Einy's Fostering: February 2016

Jude has been with us a few days now, and here is what we know.

Keep in mind, that all the info below can, and probably will change as she gets more comfortable in her surroundings. Sometimes behavior can change for the better, and sometimes for the worse. So here we go…..

Jude is very smart. She has picked up on the household routines very quickly.

She is a good listener, and takes direction well. She has already learned “sit”. She comes when called, and sits nicely when we attach the leash.

She was very “curious” the first night. She explored every inch of the house. (And I mean EVERY inch) If we opened a door, she was through it. I don’t think she had any bad intentions; she just really needed to get the lay of the land. Once she had a complete tour, she settle down for a nap. Maybe there is a little shepherd breed personality happening here.

NO POTTY ACCIDENTS!

She is a little thin, and is still “hungry”. She eats her food quickly and will always check to see if her foster brother has finished his food. If he hasn’t finished, she will finish it for him. Our Charlie is very submissive, and he just lets her have it without issue or confrontation. However, to eliminate the problem all together, we have started feeding them in separate rooms. Jude may overcome this when she feels safe, and knows exactly when and where her next meal is coming from. Plus… if she is an only dog in her home, there is no problem at all, right?

Jude is pretty good on the leash. We see improvement every day. At first she would “crowd” me a lot. She was even stepped on a few times and I had to be careful not to trip over her. We have not seen this lately, however. I think it was just her way of staying close to the new person in her life. She loves to walk, and keeps a fast pace. She does get to the very end of the leash. So, currently you will need to be a quick walker to keep up with her. Her willingness to take direction, and practice will have her perfecting the leash walk in no time.

Jude and her foster brother, Charlie get along fine. There is not a lot of playing or “wrassling” yet, but it’s only been a few days. Jude does play with toys a little, but mostly she just wants to rest by my feet.

She does (gently) jump up when she greets you. We are working on the down command.

Jude sleeps quietly through the night in her crate. She does hesitate to go into the crate, and we currently need to persuade her with treats and even a little nudge, but once inside she does well.

Jude’s beautiful coat is soft and shiny, and we have found no shedding! The fur on her feet needs to be trimmed.

She has an awesome tail wag. It sort of goes around and around. Very cute.