Sadie has been adopted!
Sponsored by Dan and Katrina, in memory of Lykon
Sadie is a sweet little girl who loves to cuddle, play, play some more, get tummy rubs and go for walks. This Dachshund Chihuahua mix, weighing 12 lbs., is approximately 3 ½ yrs. old. She is in very good health, is spayed and her immunizations are current to Sept. She is a muscular little girl who does love her meals and treats! Sadie is fully house trained.
Sadie currently lives with her foster mom, three dogs and 2 cats, and gets along very well with them. She loves to be with her foster mom and follows her from room to room. Did I say she loves to cuddle and play? This little girl is extremely intelligent and learns very quickly.
She will bark when the doorbell rings, one of her foster siblings barks or encountering new dogs or people when walking. This does not usually last long and she will become quiet with guidance from her human to understand all is well. Sadie was called Baby by her original owner and was renamed Sadie by her adopter in January. Since she had a positive response to her new name, it was kept.
Sadie has not had an easy time since her original owner surrendered her to a shelter in Kentucky last fall, as she was no longer able to care for her. She came to us unsocialized with other dogs or with people, nor it seems with walking outdoors. New situations caused Sadie extreme anxiety. In these situations, she would puddle down, wrap her tail around her bum and tighten into a tight ball. Gentle words, some petting and treats of course, work wonders to calm her. Letting her be to calm herself also works. After 3 months in her foster home she had totally turned around and was ready for adoption.
Sadie was adopted in early January but returned to us in early March as she had reportedly developed aggressive behavior. She was returned to her previous foster mom, where this behavior had not been experienced. However, Sadie returned with heightened anxiety when encountering loud noises, loud voices, new people and new situations.
To facilitate a successful future adoption, we placed Sadie in a live-in training school where her trainer’s expertise was correcting aggressive behavior. For the 2 months she was there, her trainer could not recreate any aggressive behavior with Sadie. The trainer also noted her anxiety, which Sadie handled by hiding in the smallest of places, coming out when she calmed herself and so wanting contact with her human.
Our trainer found that as long as Sadie has boundaries enforced by her human, she is content to be the dog and behave properly. If not then she takes on the role of pack leader which can lead to aggression as she safeguards her human. New situations, new people sometimes new dogs can be perceived as threats if not introduced slowly and respectfully. We have a detailed guide from our trainer for her adopter to guide them through these situations.
A mature, calm and quieter home, with a fenced yard, is best suited for Sadie as too much activity overwhelms her. Her humans must be able to provide gentle but firm guidance and have the patience to help her through new situations by continuing the oversight from her trainer to support her in continuing her positive progression.
Initially, Sadie was a challenge. Today she is a pure joy! I cannot stress enough the progress this sweet girl has made, despite the many upheavals she has experienced. Sadie will be an amazing companion for the person(s) who have the time and patience to show Sadie that she can be the dog and they will be the pack leader.
Sadie was lovingly fostered by Jackie.
