What a busy girl I’ve been this week!

norcalgsp — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:21:19 +0000

After hitching a ride with another GSP and two big labs out of the Susanville shelter, I spent a couple nights at the vet after my spay surgery before going to my foster home. Now I’m enjoying all of the extra treats & attention I’m getting while I get settled into a routine and put a few extra pounds on my lean, lady-like figure.

Here’s a typical day in my new life:

8 am - Wake up with bright eyes & a wiggly tail, give a big stretch, and nuzzle my foster mom to let her know I’m ready to start our day together. First order of business: tiptoe out to the back patio & peek around the corner of the house to see if there are any birds, cats, or squirrels in the yard. If so, I chase them away so I can take a poop and/or piddle in private!

8:30 - Breakfast! I wait patiently while my foster mom mixes together some kibble, canned food & cottage cheese (I get to lick the spoon!) and sit politely before she sets the bowl in front of me. I’m a good eater & polish off every bit of this yummy meal, then do a long series of face rubs on the carpet to show my appreciation for my foster mom’s “home cooking”.

9:00 - I hop up & down and give little squeaks of happy anticipation as we get ready for our first 30-45 minute walk of the day. My foster mom lets me pick the route, and is amazed at how quickly I’ve learned my way around the neighborhood. My EZ-Walk Harness keeps me from pulling on the lead, and I’m learning to stop & wait for an “OK” before crossing the street. I’m friendly with all the people & dogs we meet, indifferent to cats, interested in birds on the wing, but absolutely obsessed with squirrels; I would chase them as fast & far as I could if my foster mom didn’t keep a tight hold on me (I’ve even climbed a chainlink fence to try to follow one!) and stand under the trees they go up until she tells me to “let it go”‘ and move on.

10:00 - Time to stake out a position on my pillow at the front window and spend the morning quietly watching the world go by. I give a soft woof if I see an unfamiliar dog or suspicious looking person, or whine at the back door if I want to go outside to piddle, but otherwise am calm & content (even when the mail comes through a slot in the front door; it’s not for me, so I leave it alone).

1 pm - My midday activity session: maybe a leisurely half-hour stroll down to the local park, a run around the fenced-in tennis courts, and/or a quick game of fetch. Afterwards, I enjoy a couple of cookies or a greenie chew snack.

1:30 - The sun has moved to the back yard and so do I; I spend the afternoon alternating between napping in the sun on my rug, prowling the perimeter of the yard with my nose to the ground, and wriggling on my back in the grass. Ahhhh, life is good!

5:00 - Dinnertime! I polish off another bowl of the high-protein, high-fat mix that keeps my coat shiny and is helping me get to a healthy weight.

5:30 - Another brisk 30-45 minute walk around the neighborhood, my last patrol of the day; I like how long it stays light during Daylight Saving Time!

What a busy girl I’ve been this week!

Leyna

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Leyna

Leyna

Zephyr

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