Introducing...Sydney

Sydney joined our little family on January 16. She and her puppy were rescued along with six other dogs from a backyard breeder in Missouri a few weeks ago. Sydney is around 4 years old and has spent her life knocked up in a crate. Spencer and I will have to teach her how to be a family dog.

Sydney has made a lot of progress in the last four days. She and Spencer are becoming friends and like to play. Spencer is doing a good job of teaching her our routine. Sydney is still extremely scared of humans. She follows me around the house at a distance and runs away as soon as I realize she's there. I regularly see flashes of brown and white in my peripheral vision. :o) But Syd is getting braver each day and is spending less and less time in her crate.

It will probably take about six months for her to be rehabilitated. There will be a lot to learn -- housebreaking, walking on a leash, etc. But I know that once she overcomes her fears, she'll enjoy being "in retirement" from her old profession and letting us spoil her.