Welcome to the Bugsy Family - Sandy!

Hi everyone.

I would like you to meet the latest addition to our menagerie of pets - Sandy the Golden Retriever. Sandy came to us yesterday. I saw her on www.aaps.org.au and I contacted them to find that she was still there, so Hubbs and I went and had a look at her. I found out that she is 18 months old, and had lived her life until recently being ignored in someone's backyard. No training nothing. She became too unruley for them and they surrended her to the shelter. Another couple took her and she lasted 5 days with them. They brought her back because they couldn't handle her. So we definately have our work cut out and obedience will be starting immediately. It's going to be tough - standing on her back legs she is as tall as I am, and she is pretty strong, but I have done obedience training before, so I know it is more about consistency and persistence than strength. We might home school until the new year and then join an obedience club. That way she will be used to us, and hopefully follow some basic commands.

Until yesterday she was called Mishka, but I wasn't really keen on the name, and she didn't answer to it anyway, so we decided a new life, a new name, and Sandy seemed to suit her.

The shelter were great. They even went and got a couple of the shelter cats that are totally used to dogs, to see how she would react, and she didn't give two hoots. We then went home and got Maddy and the two got on really well, which they were suprised at as she has been scared of dogs so far. Since coming home the two of them haven't stopped playing together, so I am sure they will be fine.

Molly has quite accepted the new addition, but Oscar's little pink nose is really out of joint and we have had to give him lots of cuddles and brushes to settle him down. Poor pet.

So what do you think of Sandy? I think by the look on her face, she is happy to be with us.