About Gracie

Meet Gracie, the Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie). Gracie is a very sweet, soft, gentle natured dog who is looking for a home that can offer her everything that she needs. This will include a happy, fun, safe space with lots of patience and love to help her build confidence, continue to grow, explore new places and meet new people. For the first 2 years of her life, Gracie lived with an ailing owner. Although Gracie was very sweet and got cuddles from her owner, she wasn't in a position to receive any training or be on a regular schedule. Gracie came to VPAS after her owner passed away so that she could learn some important life-skills and find her forever home. Due to the health issues that Gracie's original owner faced, Gracie ended up missing out on most of her fundamental puppy training: essential opportunities for socializing, meeting new people, going to new places, meeting and playing with other dogs, learning to walk on leash, and house training. Gracie was very loved but missing out on essential life experiences has left Gracie with challenges that she is still working to overcome. We have been working hard to help Gracie learn these skills, but her new family will need to continue on with her training and lifelong learning. It took Gracie a number of months to settle into her foster home once she arrived in our care. Each week she was growing, changing, and coming out for her shell. She now has full confidence in the house and backyard, and is playful and very silly. When out on walks to familiar spaces she is comfortable, but it takes her a few visits to a new place before she starts to settle. It can also take her a few meetings with new people and new dogs before she's comfortable around them. Shelties are known to be smart dogs, whose primary (historical) job has been to herd livestock. Gracie is a medium-energy dog. She is agile and quick and needs to have a family that can provide her with a good walk twice a day. She also needs to have access to a securely fenced yard that she can spend time in. She loves long hikes on weekends, but prefers not to go out if it's too hot or raining. During walks, Gracie needs to be kept on a leash. With her history and fear of new encounters she could very easily startle and run away if not leashed. She does not have a good recall and it can be very difficult to coax her to come back to you if something startles her. Things like cars, skateboards, bikes, and loud people can spook her. In her foster home, Gracie spends hours outside in the yard with her foster family and foster doggy friends. Unfortunately, before coming to VPAS Gracie missed out on potty-training; she was never taught or given an opportunity to learn. Her foster mom has been working very hard to stick to a routine so that opportunities for potty breaks outside are not missed. For the most part, Gracie has done well with her house training but it's only in the last few months that she has started to let her foster mom know when she has to go outside. Since Gracie will be in a new environment once adopted, her new family will need to make sure they can stick to a routine to help her adjust. She won't do well with someone who leaves her alone for 8 hours a day during work. Gracie will need to be with someone who works from home, is retired, or is around the home at very regular intervals to continue with setting a routine that will make Gracie successful. Please visit https://victoriapets.ca/adoptables/gracie/ to find the rest of Gracie's bio (it's too long to fit in the Rescue Me template.

Contact

Victoria Pet Adoption Society
Sidney, BC V8L 3W6 Canada

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