relies on her for support and direction.

Update 09/01/2025: “Delta seems to relish the walks and wants to interact with EVERY person or dog that she sees, thinking that she is passing by a good friend.”

Delta continues to be a real sweetheart who is easily adapting to life in a home with her best friend Seraphine and seems quite content. Delta continues to peacefully co-exist with Seraphine and the resident dogs with occasional attempts to play with them. Play does not last long due to Delta overwhelming them with her size, but she is definitely up for some fun!

Delta is doing very well taking care of personal matters outside, recently had three indoor accidents which surprised foster mom as she had been doing so well. All were upstairs which perhaps means that Delta doesn’t know how to request outside if she is upstairs. (She hasn’t learned to be annoying like the female resident dog!) Delta stands by the back door is she needs to go out. Getting Delta to leave the house and go down the steps into the lower yard is no longer the major issue that it was in the beginning. Foster mom would like to see her a little more independent as foster mom usually still has to go down into the yard to keep her there, but has tried to fade back. Foster mom began using edibles to immediately reinforce Seraphine for toileting outside, and Delta thinks that is a wonderful idea although most times she thinks the treat should precede the required toileting. This has set her back slightly in prompt toileting. After toileting, she will come running to foster mom in order to get that treat as fast as possible! Count those fingers when you are done as Delta can be a little enthusiastic when accepting her treats! Foster mom has been working on “gentle/easy.” The girls seem to like being outside for a limited amount of time. When foster mom has yard work to do, they are crated as they are not quite ready to be trusted without supervision outside or loose in the house. Fortunately, Delta does not seem to have the digging gene.

Delta is doing well on the steps although sometimes she gets a little rushed and will trip on the steps. When going up/down stairs it is probably a good idea to encourage Delta to precede you. She hasn’t quite gotten the concept that two bodies cannot occupy the same space at the same time and could knock you down. Since she discovered the upstairs, foster mom has had to gate the steps to keep her from going up alone. Delta loves to lie on the landing and watch outside from the elevated position.

Delta continues to need help getting in the car due to her short legs and long body. She does okay in the car but may need a diversion as she will chew on the dog seat cover and the beacon on her harness. Her tether can get tangled up with Seraphine’s which has necessitated foster mom pulling off to prevent them from being choked. Before her vet visit they practiced going for car rides to get used to it. At the vet’s she was easy to get out, but the traffic whizzing nearby after the visit made her nervous and a little reluctant to be put back in the car. Foster mom will continue practicing car rides.

Outside Delta does not seem to get into any trouble, but indoors is quite interested in paper products, plastics, and some fabrics. Foster mom found Delta ripping apart a brand new box of tissues which was dropped when bringing in the groceries. Oh, Delta! Occasionally, she will try to take a paper product such as the newspaper or mail from foster mom’s hands. She does have bones to chew and, on occasion when she is feeling her oats, Delta will toss around a tennis ball and has been known to rip the cover off and tear the ball into pieces. Delta is still leery of the vacuum but seemed oblivious to the jackhammer across the street and the lawn mower.

Mealtime is no longer the complete chaos that it was at the beginning. Foster mom will put down resident dogs’ meals in one room, gate it before Seraphine is gated in the kitchen with Delta gated in the foyer. Delta is so cute running with enthusiasm into the foyer to eagerly await her bowl. Delta has learned that occasionally foster mom will share a couple bites of her meal when finished and has discovered the joy of bacon. Every once in a while, she will jump on foster mom to encourage her to part with whatever she is eating. It doesn’t work that way, Delta!

Delta is spending most of her time in the family room or close to foster mom. She will still occasionally go off to the foyer to nap but has also discovered the resident dogs’ crates in the family room are also ideal for naps.

Delta has not made any attempts to counter-surf or get up on the furniture. The trash is now accessible, but she does not bother it. Food scraps are kept separate so it might be a different story if it had food waste. She has not displayed any resource-guarding and still thinks that other dogs’ treats are fair game. Foster mom had kept her shoes out of reach but has begun putting them back on the floor with no negative consequences.

Delta continues to be crated at night in the foyer next to Seraphine. She been doing better at leaving her bedding alone. She will now run in the crate before getting her treat. In the morning foster mom occasionally hears some whimpering. With a camera placed across from the crates, Delta has been identified as the culprit and is likely encouraging foster mom to get the day started. She has also been occasionally crated for short periods of time when foster mom goes on errands. Foster mom suspected it is Delta who barks initially upon her departure, but the camera proved it is Seraphine doing the barking. Things are usually quiet upon return until the garage door goes up, and then there is barking. This recent discovery makes Delta, not Seraphine, the quietest dog foster mom has ever known unless she, too, finds her voice.

If you are looking for a dog to alert you when someone is at the door or around the house, look elsewhere. Delta never makes a sound for the mailman, for deliveries, or someone knocking on the door. She would probably welcome a stranger into the house and ask them to make themselves at home.

Delta still does not know any commands at this point. She is working on “sit” but her physique may not be conducive to sitting for long. She is also working on “move,” “off,” “let’s go,” and “wait.” Foster mom has started working on leash skills, using a harness and 6-foot leash. She and Seraphine are progressing in distance traveled, and there are decreasing incidents of leash entanglement, fewer times that foster mom gets wrapped in the leash(es), and more one one-directional walking. Delta seems to relish the walks and wants to interact with EVERY person or dog that she sees, thinking that she is passing by a good friend. Sometimes she even briefly digs in her heels, refusing to move on as her mean foster mom doesn’t allow her to interact with everyone including the reactive dogs. Delta likes the sniffari experience, and there is much to smell, but sometimes foster mom must disrupt the experience to move on. The resident male dog was recently added to the walk to make it a trio and provide a role model. The furthest that Delta has walked is a little over a half mile which resulted in a long nap afterwards.

Delta does enjoy being brushed and allowed a few longer toenails to be trimmed. Foster mom recently bathed her own dogs while Delta observed. She seemed to be interested or feeling left out, so she was picked up and put in the tub. She was the perfect angel for her bath.

Delta recently had her vet visit and handled it well. The vet thinks she is a Bassett mix.

Ideally, Delta and Seraphine would be adopted together as they are a bonded pair. She would probably be the easier of the two to separate as long as she has a canine companion. She would be great in a low-key home. Right now, Delta is living a simple life but may become more adventurous after finding out what life has to offer. She just needs some practice!

Original: “She quickly learned where the treat jar is and treats are usually given out after coming inside. She’s one smart cookie!”                                    

Sweet sweet Delta came to MAESSR with her best friend, Seraphine, a retriever mix, from a non-residential facility in Pennsylvania.

She and Seraphine are now residing with her foster mom and two senior resident Spanish Water Dogs. So far, the four have peacefully coexisted without a lot of interactions other than sniffing. Delta did play briefly with the female SWD, play-bowing to encourage the interaction. It took a week before foster mom heard Delta bark which was at the male SWD who was barking at her. Delta was ready to have some fun with him, but they were on opposite sides of the screen door.

Delta has much to learn about living in a home and is sometimes puppy-like in that regard. Getting in and out of a car and stairs were her first obstacles, and she needed to be carried up onto the porch upon arrival at her foster home. She is mastering the stairs and is now fairly proficient. Given that she has short legs and a long body, stairs can be a little more difficult for her, but she certainly doesn’t give up. Foster mom was just able to bribe (oops, reward!) Delta for finally going upstairs. It took a few attempts, but she made it so the pack could all go in foster mom’s bedroom to enjoy the window A/C in the sweltering heat. Thank you, Delta! Delta is leery of the vacuum cleaner and steam mop. She handled a recent thunderstorm with no issues. It is cute when foster mom has her loud sneezing episodes, Delta and Seraphine come running into the family room as if they were concerned about foster mom. Neither girl has really bothered foster mom when she is eating her meals other than a few instances of curiosity.

Although not house-trained, Delta has not had any accidents indoors. She seems to understand the idea that she needs to toilet outside. Even during the gradual switch of dog food when her stools were a little loose, she waited until she was let outside to void. What a good girl! The hardest part of fostering Delta (and Seraphine) has been getting her to leave the house and go down the flight of deck stairs and then the stone steps down into the lower yard. At times, foster mom finds it necessary to bribe Delta and Seraphine into the fenced yard and to stay long enough to take care of personal matters. They have a tendency to not always want to leave the house without multiple prompts, and secondly, to keep returning up the steps to the house, necessitating foster mom to return to the deck to call them back into the yard. The girls are taken outside on a regular basis to toilet. Foster mom believes Delta has gone to the back door to signal needing to go out. She sometimes enjoys a nice sniffari when outside and may pick up on the wild critters that have frequented the yard.

Delta was reportedly not interested in toys, but she has gone to the dog toy box and pulled out toys. She likes to rip apart things such as rope toys and stuffed items, preferably things with fiberfill. She was really intrigued by the talking ball. Be sure to keep paper products away from this girl as she’ll quickly shred them to pieces. She even tried to remove the newspaper out of foster mom’s hands on one occasion. Sometimes foster mom will find toys in the crates that either Delta or Seraphine took in there.

Especially fond of treats and food, Delta will jump on foster mom in an attempt to get her treats/food or foster mom’s food. Usually, a firm “aahhh,” “uh-uh,” or an “off!” will reduce the behavior. Sometimes Delta learns not to do something with only one correction. She quickly learned where the treat jar is and treats are usually given out after coming inside. She’s one smart cookie!

Delta has not made any attempts to counter-surf or get up on the furniture. The trash is not  accessible at this point. She has not displayed any resource-guarding, either . At mealtime the dogs are separated which was quite chaotic at first but is getting much easier now that it is becoming routine. Delta was switched to a slow bowl as she has a tendency to vacuum up her meals. The slow bowl has been helpful. Neither Delta nor Seraphine seem to understand boundaries at this point and think that somebody else’s food is fair game. The girls don’t yet know how to wait their turns but are getting slightly better with practice.

Delta is crated at night in the foyer next to Seraphine. She does have a tendency to rip the quilt inside the crate occasionally but has been doing better at leaving it alone. Foster mom tosses a treat into the crate to get her to go in. She spends the night without making a peep. She has also been occasionally crated for short periods of time when foster mom goes on an errand. Sometimes Delta will independently go in her crate to nap. Delta and Seraphine have a tendency to spend most of their days in the foyer although they are frequently invited into the family room. After six days, Delta finally spent some time napping on the floor of the family room but still prefers the foyer which is slightly cooler and has a fan. She also enjoys watching out the screen door but never makes a sound for mail and/or package delivery. (Take a lesson, resident dogs!) The weather has been hot and humid since Delta’s arrival which may account for her current preferences of where she spends her time — it’s definitely the dog days of summer with no A/C downstairs!

At this point Delta does not know any commands but will be working on simple ones as she gets more comfortable. She often responds when she is called to come unless it is to go outside, but even that is getting better. She does enjoy attention and often seeks it out. She has been the braver of the two girls in trying new things. She is a very sweet, loving, and laid-back girl. She didn’t seem to notice the fireworks going off about a mile away.

Foster mom made one short attempt at taking Delta and Seraphine for a walk. Delta was excited at the prospect but disappointed when they only went one-half block as foster mom started to melt due to the stifling humidity. Delta dug in her heels and did not want to return home. Fortunately, foster mom had some treats to encourage a change of mind. It worked but took about four times longer to get home than it did to walk the one-half block. This time Delta didn’t need to be carried up over the front porch steps! Walking will definitely take some work, but the weather is not conducive to working on it much.

Delta does enjoy being brushed and allowed a few longer toenails to be trimmed. Her vet visit is pending.

Ideally, Delta and Seraphine would be adopted together as they are great friends. She would probably be the easier of the two to separate as long as she has a canine companion. She would be great in a low-key home. Right now, Delta is enjoying a simple life since she is in a home setting for the first time. She may become more adventurous after finding out what life has to offer. Stay tuned for more.