It has been quite a journey with little Sophie since mid May of 2012 when I picked her up at the SPCA of Western Quebec.  She struck me as spunky, affectionate, and very obstinate.  She is all that and more.  She blended in very easily into our household with Nuna the Greenland Husky and Scotty the pug/shih tzu.  Very sweet natured, but at the beginning she had a warriness with people - cautious around my partner and I and any other visitors, unsure how to respond, and she would look a little lost with those big doleful eyes - and win over any heart.

In the early weeks she was enthralled with the outdoors - sniffing and exploring every corner of our yard, every tree, leaf, and rock…!  She loves being outside - or snuggled up in her dog bed.  It took her some time getting used to the house - but given she is a quick study and picks up from the other dogs' actions - she was able to climb the stairs within two days on her own.

Our biggest challenges were house training and walking on leash.  She had no concept of where to go potty.  It has taken some time to get her aligned with our routine and luckily with the other two dogs as examples, it has finally paid off.  We still have the occasional accident but that is to be expected.  The other challenge was her obstinance in not moving whenever I put a leash on her.  Again she had no concept of going for a walk.  She would sit down, dig in her paws, hold her head up defiantly and not move …. any amount of tugging, cajoling, enticing with treats went nowhere.  So I tied her to the other dogs to go walking … still a lot of bum dragging … and then I put her in a harness and tied her to me and the first time was hilarious … she started a little walking then sitting … and bum dragging and then got walking more …. and less sitting .. and then we were walking at a good clip and when I turned and checked on her - her harness had dropped in the front making walking difficult and she was actually hopping on her front legs to keep up to me.  Well, from then on, she has become a super walker and is always excited to go on our daily walks and exploring in the back woods. 

She has come a very long way.  She knows her way around our yard and comes when called.  She experienced the cottage last summer, riding on our boat, walking the country lanes, having a swim, or just sitting contentedly in the sun on the dock.  She is so much more at ease with people, very friendly and affectionate, and has been learning how to "play" with the help of our 13 year old Hayden - her favorite being squeaky animal toys.  Her first Christmas with us was chaotic and heartwarming - with additional family members, a 9 month old, and the three dogs playing excitedly with their new toys!  At times Sophie looks puzzled over our actions and what to do next, but she keeps learning and growing, and that is amazing.  She has been a great fit with our other dogs, and has added so much to our household.  She is an important part of our family and is one very happy dog … and she has made us very happy too!!

Here she is with her buddy Scotty.

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