Bermuda (fostered 8/09-10/09)

Final 10.09: Bermuda was adopted by a wonderful family not too awfully far away in Bethlehem. They adore her and she is a compelte daddy's girl! She's living with several cats and kids, and doing wonderfully!

Update 10/6/09: Bermuda has really settled in and is a wonderful companion. She's sweet and super affectionate, loves to chew on bones and chase tennis balls, and now greets guests in the house after a quick OK from her foster. While she'd rather not be alone (and let's face it, who would?), she routinely stays 6-8 hours by herself with no damage. The foster has found that, if she leaves the shades open, puts on some country music and gives her yummy things to chew on, Bermuda does just fine on her own. Occasionally, the foster will come home and Moody will have chewed a wicker basket full of toys and thrown the toys all around the room, but nothing else has been damaged.

Moody has been great with several dane friends and a bulldog pup but didn't like a male dane to whom she was introduced to in the rain, so nice weather is a must for meeting new friends. Moody is a great companion-she's low key in the house, walks well on leash, and is happy to hang with her peeps. She's ready for her new family!

Update 8/29/09: Bermuda has been a social butterfly of late, attending training and recently the PA/DE picnic with her foster mom. At both outings, she did splendidly with other dogs and people! She's outgoing and interested in the world, and just needs encouragement to see the positive in situations. She is excited to go for walkies and rides, and is starting to enjoy new people. Moody is an avid food hound and is always looking for something to eat. This is great for training since she is very food motivated. In the house, she's low key and loves to just hang with her people. She's a laid back dane who just needs some direction as to what's expected of her.

We've tested Bermuda with cats, indoors and moving/running. She passed with flying colors. She was easily called off, went nose to nose with a cat and swished her tail, then turned to see what her people were doing. Based on this, we feel that Bermuda would be fine with dog-savvy cats in the home. She has also been excellent with large dogs, both male and female. She met a Staffie terrier who was very much in her face and, while she wasn't interested in him at all and quite obviously found him annoying, she was very polite about telling him to leave her alone. She would turn away, and yawn, never confrontational.

Update 8/1/09: Bermuda is a love bug who loves to lean in and snuggle hard. She has two new dane friends who she loves to run around the yard with, and she's happy to show them the ropes. She's improving on her manners when meeting new people--she's somewhat fearful of strangers in the house but settles down for pets after about 30-60 minutes and yummy treats. She is confident when she's with her person, and just needs encouragement and some good experiences. Bermuda continues to show signs of distress when the foster leaves the house--it may be that a doggie companion will help with this.

Original 7/19/09:Bermuda came to rescue from a PA shelter, where she was found abandonned. The shelter tracked down her former owners, since Bermuda was a well known escape artist in her former home. She regularly escaped a 5 ft deer fence to wander the neighborhood. She is NOT good with smaller dogs (even lab-sized dogs are an issue with her) or cats. She has a high prey drive and went straight to the shed in her foster home to hunt down whatever lives under there.

Bermuda lived with children in her original home and did well with them. In her foster home this pup is all snuggles and affection. She often just comes up to snuggle in close and gain pets and affection. She knows sit, down, come when called, and she will lay down when the family is eating. However, she is also a counter surfer and a mjor food hound. She will get in the trash can, pull things off counters, etc.

Bermuda seems to have some separation anxiety and it remains to be seen whether this will settle out, if another dog companion will help, or if she'll need anti-anxiety meds. Meanwhile the foster has started some behav mod exercises with her.

Bermuda is very much still a puppy, and loves to engage in play. She is all tail wags and happiness whenever you show the slightest bit of attention to her. She would do well in a busy household with children and another giant dog to keep her company.