Amazing Grace

It all started when I received an email from a guy who wanted to give the rescue his Pyr. We asked him to hang on until we found a foster home for her. Before we could get back to him, two days later he said he'd found a good home for her. He had had her posted as a free unspayed dog to good home. Well, we know what can happen to those dogs so we crossed our fingers it was an actual good home.

She loves to lie on the cool grass.

A month later, the dog rescue received a call from the Napanee shelter. Could we take a dog because, like most dogs, she wasn't doing well in the shelter? They also said she wouldn't have passed temperament testing. 

She had a bath, and was as good as gold.

So, as emails flipped back and forth, it was discovered this was the same dog this guy had found a 'good' home for a month ago. She had been dumped, yet again. It turns out she had been in four different homes since May. She still had her original owner tags on her so they tracked down the vet. This same shelter had also been called to this guy's house because of complaints regarding her neglect. If you met her, you wouldn't believe she wouldn't have passed temperament testing. But, then again, I know from experience that it's a crock, anyway.

The Pyr after-bath dance.

She is a beautiful girl.

She has Lyme disease for which the guy didn't bother to treat her from a year ago. Some can develop swollen lymph nodes. If they develop kidney problems, it is late in the process. In dogs, the common symptoms are joint pain and fever. This is another disease called The Great Pretender (like the  EPI Max was supposed to have had, but didn't) because it presents itself in so many ways, and no two cases are alike. It produces no immediate symptoms so it becomes confusing.

Showing her true Pyr heritage in her smile.

There is controversy about Lyme disease, whether to treat or not. It all has to do with Lyme becoming resistant to antibiotics. If the dog does not present with any symptoms, then why treat it? She isn't showing symptoms, and we don't know if she ever did. The vet decided to treat Gracie simply because we don't know in whose home she will be should she ever present symptoms. And, she'll be spayed, of course, on Monday.

Lyme Disease

She and Max had it out this morning, and she backed down. She wanted to play with Trickster and keeps trying but he stands his ground with a snarl and snap. She backs off but is crazy to play. Here's the bonus for us. Zeetie is at camp with her former foster/my friend for the week. I had a dinner party last night, and didn't want to have to deal with the fall out that would ensue between Gracie and Zeetie. They can work it out next weekend. The house is so quiet without her.

She is an extremely sweet girl who was starved of food as she is very skinny and bony although it's difficult to tell  just by looking at her because of her big coat. Therefore, we are careful with food around the dogs. She seems to have also been starved of affection but once the dogs work it out, she is fine with sharing pats and scratches.

Zeetie and Gracie did meet before Zeetz went to camp. Zeetz ignored her, strangely enough, as we walked side-by-side. We finally let them sniff, and Zeetie went on the attack. Poor Zeetie and her fears.

She is adoptable as she stands. This owner must have done something right as far as training goes. Having received all of her records, she was born Febuary 1, 2009 so, she is 3 1/2 years old. She is very playful but then, again, Pyrs don't mature until 5.  However, she doesn't have a full coat. That may also be lack of nutrition.

Note that we are only fostering her. She will be up for adoption shortly.