Previous dog PO Box 4169 Lisle, Illinois 60532 |
Little Laysee joined the Collie Rescue family this week, and will be needing a very special family to call her own. Laysee is a petite 3-4 year old tri-colored female who came from an abusive situation. Her first photos showed a terrified little girl who looked ready to bolt, but so far from being withdrawn, Laysee seems to be craving reassurance, and will cling to anyone with a tender voice and a kind hand. She is frightened, and trembles almost constantly, but she keeps her anxious brown eyes fixed on whoever is at the end of her leash, almost begging for comfort. This anxiety manifested itself in a rather negative way when Laysee went to her foster home. Laysee seems unable to share her home with another dog, and was very definitely trying to drive the resident collies away from her foster parents. For such a little girl, she proved to be quite determined and showed that she knew what her teeth were for! She did not display aggressiveness when meeting other dogs at the vet's office, or outside on her leash, but in a home situation she seems to feel very threatened and responds strongly. We will only consider adoptive families who do not have a resident dog, and we would be very cautious about cats, as well. A home with no children, or with older children who can respect Laysee's anxiety, would be preferred. Laysee has a lot of history to overcome, and absolutely needs the full attention of her family right now - she simply cannot share at this point. In her previous life, Laysee escaped her home several times, so we will not adopt her to a family without a fenced yard, and even then will recommend a long leash until she has bonded with her family. Life has taught this little girl that to run is to stay safe, so she is a definite flight risk if frightened. Obedience training will do a lot to help Laysee bond with her adoptive family, and we would like a commitment to this when she is ready. Laysee's foster family have already fallen in love with her, and say that as an only dog, she will blossom into a wonderful companion. You will see this, too, when you meet her. Laysee needs someone special to help her overcome a terrible beginning so that she can be the lovely girl she was born to be. Can you be the bridge between what was, and what will be? Update on Laysee 02/12/2010We are very pleased to report that Laysee is doing well in her foster home, and is making wonderful progress!Laysee is very much a Velcro collie who wiggles with delight when she is petted, and who has a cute way of placing a pretty little paw gently on your leg as if to say 'Oh, please, please don't stop petting me!'. Her long collie nose is put to good use, nudging a hand, and elbow, a leg -- a gentle reminder that she is in the room and would certainly like some attention! Laysee learned how to 'sit' quickly, is working on 'down' and is highly treat motivated, so should be very easy to train. Leash walking has definitely improved, and Laysee even dropped by puppy school where she did a fine job! Laysee's foster family includes an easy going young female collie, and she & Laycee are like two little girls playing Barbies. We have seen no sign of aggression between those two, and feel that with the proper introduction Laycee might be able to share her home with a smaller, submissive female. Laycee is a dominant female, however, and will challenge a confident head of household -- so her companion will need to be carefully chosen. Jealous of sharing her people, she will push between you and another dog, and she has mastered the butt-bump to move other canines, but has not been snappy about it. Laycee seems to be a bit hit-or-miss about cats -- some she greets nicely with a wagging tail, and others she chases so again, careful introduction would be in order. Laycee has excellent recall, and has made no attempt at all to leave her fenced yard -- in fact, it is more difficult to get her to go away from the door than to get her to come back. She sleeps quietly in her crate, has no trouble with stairs and has just learned the delights of squeaky toys! Laysee has a way to go to recover from her past, but she is definitely on the right path, and has shown herself to be willing to make the journey. |
