Gracie is a beautiful, gentle-natured girl who is looking for a calm and understanding home that can help her continue to build confidence at her own pace. When she first arrived, Gracie found the world a little overwhelming, but with patience, reassurance, and consistency, she has made wonderful progress and her sweet, affectionate personality is now really starting to shine.
In the home, Gracie is a loving and playful companion. She is clean in the house and enjoys being around her people, receiving fuss, being groomed, and of course plenty of belly rubs! She has started to show her fun and cheeky side, enjoying her toys and making her foster family laugh with her comical running style — all legs and feet!
Gracie has previously struggled with separation anxiety and being away from her people can still be difficult for her. Initially, she would bark, whine, pace, and jump up at the door when left, but she has responded really well to gentle training. She is now able to settle much more calmly, with only a few barks or whines, and will relax quietly on the floor or in her bed. Her new family will need to continue building on this progress and ideally have someone around for most of the day while she continues to gain confidence.
Visitors to the home can initially make Gracie feel unsure, but she settles with time. After around 20 minutes, once she feels comfortable, she is happy to accept treats and interact. She can be particularly wary of unfamiliar men and may cower or try to move away, so she will need a home where people understand the importance of allowing her to approach new people in her own time.
Outdoors is where Gracie needs the most support. She experiences significant anxiety in unfamiliar environments and can find sudden movements, loud noises, and traffic particularly scary. When overwhelmed, she may pant, pull to get home, or struggle to change direction. However, she has made great progress and, when she feels calm and secure, she walks beautifully on the lead and can walk alongside traffic without pulling. Her confidence will continue to grow with patient, positive experiences and a family who can advocate for her needs.
Gracie is friendly with other dogs and has enjoyed meeting dogs both on and off lead. She has greeted other dogs calmly, walked alongside them beautifully, and is now beginning to show interest in playing with them. She would benefit from living with a confident, well-balanced dog who can act as a role model and help her feel more secure in new situations.
Gracie has not shown any guarding behaviours with food or toys and has not attempted to escape. She is a gentle girl who responds well to training and already knows her commands including sit, down, and wait. She can become a little excited when getting ready for walks, particularly when her harness is being put on, but this is something she is continuing to work on.
Due to her anxiety outdoors and with travelling, Gracie would be best suited to a home where regular car journeys are not required. She would thrive in a quieter environment with someone who can continue to support her confidence and celebrate her progress.
Gracie is a truly lovely girl who has come such a long way. She just needs a patient and compassionate home that will help her feel safe, understood, and loved. In return, she will reward her family with endless affection, loyalty, and the joy of watching her continue to blossom.
