Entered: 11/05/2007
Status: Adopted
Age: 6
Color: Black/White
Weight:
Gender: Altered Female
Location: Parkesburg, PA
Health: UTD, HW-, being treated for a sore on her rear paw and for a skin condition
Temperament: Good with adults, unknown with children, good with submissive dogs, unknown with cats, ignores caged birds
Original: Shelby’s male owner died a few months ago leaving a widow to care for two dogs, a Bichon and Shelby. The widow was overwhelmed with grief and found it hard to deal with having to relocate herself and find homes for the dogs. Although she reported that Shelby would not listen to her and barked at the neighbors, Shelby’s foster parents have not found this happening with them.
Shelby has fit in very well with the three resident dogs. She is even glad to share the custom bed that she brought with her with the resident Brittany. Shelby knows “sit,” “stay,” “down,” and “come here.” She loves to go in the car and rides well in the back seat although she would prefer sitting in the front. When her foster family takes her to their camper in the woods, she runs off leash and listens well, never going out of eyesight. Inside, she will jump up on the kitchen counter, but gets right down when told. Shelby does no inappropriate chewing and she is not bothered when her foster parents leave for work. Like the resident dogs, Shelby has free run of the house and is not crated. Of course, she is housebroken. At night she sleeps in her bed in her foster parents’ bedroom resting happily without a peep until morning. When it is playtime, Shelby loves to play Frisbee and ball.
Shelby is docile and is very eager for her foster family’s attention and approval. She has some fast movements that may scare a young child under the age of twelve. In her excitement, she runs, slides on the rug, and then lies down. Her foster parents have not seen her with children and she was not raised with them, so they think young children could scare her until she adjusted to their activity. When she is nervous or is greeting someone, she has urinated submissively a few times. She is shy and nervous around strangers. When strangers have asked to pet her, she tries to hide next to her foster parents and does not want to be petted by the new people. So, it may take time to get her used to a new owner.
Going to the vet is not one of Shelby’s favorite activities. She was frightened and submissive there. The vet gave her antibiotics for a skin condition on her abdomen and rear legs The sore on her rear paw is healing, but she does not like to have it touched. She pulls away and whips her head back to show her disapproval but has never bitten or snapped.
Shelby is a quiet, very attached and loving sweetheart. She would love to have a family of her own with a male figurehead like her original dad who trained her and who was her alpha.