Mandy

Mandy is simply my best friend. I am so grateful that she is part of my life and I cannot imagine living without her! We do everything together. We love going to the dog park and to activities at local shelters together. She sleeps next to me in bed every night. Now, I can't sleep unless I hear her not-so-soft snoring beside me. Having Mandy has changed my life so much, and although some of the changes have been more difficult than others, it's all been for the better.

Ooops! I'm a bit late on Mandy's update but we're having so much fun with her that I lost track of time. Marvin and Sasha haven't felt the need to remind me either...they love her to pieces. She has been doing great with learning the rules of the house and her manners are coming along nicely. Her sit is good, especially when she is trying to show off in front of new people, she's decent at stay, never tries to run out the gate or door but she hasn't quite mastered Paw/shake but that's minor. Mandy has figured out how give the cats their space (with my insistence) but she's doing it. She wants the cats to like her so badly but that's not going to happen. I tell her it's not her, it's them...and she turns around and comes to bed. Mandy loves everyone and everything. She loves to meet people and is very free with the kisses. She really likes to slather the kids with kisses to the point she licks them into constant giggles, but sometimes the kids do end up on their tushies. Gently of course, and loving it. Giggles are like an energy source for Mandy. She looks so proud of herself when she hears that. But if nobody is around she can entertain herself - for a few minutes anyway; she really likes time with her people so she will stop to give you the toy and join in. Mandy is such a sweetheart. In fact, I wouldn't mind if she stays here forever but then you would miss out on a truly fantastic dog.

Mandy, Mandy, Mandy...she gets cuter every day. She has settled in quickly and I can tell she feels totally at home here. She's learning the rules of the house and is a fast learner too. Her reaction to strange noises has improved considerably - now she looks at me when she starts to react to see if i am going to correct her before crashing onto the front door. Thankfully, that behavior is coming to an end. Her personality is truly something special too. The give-in-to-me pout with her oh, oh, ohs are the best. She will sweetly tell you when she objects to something you tell her to do...this is when her stubborn boxer side comes out. If I tell her to move - off the couch, off the bed - she stares at me giving me the silent treatment. I know she hears me because next comes the tail thump, then the grumblings and rumblings, and finally, she decides to move. Tiny, sweet little Mandy commands attention, and she will throw her paw at you if don't get her cues quick enough. She's not dominant in any way - it's just her way of saying love me, play with me, and love me some more. Mandy love, loves, LOVES to play, wrestle and run. Even at night, in the snow, it's game on, and it's non-stop until one of them passes out. Her, Marv and Sasha all tug on the rope toys and drag each other all over the yard, but I think the holee roller ball might be her her favorite toy, and she's a champ at bringing it back to you.   Every once in a while, the little firecracker finally tires herself out and she squeezes herself in between (or on top of) Marvin and Sasha and crashes for the night.

Discovered a few things about Mandy in the last week...shes very affectionate and very free with the kisses and cuddles. She is particularly fond of hair too. She likes to sit next to you and crawl onto your shoulders and sniff away. She loves to have visitors - a friend came over and Mandy got so excited she was bouncing off the walls and zooming through the living room, kitchen and dining room like a speeding bullet. Mandy doesn't really care for the crate but she will go in. In return you get her serenade of bizarre sounds. She settles down soon enough and they are quite comical. 
     Mandy is also incredibly protective. While her intentions are good, there is a constant flow of people in this neighborhood which can give her a lot of unnecessary anxiety so I have been trying to teach her that she doesn't need to be so vigilant, and to stop jumping on my front door with every new sound she hears. Mandy is well behaved - so much so that I only crate her when I'm at work. I let her sleep out with my dogs quicker than any other foster I've had. She doesn't destroy anything but she does still have the occasional young boxer behavior. Mandy loves having Marvin and Sasha to pal around with. She also has zero aggression towards them - food, bones or toys and doesn't mind sharing attention. 
     It's hard to get a feel for what kind of life she had before coming into rescue as she is super loving and trusting; and listens well, but she doesn't know any basic commands. Were working on "Off" mostly, then sit, and stay. I think Mandy would benefit greatly from obedience training and I know she would love all the extra one-on-one time with her new family.

After a long awaited arrival, Mandy arrived Sunday morning...and what a little character she is. She is a tiny munchkin overflowing with personality. She took the super scenic route from North Carolina to New Jersey and I'm guessing it must have been some adventure because when she finally got here, she came right in the house and proceeded to tell me all about it. Well, this girl sure does make some crazy sounds. We all do here so she fits right in. Her talk sounds run the gamut from squeaky doors to what can only be described as choking a rooster, but when she thinks you're not listening to her complain about her crate, she gives a deep belly howl. When she gets excited, it's a different sound all together that accompanies the fastest thumping tail ever. She met Marvin and Sasha this morning but they just hung around and relaxed. Even now, she is happy to just sleep next to them on the couch. I don't think she's come out of her shell yet but overall I can tell she is a mellow girl. Very sweet and easy going but a real firecracker when she wants to be.After a long awaited arrival, Mandy arrived Sunday morning...and what a little character she is. She is a tiny munchkin overflowing with personality. She took the super scenic route from North Carolina to New Jersey and I'm guessing it must have been some adventure because when she finally got here, she came right in the house and proceeded to tell me all about it. Well, this girl sure does make some crazy sounds. We all do here so she fits right in. Her talk sounds run the gamut from squeaky doors to what can only be described as choking a rooster, but when she thinks you're not listening to her complain about her crate, she gives a deep belly howl. When she gets excited, it's a different sound all together that accompanies the fastest thumping tail ever. She met Marvin and Sasha this morning but they just hung around and relaxed. Even now, she is happy to just sleep next to them on the couch. I don't think she's come out of her shell yet but overall I can tell she is a mellow girl. Very sweet and easy going but a real firecracker when she wants to be.