We are happy to announce that after all the time he invested in helping Mandy overcome her issues & much thought, Mandy's foster Dad decided to adopt her himself!

From Mandy's Foster Dad-

"When I first got Mandy she was full of fear. She was afraid of being touched, whether it be for a simple pat on the back or for   a shake of her paw. She was rather violent in her outbursts, and overly protective of her food.  She was fearful of other dogs and always tried to run away from them. The only positive things about her, was that she insisted on playing fetch and that she immediately bonded with my 7 year old son. But that was all months ago!  

Now, after a lot of patience and understanding, she has finally learned that hands are not something to be feared, and she now reaches out to me with her paws for affection. She loves to be rubbed down with a towel after being out in the elements and is much happier with handling in general! She has even learned to get along in a pack like setting with up to 8 other dogs at the kennel when I was on a recent vacation and did very well there.   

Mandy would make a perfect  lap dog, if given the chance; though getting her off of you can sometimes be a chore, as she leans on your legs while you're sitting down watching TV.  If she's not leaning on you, she's usually lying on your feet.  

There are still times that after being woken up from a sound sleep she will get startled and threaten to protect herself, but it's over in a matter of seconds when she realizes there is no potential harm. I'm sure it has to do with memories of her previous situation.  

She loves children and prefers to be handled by women. She is more trusting with women, and warms up to them more quickly,  if not right away. Mandy is a very intelligent dog. She is very good at communicating when she needs to go out, needs more water or is hungry.   

Yes, Mandy has some trust issues that will diminish over time, but it sure is time well worth spending!"   

Posted: Jan 2010