Lila

We have a new addition to our family. Her name is Lila and she is a female American Shepard. She is about 2 years old and is a very sweet girl. She has become my daughter's best friend.

Lila's picture had been posted at the entrance of my office building for about three weeks. I looked at it almost everyday. I kept telling myself that I was not ready for another dog. Well, one day my husband came by my office and commented about her picture. He asked if I knew anything about her. He told me that Shepards are great dogs. He sounded interested in her, so I gave in and called about her.

She was living with a couple and their part-time 12yr old. She had to be kept in a small dog run on the side of the house because she would jump out of the yard. The family did not have time to spend with her on a regular basis and she would be super hyper when they did try to spend time with her. They felt bad for her and wanted to find her a family. Before we called they only had one call about her and it was for her to be a watch dog for a construction company. So I am so glad that I called.

Before saying yes, I looked into ways of keeping her from jumping and discovered a harness that makes it difficult for them to jump. I talked to the man at the pet store and he said that they worked well. It allows the dog to walk and run, it just doesn't let them spring off their back legs. They had tried the shock collar but it did not work on her. We said yes hoping that the harness would work for her.

Lila's former home was not very far from us, so the kids and I walked her home. We fitted her for the harness and then let her free in our back yard. She has walked the fence line and gone to the gate, but has not tried to jump! She has been free in our back yard since yesterday evening and she is still here! We left her for the first time tonight when we all went out for dinner. She was at the gate when we all got in the car. I worried all through dinner and couldn't wait to get home. I was so happy to hear her at the gate when we got back home! I called her former owner and she said that if she had been free in the yard for that long and had not jumped out, then the harness was working. She had never stayed in their yard without being locked up or tied up before. I hope this continues to work!

She is very sweet and loves all the attention she is receiving. The kids love to pet her and brush her. She has been very gentle and has started to play with them. She has not eaten much, but that is probably normal since it has been very hot and she is not in her normal surroundings. I hope that she will continue to bond with us so that she will be happy here. Hopefully after she learns that we are her new family we can try to take the harness off and she will stay put in our yard!