Mixi

Our dog has a new playmate.  We decided to foster through the local shepherd rescue group.

Mixi is a sweet dog with a sad story.  She was found in the backyard of an abandoned home.  She was malnourished,  dehydrated and a mess of tangled fur and nerves.  The tangled fur was fairly easy to sort out,  but she’ll probably be a bit jumpy for the rest of her life.  She must have been badly treated.  She's startled by any loud or unexpected sound,  seems very nervous about seeking affection,  and is thoroughly scared of doors and tools like shovels and brooms.  She probably wouldn’t have even been taken in by the rescue group if she hadn’t tested so well with kids.

When we first brought her home,  she stayed hidden in the bushes,  refusing to come out even if no one was around.  After a while,  she warmed up a bit,  and ventured out.  Now she seems to enjoy playing with our dog and follows him everywhere like, well, a puppy dog.  She’s much less trouble than he is.  She never steals food from the counter,  never jumps on our bed at 6 am,  never goes crazy when she sees a cat.  And she never climbs in our lap when she wants to go for a walk at night.  Who wouldn’t want a dog like that?  But I have caught her a few times trying to sneak off with a sock.  But then,  we have so many of those lying around the house,  she'd be doing me a favor by making them disappear.

Our hope is that once these photos hit the rescue society’s web page,  some kind person will find her face irresistible and want to offer her a permanent home.  And though she may never be a people dog per se, she can at least go to her new home with more confidence in people after having stayed with us for a while.