Adopted June 13, 2020

Gracie is a very sweet and happy girl. She is always ready to join in whatever you want to do, and misses nothing. She loves to “talk” when she gets excited, and makes her foster family laugh. When Gracie wants to interact, she will bring you a toy with her tail wagging to try to entice you to play a game of tug, or she will just sit politely beside you hoping to be petted.  She’s always ready and waiting when it’s close to meal time, and will sit near her “spot” and stare at you if she thinks you might have forgotten.

Gracie has become comfortable with the other GSD in the home and tries to snuggle with her and will bring her toys to instigate dog/dog play sessions. But no matter how hard Gracie tries, the other dog is not interested in cuddling with her or playing games with her in the house.

Learning new tricks, going for walks, playing chase games, and playing “find it” in the yard, are all fun for Gracie.  And, in bad weather, she has learned to walk on a treadmill to give her the exercise she needs, and help burn off some energy.

Her original owner was a disabled veteran who contacted us and said he had surgeries coming up and could no longer do anything with Gracie; she was crated much of the time and had not been socialized.  In her foster home, she had been making up for having been confined so much, and was doing well when being introduced to a variety of new experiences before the virus restrictions. Gracie loves to tag along on errands to stores where dogs are welcome, and will happily greet people that approach and offer her a treat.  While visiting friends, Gracie is excited to explore and find new toys and new people to play with. However, Gracie is uncomfortable with visitors in the home and needs a gradual introduction on leash. Outside when throwing a ball for her in the yard, she makes friends quickly.

She would probably not be a good fit for a socially active home with young children who would have friends coming in and out. We believe Gracie would do best with an experienced adopter that is willing to continue to work with her so she can continue to learn to become more comfortable and confident in all situations.

Gracie has hip dysplasia, but it doesn’t stop her from enjoying life or slow her down. She loves to play, go for walks, and run around the yard. She will need to stay trim and get the right kind of exercise and supplements to help keep the support muscles strong.  Although she enjoys playing games in the yard, activities with quick starts or jumping, like when throwing a ball or frisbee, would not be good for her hips. She enjoys doing her exercises, and is food motivated, but limiting treats is important in order to keep her from putting on extra weight. If you are interested in Gracie, but have concerns about her having hip dysplasia, please contact us and we can answer your questions.

Gracie’s ideal home will be with someone who will enjoy going for walks, will commit to an exercise program to keep her moving, and not let her get overweight.  Someone who enjoys teaching a smart dog new behaviors and tricks, because she catches on quickly and loves to learn new things.  We think Gracie would enjoy the company of a confident male dog, and would enjoy being able to cuddle and play with him, but we’re sure she would be just as happy to cuddle with her humans too.  If you feel that you can provide this special girl a special home, please let us know!