One characteristic that is usually noted about Sadie is her curiosity and interest in her surroundings; her foster Mom writes, “She has to know everything that is going on.”    She’s an alert and intelligent girl, and she loves being with her person, playing with her toys, getting belly rubs and going for walks.

After going outside first thing in the morning, then having her breakfast, Sadie is ready for a good walk through the neighborhood.  She didn’t have any leash manners at first, but her foster Mom has been working on that and has seen good progress.  She’s learned to keep walking as they pass other people with dogs, but she may keep looking back to see whether they are still moving away.  She’s fine if she sees someone walking towards her and her foster Mom, but she does startle if someone just appears and is close by.  Sadie will bark when startled or concerned, but she just wants to keep a safe distance between herself and someone or something unknown.

With visitors to the home, she will bark and then go out of sight; after a while, she’ll come back to investigate and will then become more comfortable.  In the exam room at the vet’s office, Sadie put her head and shoulders under a bench and tried to pretend she wasn’t there.  Once she was standing in the room, though, she resigned herself to standing quietly while the vet tech and veterinarian administered the exam and vaccines that were due.  Sadie appreciates a gradual introduction to new people and new things.

In her original home, she lived with a married couple and their Great Dane/Rottie male and was especially attached to the husband.  After he died suddenly and unexpectedly, Sadie’s world fell apart.   The wife was grieving and overwhelmed by the responsibility for the two large dogs, and we were asked to help.  Our evaluators could see that Sadie clearly deserves another chance in life, and we’re grateful that we had the right foster home available to give her that chance.  She is now ready to meet her forever person or family, and we know her confidence will continue to build as she enjoys more positive interactions and adventures.