Maggie one week later............

Maggie has made so much progress her first week in our home.  When I get a new foster dog,  I set up our laundry room as a puppy play area and put a baby gate in front of it. If I can not keep an eye on the dog, they go in this area.   When Maggie first arrived and was in the play area,  she would look at me when I talked to her but when I reached for her she would back up and run into the crate.  Now she greats us with her tailwaggin all excited to come out.  When she arrived and I picked her up, she would go stiff like a statue.  Now everytime we sit on the couch, she is there with her paws up saying pick me up please.  She loves to lay on the couch and cuddle with you and puts her muzzle in your neck when you hold her.  I have been spending time calling her to me by giving her yummy treats and she is doing well.

We can walk around her and by her without her becoming afraid.  She does still take a couple steps away when we approach her face on.  Dog behaviorists tell you to approach a shy or unknown dog from the side or buy not facing them directly and looking at them.   We approach her  in this manner as well as getting on our knees or crouching down when we pick her up.  Right now,  this might be hard for young children to understand.  They may want to chase her which will scare her.  When you are down on her level, she is wonderful, great with everyone, strangers, men, teenagers.  She will get there.  She may never be a dog that eagerly runs up to strangers for attention but hey, that is ok with me.

Housetraining is going well.  For the most part, she goes outside.  I do keep a potty pad by the door and inbetween outside time, she will run to it to potty (once or twice a day).  I also keep one in the laundry room for her to use during the night which she does once.  In another week,  I will be locking her in the crate at night.  This helps with housetraining as dogs do not like to soil their den, the crate.   It will help her hold it longer.

The only other consideration for her is she is teething.  Everything needs to be off the floor.  She doesn't bother furniture etc but don't leave a device charger on the floor (note to husband).  Anyways,  I picked her up a bully stick to chew and have lots of stuffed animals and that keeps her busy.  She is quite easy to have around.  A lot of time she lays in the doggie bed and plays with the toys.  It has been 10 days since her spay now, so I am going to put a long leash on her today and let her run with Cricket in the back yard.  (I don't have a fence so the long leash is for a quick grab is she wanders off)

Maggie has been such a delight here.  She is so very dear.  You just look at her and smile.  My son and his girlfriend keep saying,  lets keep her.  No, we don't keep them, we would have to stop fostering then.  Her person/family is out there,  they just haven't found her yet.