Tanya  - her house training is coming along.  Occasional pee accident overnight (but we have 5 sleeping downstairs so she may not be the culprit!)

She comes up for a treat and a fuss now.  I can easily get her harness on and off.  She is practicing lead walks in the garden but I feel it is too soon for the outside world yet although she is very keen to come out with my dogs and plays in the garden with absolutely no sign of any problems with her knees.  She sleeps downstairs with my dogs - was barking several times a night but we think that was getting used to different noises and she is much better - but is an early riser (6am) - but now it is because she wants a wee we think.

Eats everything, gentle taking treats, great with our dogs, loves a head rub, and will love walks when I can summon the courage.  She has been here over Easter and we have had visitors most days which she is fairly unbothered by.

Tanya has been in foster just over a week now.   She is such a Shihtzu!  Shih lovers will understand that sentence!  She has come a long way in a week of home life and I know she will continue to progress in her forever home and I would love her new family to have the pleasure of seeing her relax into the sort of life this beautiful, brave, sassy little Queen should always have led.  She is brilliant with all the dogs here - playful with the boyish youngster (though very much keeping him under control!) a respectful pal with the other female dogs, and a kind and gentle protector of tiny terrified Taco who she was kennelled with at the centre.  She loves her food and will be first in the queue for a treat - but shares nicely and has good manners around food.  She sleeps quietly all night downstairs with her pals. She tolerates the harness well but objects just yet at pressure on the lead - she will get there slowly (did I mention she's a madam?!) I can pick her up and check ears and teeth and whatever - she looks like she is going to object but it is all for show!  She doesn't want me getting the idea that she needs me but she will cuddle into me on the sofa when the other dogs do - very much wants to be in the gang!  Housetraining is a work in progress but she is getting the idea.  We tried early on to restrict her from jumping around too much over concerns about her legs but she races after my Colin like a lunatic, so we have pretty much admitted defeat there!  I would love for her to be in her forever home soon and get the attention and love she so deserves.

An hour ago we got home with Taco and Tanya.  Tanya we may call is happily trotting round the garden and house - rolling in the decorative bark, playing with toys, repelling young Colin's over-enthusiastic requests for a game of chase and generally looking very relaxed.  

Tanya has come to us from a breeder to find her forever home. When she arrived she was quite a nervous girl who was worried around humans and relied heavily on her kennel friends for support. She has since moved into a foster home where she is starting to come out of her shell every day and is turning into a sassy little girl.

She is looking for a calm home where she can be allowed to settle in at her own pace and will need another kind and confident resident dog in the home to be her friend. Tanya had never lived in a home before moving to her foster home, but is settling in well and starting to learn all about home life as well as new skills like house training. Tanya will need to learn all about walking on a lead.

Tanya isn't ready to accept a fuss just yet, but we are hopeful with time and trust she will begin to open up. Our vet has noted that Tanya has low grade patella luxation in both of her back legs. With gentle exercise and as she starts to build up muscle, this may start to improve but it is something her adopters will need to be aware of as should she require any treatment in future, it would not be coverable by insurance.