Just wanted to give you an update on Josie. She's such a great dog and doing really well here in PA. We completed beginner's obedience this summer and fall and she has just started training in tracking and advanced obedience. She seems to really enjoy training, especially all the treats. She contentedly spends the day in her crate when I'm at work and puts herself to bed on her cushion if I stay up later than she'd like. I don't think she'll ever be a dog that wants to meet every person and dog on the street - which is understandable and completely fine with me - but she's much quicker to warm up to the ones that we've both decided are ok. She loves to play chase with the dogs that we know and is so gentle and playful with the small dogs while trying to coax them into chasing her.
I'm really lucky that she is such a good traveler. We drove back to Indiana and Wisconsin over the holidays and Josie napped and looked out the window. She only let out a few dramatic sighs when we were stuck in Chicago traffic for a few hours. I felt the same way. Josie did well on her visit to my grandparents' farm and charmed lots of extra treats out of grandma. My uncle declared her the "most well-behaved and prettiest" coonhound he'd ever met. We have another big car trip planned in early April to visit my sister and friends in Atlanta.
Thanks to Molly and Jayne for matching her with me and for your flexibility in keeping her for the extra time before my move. She really is just the right dog for me, and such a good companion. Such a good mix of independence and snuggliness, loves to go for runs but also curls up for a nap whenever she gets a chance. Here are a few photos of her - posing in the living room, asleep before the ball dropped on New Year's Eve, sharing her bed with her friend Stitch the pug, and out on our hike this morning.
Thanks for your work with this good cause.
Stacey
