Lucy was surrendered from a commercial breeding facility and will need a forever home that can respect, accommodate, and see her through her rough start in life. She is only 2 years old and I can see a playful spark in her eye that tells me she knows her days of breeding and confinement are over. However, she, as many others, have had to adapt to that life.

She is going to find living in a home with a family a bit intimidating at first. She entered foster care on April 16, 2019, and moved in with our family a few days ago. I can promise you she will regress at adoption.

I want her forever family to understand that this is normal, expected, and an opportunity to help Lucy build trust with her forever people. What would take a "normal" dog a couple days to adjust to may take Lucy weeks. I assure you, the reward will be worth the effort. 

Lucy absolutely requires another dog in the home. She loves to play and will spend hours playing in the fenced back yard. She is a submissive and gentle playmate. Watching her with other dogs is my favorite part of fostering Lucy.

She likes bigger stuffed toys and carries them around the yard and the house. She looks to my resident dog to understand how to respond to situations. She has taken to mirroring my resident dog's activity. If I ask my resident to "come" Lucy is quickly studying and responding in kind. She takes her treats from my hand and brings them to her kennel to eat. 

Lucy sleeps in her kennel overnight and is kenneled when we are away from home. The honest and unfortunate issue is that she is used to living in unclean conditions so using the kennel to potty train has been ineffective. For this reason, I would prefer a family where someone is home more than they are away, or who has a potty plan as if Lucy were a little puppy.

She needs to be set up for success. She will not hold it for 8- to 10-hour days in kennel confinement. She needs to be taught that the clean life is the way to go! When she is in her crate she does not cry or bark. She even handled the first thunderstorm without an issue. 

Healthwise Lucy appears in good condition. Her light golden coat is soft and shiny. Her teeth have some tartar but she is learning what dental chews are and will hopefully take to chewing firmer toys soon to help clean her mouth. She came in underweight but is putting on weight and eating without issue. She is a petite gal at 40 lbs. 

We have gone on a few walks and as long as my resident is right by her side, Lucy is content. I have double leashed her and aim to assess our surroundings for things that may scare her, but she has not had an issue. She's not quite sure what we are doing so she will need a patient family to help her learn that walks are a fun way to explore the world!

Playful Lucy will make a great family member once she has time to accommodate to her new life. She wants to love and play and be cared for by a special family who understands that the true heart of rescue requires us to meet her where she is at, and help her blossom.