One Week of Wonder

Happy One Week Foster Anniversary, Ellie!  

I can't believe how far this little bit has come in only one week.  The once super shy and skittish pumpkin, is beginning to show more and more of her lovely personality.  

What is so amazing is her intelligence.  Everyone knows Greyhounds are smart, but with this being the first one I've worked with, I'm learning firsthand.  Ellie picks up new experiences very quickly.  If something is not going the way she intended, she looks for an alternative way of getting what she wants.

Here are a few of Ellie's firsts from the week...

First time in and out of the doggy door

First time up and down steps

First time treasuring a peanut butter Kong

First time playing with toys

First time sunbathing freely in the back yard

Ellie continues to amaze me, and I can't wait to see what else she has in store!

First Kong Treat

Everyone in our home enjoyed a peanut treat tonight.

Ellie treasured her first peanut butter Kong.

Luckily, with the help of this little one, Ellie quickly figured out a better way to get to the peanut butter goodness.

Luckily, my peanut butter was eaten with apples instead of out of a Kong.

The Lazy Life

It hasn't taken Ellie much time to learn that the lazy life has its perks.  She's fallen in love with a cozy bed, and she loves to lay around an sunbathe.  Each day, she shows more and more of her sweet and gentle spirit.

Making New Friends

The sweet personality and shy gaze of Deal or No Deal (AKA Ellie) is what sparked my interest in her today at the kennel.  Unlike many of the other dogs, Ellie stayed cautiously away from the front of the pen as I approached.  She looked interested but slightly skittish.

Having a 15 pound dog (Munchkin) already in my home, I wanted to make sure the two would fit in together.  Munch tends to take time to warm up and is often a bit afraid until she develops trust.  So, I thought the two might be a good match.

After a few minutes of sniffing around and playing in the run, the two of them seemed content.  With some help, Ellie climbed in the back seat of my SUV.  She stretched out across the back seat and road home attentive but calmly.  She had no problems coming into the house, and she settled right into her crate for an afternoon nap.

I expected to teach her the stairs when we went out to potty, but before I could stop to assist, she was already up all of them (only about 6-8).  She explored the back yard, interacted a little more with Munchkin, and she is settling in without any problems.

Tonight, she discovered the overflowing toy basket.  She showed a preference for the chewable toys (rawhide like treats), but with the direction of Munchkin became a bit interested in a few squeaky toys.  I think this interest might grow as she sees Munchkin play with them too.  The two of them did a little playing (Ellie has one active and playful tail when she's excited), and now they are snuggled in for the night.

Ellie is our first foster, and it is fascinating to see the world through her naive and young eyes.  She explores and is interested in how everything works, the noises they make or the way something moves.  Tonight, I noticed her staring at the ceiling fan as it was spinning.  She spent a few minutes perplexed at what was happening, and then headed about for more exploring.

Ellie in the backyard

Ellie and Munchkin

Here's the Deal...

Ok, here's the deal. I've been a hard working girl (with 130 races to my name),

And now I'm ready to be your heart dog!

Deal or no Deal?

Photo by Jimi Filo of Jimi Filo Photography