Introducing Dolly!

I'd like to start by saying that you better snatch this girl up...the second I catch Bella cuddling with her I'm going to scoop her up for myself!

Dolly is a sweet little girl.  She is very timid but loves attention.  I took her with me to Christmas at my family's house, and she jumped right up into both my dad and my brother-in-law's laps.  She also curled up with one sister while they watched a movie (I left to go visit my grandparents for a few hours) and when I came back she was curled up on my other sister!  She also sat next to my 7yo nephew while he pet her.  And this is all within 6 days of being in my home.

It took Dolly 4 days to really eat.  Sure, she was happy to take a snack from me, but she wasn't interested in the food.  When we got back from Christmas, I mixed a little wet food in her and Bella's bowls, and she just loved it!  Now she eats twice a day, whether I put wet food in or not.

It took Dolly 8 days to find her voice.  She saw a dog on TV and spoke up about it!  She has a typical terrier bark...a little high pitched, but not too bad.  Since then, she's barked at every dog that's on TV, and also every neighbor who's been outside.

Dolly is not yet potty trained, but she and I are learning our routines.  While we've had a few accidents in the house, she is willingly going outside every time I open the door for her.  Getting her back inside is a different story...that's her timidness showing, but she's getting better.

Dolly stays in her crate during the day while I'm at work, and sleeps in my bed at night.  She does excellent at both.

Today Dolly discovered the toy box.  So far she's pulled out 3 stuffed animals on her own, and I tossed out a tennis ball that she played with for a bit too.

Playing with a tennis ball

Proudly displaying her captured stuffed Grinch!

I imagine this is Dolly's first time seeing snow!

Dottie has been adopted!

Another delayed post (I really need to get better at this), but Dottie was adopted this past Sunday, just in time to spend Christmas with her furever family!  Her new mom sent me an update after they got home to say that she did great on the ride and is a sweetheart!  Of course we all knew that, right?  :-)

So excited for the whole family, and can't wait to hear of all Dottie's new adventures!  Congrats!

Dottie!

I've had Dottie (or Miss Dot, as I like to call her) for over a month now...I can't believe I've managed to keep her that long (she's amazing), and I can't believe I never did an introduction post on her yet.

Dottie cozying up to my dad and brother after knowing them for about 30 seconds.
Please note the tennis ball in my dad's hands.  Tennis balls are mandatory for any family that adopts her.

Dottie is such a sweetheart.  She has 2 modes: fetch and nap.  She spends most of her waking time trying to get me to play fetch.  She likes to start out with a tennis ball.  If I bite and toss it, we play for at least 30 minutes.  If I ignore her, she drops the ball at my feet and brings me another toy...and another and another until suddenly I'm buried in a pile of toys and have no choice but to throw them!  Yesterday I was getting ready in the bathroom, and I when I left I noticed there were 3 tennis balls and 1 stuffed camera in there. 

LOVE this picture and that face!

In the evenings, after a good round of fetch, Dottie likes to jump up on the couch (quite a feat, considering how short her legs are!) and take a cozy nap.  Sometimes she snores a little bit.  She doesn't bark a lot, mostly just when one of the other dogs start barking she'll join in.  The only time she really barks on her own is when my curtains open or close (loud motors), but I was happy to notice this morning she didn't make a peep!

Prepping for a nap.

Dottie is 100% housebroken.  She has never (yes, never!) had an accident in my house.  She's not obvious about needing to go outside, but I'm starting to notice she gets a little antsy when she wants to.  Occasionally when I'm heading to the door to let the dogs out, she will ring the bells.  But I'm fairly certain she's just bumping them unintentionally, not that she actually knows to ring them yet.  But I'm holding out hope that she's starting to figure it out!

Dottie likes to choose her own toys from the bin.

Dottie is crate trained.  I crate her during the day while I'm at work, purely because I don't want three loose dogs running around.  If it was just Dottie I'd absolutely trust her to free-roam during the day.  I let her sleep with me at night, and she does just fine.  I have to help her up onto the bed (again, short legs), but she jumps down just fine in the morning.  She either likes to lay at the foot of the bed away from me completely or on the pillow right next to my face.  Lately, she seems to prefer the foot of the bed (I do too 😊).

Fetch, you say?

Dottie does get along with other dogs.  She likes to establish dominance right away, so just be aware that if you currently have a dog who also likes to establish dominance, there may be an initial adjustment period.  Dottie and my Bella do just fine together...Bella isn't really the play type, so they don't clash much.  Dottie and Zuzu mostly got along but clashed a little bit when Dottie would try to play and Zuzu wasn't in the mood.  I'm currently dogsitting for a friend, and Dottie and Dexter mostly get along as well.  They actually play together quite a bit more than Dottie and Zuzu did, but he also likes to play with toys, so occasionally they'll growl when one wants the toy the other one has.  No fights yet though!

Zuzu has been adopted!

Yes, clearly my procrastination has gotten the best of me.  First of all, Zuzu was adopted a week and a half ago.  Second, when I finally logged in here to post about it, I see I never even make a new foster announcement for her.  Shame on me.  I also am fostering Dottie...initially, I was going to tack her on to the end of this post, but seeing as she hasn't even been mentioned on here yet I think I'll give her her own post after this one.

So this post is all about Miss Zuzu's adoption.  Zu was a lovely foster, with a few quirks (as most fosters do).  She was fortunate enough to be adopted by a wonderful family who saw the amazing dog she really is.  She has a human brother and sister who I think will be able to play fetch enough to wear her out.  Here's an update I received after she'd been home for a day:

Hi Savannah,

Zuzu seems to like everyone just fine.  She only barked once, last night, the first time an airplane came over she looked up and barked one time, as if to warn us, but we told her it was just a plane and she was fine.  Since our routine is opposite yours (crate at night, out all day), it will take a while for her to adjust, but so far her behavior in general has been lovely, but we are definitely going to schedule a trainer to work on walking on a leash

Zuzu had an exciting morning, my husband took her out early in the yard, then she went for a walk with some help from my son, then my daughter woke up and gave her some attention, before the rain started just now.  I sat down here to write and called her, she came right over, sat for a picture, and is now settling down in her bed in the crate for a nap (after coming over to make sure I don’t need her for anything and double checking all around the kitchen that there’s nothing interesting going on).   

Thank you for all of your generosity in providing foster care and helping “matchmaking.”  We are most grateful.