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Meet Waika
(Way-ka)…a beautiful two-year-old female GSD who enjoys car riding,
going for walks, chasing a ball and LOVES playing with other dogs. In
fact, she bonds quickly with other dogs and takes a while to warm up
to a new person, due to the relocations she experienced in her first
two years.
When she was just
over a year old, she was turned in to a shelter by her owners; she had
been an “outside dog” and was not housebroken, and she was timid as a
result of the lack of socialization. A young couple adopted her,
saying they worked 12-hour days and had two other dogs who would keep
Waika company. They would let her out off leash, and complained that
she was bonding to their dogs instead of to them. At one point, Waika
was picked up by an ACO from a different shelter, and the owners said
she had been missing for 3 weeks - they didn’t want her back. After
some training and socializing at this shelter, Waika was adopted out,
but the people brought her back after 5 days, saying she cried and
whined at night. They didn’t want to move her crate into their
bedroom, so they returned her to the shelter.
Currently, Waika
connects with women more easily than men and has some separation
anxiety if left at home alone uncrated. She has come to regard her
crate as her sanctuary, and she’ll go in there on her own when she
wants some private time. Waika is somewhat reserved around people she
doesn’t know. However, she doesn’t show any signs of hostility.
Although she’s timid until she builds up trust, she is totally
cooperative.
Waika does very
well with other calm dogs and is living happily with two males in her
foster home. She does love playing with her toys and running outside
with her foster brothers. Her routine in the foster home consists of
going out to potty and playing first thing in the morning. During the
day, she is in the crate for short periods of time and does very well.
She’s not eager to eat in the mornings and is not really food
motivated, but she eats well in the evenings.
Waika enjoys
playtime in the yard and her evening walks. If she meets a cat on the
way, she’ll sniff but not attempt to chase. She then hangs out in the
living room while the foster parents do homework or watch TV. At
bedtime, she likes to sleep quietly on the floor beside the bed with
her foster brothers. She was crated for the first two weeks, until
she was more comfortable in her foster home, and the crate is still in
the bedroom with the door left open for when she wants to use it.
Waika would do well
with someone who is active and can work on training and socialization
to help her continue to progress. She would enjoy a consistent
routine and expectations in a calm household, lots of TLC and regular
exercise. She will continue to do well with the use of the crate,
which has set her up to succeed. Her physical health is excellent!
She has gained five pounds, with a goal of 5 more pounds to go.
This girl really
loves the outdoors and would love to have many opportunities to be out
where she can roll in the grass and run and play safely.
If you have the
patience to let Waika get to know you gradually and to calmly earn her
trust, you’ll be rewarded by the companionship of this shy and gentle
soul.
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