Our visit with the Georgia girls at Easter-time...

...drove down to HyHopes with a new supply of Pinnacle Trout and Sweet Potato (the wonder food), to visit with the girls over the Easter weekend. They're adjusting, and changing, and we're learning more about them all the time. Today, when Pat brought them out one at a time, their demeanor was so different...different than before and different from each other.

Star, the queen, comes first. The only term that can describe her behavior is that Star "frolics" about, flops down for a roll in the grass and a belly rub, prances around...and then...when she decides she's done with her frolic, she heads for the kennel door...ready for a treat. Have we said Star loves her treats!!! Her new coat is coming in with a wonderful shine, her skin is clear...all of the uncertainty is gone from her eyes. Star is a happy girl, and is thriving under Pat's care.

Gwynnie comes next, she's all business...curious about every smell and blade of grass. Loves to get into the dried grass clumps from the lawnmower, is ever curious about the donkeys. She's been jogging with Pat's grandson and really enjoyed that, but we're being careful, since her front leg limping issue seems not quite totally resolved. We do know from x-rays that it doesn't seem to be a serious medical problem, but we're still uncertain exactly what's causing it. It does respond to anti-inflammatory meds.

One thing we've learned about both girls, beyond a shadow of a doubt...is that neither one responds nearly well enough to commands to "come", to ever be off-lead outside of a physically fenced yard. Although they both are very sweet and very smart, neither girl knows formal commands, (i.e., come, sit, down, stay, heel, leave-it, etc.), and any adoptive family/guardian will have to recognize this, and be proactive in protecting them by being diligent about safety issues. We have also changed the information on their petfinder listings to include the necessity for a physical, not invisible (electric), fenced yard for both Gwyneth and Star.

our day at the vet...

...tired us all out, but not too much for some new pictures. the girls rode well in the van, and behaved like ladies at the vet. gwyneth had her front leg x-rayed, she's been favoring it for a few days. star had her heartworm status checked, and got some new shampoo for some dry, flakey, itchies on her back. it's really quite wonderful to see the change in these dogs, once they know they're safe and will be taken care of. quite extraordinary really. especially star. the light has come back to her eyes. thank you so much to pat and harold at hyhopes, for the extraordinary care of our georgia girls!!!

settling in...getting comfortable...

" star"

"gwyneth"

...with new people and new situations. new pictures and a new petfinder site. these girls are both looking for just the right family where the rest of their life can be the best of their life.

our petfinder site:

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MI861.html

and so it begins again...the Georgia Girls...

...Gwyneth and Star, arriving at HyHopes with Bill and Lucy. We don't think they'd ever seen snow before. They were both pretty confused, and tired from the very long drive. But tired as they were, it was easy to see that both of these sweet girls will make someone a wonderful companion. Uncertainty shows in Star's eyes...Gwyn is curious and unsettled. We know they are in the best of hands at HyHopes. Thank you again to Pat and Harold!!! Many thanks as well to Mike and Laurie, who generously and spontaneously gave to help Star and Gwyn with food and vetting expenses.

This Rescue is Dedicated to the Memory of...

...the beautiful HyHope's Image of Xillo, known to all who loved her as Sybil Shepherd, mother to our beautiful miss Seraphina Blue.