Dear Gailee,
Sydney's doing extremely well...very much loved by all of us. I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I've been meaning to send you some pictures, and will do so within the next week or so. Syd has settled in so well, you'd never think we had only had her for a little over four months. She has developed an extremely close relationship with my husband, who of course reciprocates the feelings. The two are devoted to each other. He even greets her before he does me when he gets home from work! (Of course, she's waiting at the door, whining and howling for him when he walks in. I stopped howling a couple years ago, but I still whine once in a while!)
No problems with her at all, once you realize she cannot be trusted off the lead EVER! I dropped her 30' lead once, after she had been here a week and a half, to throw the ball with her. At the far end of a throw, she froze a split second and took off toward the street...a woman had dared to walk her four-month old lab puppy past our house. I was on her like white on rice, but never caught her before she caught the pup. Between the lady screaming and the puppy screaming, it was quite a sight! I grabbed her quick, and pulled her off...the pup wasn't hurt, just scared. I really don't think Syd was trying to hurt the pup...just teach it who's boss. I made profuse apologies, and asked her to let me know if the pup was hurt at all. Spent a day or two sweating it, but she never contacted me. I noticed that after a couple weeks, her husband was walking the pup past our house. Oh, well...
Since then, we never let her off the lead. We keep a 30' lead attached to the post out in the yard, and attach another 30' lead to it to play. We walk her on the 30' lead even in the yard. When that adrenalin starts pumping at the sight of a deer or another dog (or squirrel or rabbit or chicken, etc.), nothing stops her...she doesn't hear or feel anything. Such is the life of an alpha female!!
Aside from that one personality trait, she is a true delight...what a wonderful personality. She even climbs into the bathtub for me when it's bath time. She let's me bathe her, clip her claws, brush her, etc. (of course, I don't give her much choice...I'll sit on her if she doesn't listen!) We couldn't have asked for a more perfect dog for our family situation...she has blended in so well, we can't imagine life without her.
Thanks so much for your loving concern, and the wonderful work you folks are doing for these dogs. We are deeply appreciative for how things worked out for Sydney and us. I'll get those pictures emailed to you soon...
Thanks,
Rita
Question...
How is Syd used to being bathed? She doesn't need it yet, and I don't bathe unless necessary because it seems to dry out their skin too much. My last dog would climb right into the bathtub when I told her too, and just sit and take it. I used a couple inches of water and the hand-held shower. What have you been doing with Sydney? What shampoo do you use? She smells better than me (on a bad day, of course)!
Did I mention (again and still!!) how wonderful she is? (Let me know when I get boring...) What a treasure... every day I discover something else about her that is delightful. Today it was feet...yes...feet! Mine! She loves to play with my feet. I try to tickle her in the ribs, and she dances around and wiggles and pounces... stalks them and mutters at me. A great time was had by all...
Talk to you later.
Rita