Savannah Update

It has been six weeks since Savannah came to live with us. So I figure it's time for a progress report! It is amazing how much she has changed in six weeks, or maybe it's just that she is adapting to our household and her personality is showing more.



For one thing, she has settled down considerably in her activity level! I don't know if it was uncertainty in her surroundings that caused her to be so hyper, but she is adapting to a slower pace, and we have a lot more "down" time together. She will sit with me for longer periods of time. And I can leave her in the backyard by herself for longer periods as well. She is much better about the pool and the Polaris now and has only jumped in once in the past few weeks (and that was prompted by a little grandboy throwing her ball in the pool!)

Her appetite is still good. She likes her dry food and doesn't beg for "people" food - ever. I mix her EVO with Wee Bits and feed her twice a day. She no longer eats like there's no tomorrow, which is an indicator to me that she is comfortable and secure with us. We do give her crunchy (no-grain) treats occasionally. In the picture above she is standing for her treat. She apparently learned this maneuver in her former home. In fact, she responds to several commands, which leads me to believe she had a good home before she was found walking the street.

One area that needs much improvement is walking on a leash. I don't think she had ever been trained to do this. We have a tug of war every time we try to go out. I don't think it's enjoyable for her, and I know it's a chore for me. So I'm going to look into some kind of class that will help us take our walks. That or make a call to the Dog Whisperer!

And it's time to take her in for grooming. Her hair is filling out nicely and needs to be shaped into a Westie cut. I don't want her cut like a Schnauzer, though. And really, she only needs her face and legs trimmed this time. Hopefully I can get that point across to the groomer.

So you can see that we're adapting well. The construction on the back room should start soon and I have arranged for Savannah to have daycare on the days it is most noisy. I know she'll enjoy some doggie playtime and make new friends. And that will certainly be a post all its own!