Lacy has been adopted!
Sponsored by Kelly and Aria (rescue 2018) so other dogs can find their forever homes
Originally from Kentucky, Lacy was found in an abandoned home after neighbours reported her family had moved out several days before. In addition to being left behind without food and water, her body also shows signs of longer term neglect. Although Lacy sometimes trembles and seeks the safety of her crate, over the past week she’s been coming out of her shell, learning to trust and gaining more confidence with each day.
Since we strongly suspect inadequate food supply in her past, Lacy is currently being free fed so she learns that food and water will always be available. Despite her food being left out, Lacy doesn’t graze and needs encouragement to eat her two meals each day. We currently hand feed the first few kibble, but once she gets started Lacy usually finishes the bowl. Occasionally she’s even finished a second serving. Lacy does become anxious and steps away from her food bowl if we walk too closely while she’s eating. From time to time she doesn’t return to the bowl without encouragement and a few more hand fed kibble.
Lacy is timid and can be easily startled by quick movements of hands and feet. We’re currently working on basic commands and Lacy has mastered “come”, although she sometimes cowers at the hand signals for “sit” and “stay”. Lacy also has a tendency to make herself “small” and her default position is to always lie flat on her belly with her chin tucked. Because of this we’re also working on the command “up” (stand). As she learns that it’s safe to stand up and move around the room, she’s also starting to participate in playtime activities. Lacy is eager to please and she is highly food motivated. Her forever family will need to be patient and continue working with her to strengthen her skills with basic commands.
Currently, Lacy does not enjoy going for walks and will try to hide (in plain sight) at the mention of “outside” and whenever she sees her leash. Despite this, she is fully house trained and always does her business outside. For bathroom breaks, Lacy is carried outside as she becomes overwhelmed by the harness and leash, especially when the process also involves putting on her sweater. She has some interest in the outside world and seems curious about the crunchy snow. When it’s very cold Lacy stays outside just long enough to do her business before quickly coming back inside. On a very mild day when the snow had melted and grass was exposed, she did explore the entire perimeter of the house and enjoyed sniffing around the yard. We suspect with warmer weather that Lacy will spend longer periods of time outside and her leash experience will continue to improve. Given her hesitation to be leashed, a secure fenced (escape proof) yard is required.
Lacy is well mannered and happy when meeting new people inside the house, although she sometimes needs a few minutes to assess the situation. While she was awaiting her journey to Canada, her temporary foster home reported that Lacy did get along with the other dogs and cats in the home. As the only dog in our home, Lacy has been showered with undivided attention and affection since her arrival one week ago. After her first week, Lacy was introduced to a visiting dog who is very calm and well mannered. Initial introductions went well, however Lacy did show some resource guarding when her humans showed affection to the visiting dog. There was no aggression, however vigilant monitoring and positive intervention was required throughout the visit. Despite her food bowl being empty during the visit, Lacy also showed some signs of resource guarding her “food station” when the visiting dog shared her water bowl. We quickly provided a second water bowl in a separate area without further incident. Lacy was happy to share her toys and did have periods of curiosity and interest in the visiting dog. With proper introductions and patience, Lacy would benefit from a home with another calm, well-balanced dog to guide and support her. She would also do well in a home where she is the only dog in the house and her interactions with canine visitors are handled properly and closely monitored.
Lacy recently saw the veterinarian who recommended a special shampoo and conditioning treatment to help with her very dry skin and sparse coat. He attributes this to a lack of care and poor nutrition and fully expects it will resolve with the conditioning treatment and a nutritious, balanced diet. We are continuing to monitor her skin condition and will seek further veterinary intervention in the unlikely event things don’t improve. Although her teeth are not perfect, they were also assessed and no treatment was recommended. Further information about this can be shared with her potential adopters.
Lacy is a precious cuddle bug with long legs and beautiful “Baby Yoda” ears. She is eager to love and be loved and will be a wonderful and devoted companion for a family willing to accept her quirks. She has quickly developed a loving bond with both foster parents and always wants to be in the same room. Despite her rough start in life, Lacy is a sweet, calm and gentle soul who craves attention and affection. Her ideal home will be peaceful and loving environment where she can feel safe and continue learning to trust.
Lacy was lovingly fostered by Robin
