Lucy's Adoption Anniversary #2!

Two years ago, we decided to get a puppy friend for Toby...we adopted him from Eskie Rescuers United, and kept an eye out for any other dogs they needed to place in a caring home. We wanted him to have another dog to play with, and we really wanted to help out another dog like we were able to help him. So when Josh saw a 5 year old dog named Lucy on the website that needed to be adopted, we decided to take her in, even before we had met her. We had had such a great experience after adopting Toby that we figured why drive 3 hours to the foster mom's house more than once? Might as well drive up there, meet her, and bring her home all at the same time! We brought Toby with us, and had him meet Lucy at the same time we did. The adoption ad had said she was definitely a talker, and would let you know when she wanted something! It also said she loved rolling over for attention. When we met her, she was cute and sweet and seemed like a great dog for us! Josh, Morgan, Toby, Lucy, and I all piled back in the car and headed back from Pennsylvania. We stopped to have dinner on the way, and left the dogs in the car (don't worry, it was in the 50s/60s, we definitely didn't leave them in a hot car!). They seemed to do fine, Toby was loose and Lucy was in a crate. However, when we got ready to leave, we opened the door to the car, and Lucy, who had been asleep, woke up to the noise of all the cars and trucks on the freeway. Poor thing got so scared and freaked out!! She would NOT stop barking, and growled and snapped every time we tried to pet her. It went on for so long that I called Sharon, the adoption lady, and said I was considering turning the car right around and bringing her straight back LOL. But it made me so sad because she had been waiting to be adopted for 4 months, and most people don't have patience to deal with a dog that gets scared and growls and snaps. So we decided to give it a little more time. She had been living with a much older man who couldn't see very well, and he let her go to the bathroom in the house for 5 years. She had also never been around other dogs, so for people she didn't know to be bringing her into an unfamiliar house with another dog, where she was supposed to potty OUTSIDE, was probably terrifying for her! Josh stayed downstairs with her that first night and slept on the couch, and we discovered that putting the leash on her and leaving it there helped keep her under control... apparently a submissive thing. So we did that for awhile, and worked on the potty issue, and little by little she stopped barking and growling and snapping every time we entered or exited a room. She also fell in LOVE with Toby, following him everywhere he went. We slowly introduced her to our room, letting her having "slumber parties" with me and Toby for a few hours each night before she went in her crate for bed time. And now, two years later, here we are with such a sweet, loving, wonderful dog. She is still CRAZY full of energy, attacking me every time I sit on the couch or get into the bed, and she definitely talks....she will let you know every emotion she is feeling!! But she now wakes us up each morning by covering our faces with kisses, rolling over every time we come near her so we can scratch her belly, and cuddling up next to us. The poor thing was sick on her actual "anniversary," (we celebrate 2 days for each dog, one is their birthday and one is their adoption anniversary) which was this past Tuesday the 25th. I came home Monday and she had gotten sick in her crate, and continued getting sick all night, but Josh stayed home with her on Tuesday, and I stayed home on Wednesday, so we both got to spend lots of time with her, which I think she really enjoyed :). She is now feeling much better, luckily! So, happy "anniversary" Lucy, we love you!

The first days where she had to wear her leash: