Allie is such a striking girl... was her future to live her mom's life of not knowing anything outside of having puppies?  Luckily for her, she and Dana found each other and she'll never have to find out!

Miss Allie is adjusting quite well for only being home for four days!  Last night she decided my Cocker puppy wasn't trying to kill her, only play and they had a ball running around the living room and kitchen chasing and roughhousing with each other.  :)  She is rather afraid of our large Lab mix but I'm guessing she has never seen a dog that big before.  Hailee loves everyone though, so it shouldn't take long for Allie to get used to her.  Allie loves Sierra, our Mini-Aussie mama - of course everyone loves Sierra and she mothers everyone like they were one of her own.  Allie no longer runs back to her crate when we move around and comes up and sniffs us when we're sitting down.  She isn't really afraid of us, just wary.  She has not tried to bite me at all when I pet her or pick her up, although she is just sure I'm going to do something horrible to her.  I just pet and then give a treat and go away, so she knows that people are not going to hurt her anymore...  I don't think it will be long before she comes around and am looking forward to her snuggling with me!  :) 

 

Hi guys!  Allie has made tremendous progress in the past two days.  She is now going outside with us and partaking in all the activities.  She went down to the barn with me (and all the dogs) this morning and was running like a crazy dog out in the arena - back and forth and spinning around, it was pretty funny to watch!  The picture of her on the blanket with me is from last night at Day 5 of her new life and the ones of her and Brittany playing are from today, Day 6.  I think she likes me as she seems to seek me out if she is unsure about what's going on around her.  She is still intimidated by our Lab and Hailee is really curious and wants to play with her but I don't think it will be too long before they are playing as well.  Hailee and Brittany play all the time and Hailee is very gentle with Brittany even though she is sooo much bigger...  :)

 

I just love her so much already - I actually got a little lick on my leg this
morning from her!  When I was standing up even! I almost cried...  :)

 

Hi all! Allie has been home with us for 12 days now. She was quite
fearful at first, spending a lot of time in her crate in the kitchen
(voluntarily, we've never locked her in it). Our kitchen is
separated from the family room by about a 15 foot opening that we
have a baby gate across until Allie and our Cocker puppy are potty
trained. Allie loved our two Mini-Aussies immediately, warmed up to
the Cocker puppy after a few days and is still a little intimidated
by our huge Lab mix.

At first, Allie would lie on the blanket next to the gate and watch
us but run back into her crate everytime someone came in the
kitchen. But it only took a few days for her to start trusting us
enough to remain out and about. After about two days, she would take
treats from my hand and now will take treats from all of the family
members' hands. I was worried she would be afraid of my mother as
she is about the same age as the puppy mill owner but once my mom
comes in and takes off her coat and sunglasses, Allie relaxes. I
left Allie in the house for about the first four days or so and then
let her on the deck. I didn't have any trouble getting her to follow
the other dogs back into the house. At about day 5 or 6 I decided to
take her outside with me as I was pretty certain she would stay with
the other dogs. I have not seen her go in her crate at all for at
least 3 or 4 days. She stays right with us in the kitchen and just
moves a little to the side when we are walking. She already knows
that good things come out of the refrigerator and the pantry, lol.

Allie will walk right up to me and last weekend she actually gave my
leg a little lick. I'm in love! :) She still won't allow me to pet
her but when I'm petting the other dogs, she walks up and touches my
hand, so I know she wants to interact, she is just still too afraid.
But I am a patient person and I know that soon she will accept the
love that we all have to give her... :)

I've noticed some odd (and at times hysterically funny) things that
Allie does...

When she first got here especially, when she is afraid of something she
will growl and stamp her front feet together really fast on the ground
towards whatever she is trying to intimidate. It's pretty dang funny.
She did it the first few days to Brittany, our Cocker puppy, and now
only does it to the cats when they are running through the room or
jumping over the gate.

The second odd thing she does is when she is greeting our other minis,
she will stretch one back leg straight out behind her in the air. It
appears to be a submission gesture based on when she does it and the
way she looks when she's doing it.