Grady has been adopted! 01-02-2006

My name is Grady, or so I hear: I am brand new to the rescue, and not sure what my name may be. I am a beautiful playful 6-7 months male puppy. And of course I behave as such! I am very loving, and affectionate. I love my foster Mom and Dad and am happy sitting next to them while they watch TV: I get lots of petting. Or just lay down by the fireplace at night. If no one is paying attention and I want love, I will wrap my head and neck around your leg or your arm and look at you with very happy and content eyes. How could you resist me???

I live with other dogs who already have their own pack rules. I am happy to fit in. Ok, I break some of the rules sometimes and my big brother is quick to put me back on track. He doesn’t like it when the pack doesn’t work his way, and I have had a few sessions where I have been corrected for not being a good pack member. You know, such as touch a toy that is exclusively his, or annoy him with my play bark to the point I will end up on my back crying. Well, it is essentially my ego that gets hurt in the process and I cry just to make sure he knows I am really sorry. I am very soft and a bit timid, so that works great in the pack: I follow what they do and in return get lots of play time and runs around the backyard. We play hide and seek, tug and war, chase the toys, investigate smells, chase butterflies and birds. I am not big on people approaching the house, and I like to bark at them. After all, this is my temporary home and I am protecting it from strangers!

I like to eat: with all the activity I am getting, I eat about 5 cups of food a day. At night, I sleep in my crate, next to the other dogs. When our parents say: ‘go to your bed’ , we all run to our crates: we each have one and I know which one is mine, I know better than try to get into one that is not mine! Sometime we get a snack we can munch on during the night! The first morning in my foster home, when my Mom came by to open the other crates, I looked at the other dogs like I did at the shelter: they were going out and not me. I was really sad. But then, she opened mine: I couldn’t believe my luck! I was actually being treated the same way as the spoiled dogs who live there. I got tons of praise for sleeping through the night with no bathroom break and lots of morning hugs. It doesn’t get better than that: lots of fun, lots of love, lots of food, and a few rules to follow.

News Flash: I just learned what a stairway is! It doesn’t really help that you can only access one side of the house if you go down stairs at my foster parents! Now that I master the 2 stairs – ok, ok, I admit, I landed on my neck a couple of times – I decided to follow my puppy sister up a very big stairway in the house. Not sure why: she knows we are not allowed up there. Big brother was watching us and probably warned us that we were going to be in a lot of trouble, but hey, I know how to go up: it was an exciting adventure! Mom caught us at the top of the stairway…..at that point, sister flew down the 3 flights of stairs….and I froze. Do you know how big a stairway looks from the top???? What was I supposed to do? Well, with my Mom’s help, I flew down the first flight of stairs, landed on my nose….but there is something to say about learning under pressure: I quickly ran down the other 2 flights of stairs with no damage or incident. Since then, I am safely waiting for my parents to come downstairs. No more stairway adventure: I learned the hard way!

A few things about me: my coat is very soft, one of my ears is still floppy half of the time, I am not a dominant male, I know how to be submissive if it is the safe thing to do, I am very happy to have food in my belly, I love being inside the house with you, I am housebroken, I can be shy at first until I get comfortable, I am good with other dogs, I don't climb on furniture, I am delicate, I am a very happy camper: life is GOOD!

Like I said, I am a puppy and you need to know that if you are adopting me, you are adopting a puppy with all the behaviors that go with it.

• I will steal your food if you leave it within reach ... well, I don't know any better at this point: Italian salami is very yummie as I just found out! Mom was not pleased!!


• I will pick and choose toys around the house even though they might not be labeled as dog toys, but I don't know the difference between Christmas ornaments and dog toys, do you? They look awfully alike to me!


• I will chew on things that may not be meant to be chewed on ... how do I know??? A piece of foam from my home-made bed made it to my mouth, I was just testing it! Another time Mom was not pleased!


• I may dig in the backyard at some point.


• I will jump on you to get your attention when you come back from work: I am so excited to see you ... but I am learning to sit instead.

All these behaviors are puppy behaviors: I am happy to learn, but you are going to have to teach me what I can do and what I can't do. I am a long term commitment, and will love and protect you for the 10-15 years to come, so please make sure you train me on how to please you and not do the things that will upset you.

If you are willing to show Grady the way and give him love, discipline and training, along with a 10 to 15 year commitment, please fill out an online application for him. One of our adoption counselors will be in contact with you.

The minimum adoption donation for adults is $375 and the adoption donation for puppies is $500. This amount only partially covers the cost of veterinary care, boarding fees, and other miscellaneous expenses involved in the temporary care and adoption of our dogs and is tax deductible when permitted by law. The adoption donation provides that all dogs will be spayed or neutered, receive current vaccinations, and are microchipped. If not, arrangements will be made on an individual basis ( i.e., puppies who will need to be altered by 6 mos old). Special consideration may be given to those willing to adopt older dogs or dogs with physical problems.