Bess reminded me that today marks one year since I picked up Wren and that I should give you an update. Bottom line is that she has turned into a great companion dog who blesses us each and every day, and we thank Cindy for fostering her and connecting her with us. We have intentionally been slow and patient when training with her, allowing her to adjust to us on her own and trying to not add to any of the anxieties she obviously had when she was abandoned. Now she's pretty much fully adjusted, has a ton of good dog friends at the dog park, and loves more than anything taking us on hikes through the woods. She still is fearful of shotgun fire (we have a lot of that around here) but is slowly getting better. She's also scared of big, tall men, especially if they have beards. But otherwise, she just loves everyone and is happy as long as she is fully involved in whatever we're doing. She quickly learned the commands "no," "off," "sit," and "settle," and is slowly learning "stay" and "calm." And my greatest worry -- that she would not do well when we left her alone -- was unfounded. She seems very secure and at ease in her outdoor kennel when alone. So overall, as I said, she has turned into a great companion dog, and we're looking forward to many great years with her.

Bill Steverson