Jaycee Arrives at Golden Pines

Just over a week ago, from a farm in Pennsylvania, 8-year-old Jaycee arrived at Golden Pines. Used for breeding her entire life, she's now learning all about another kind of life that includes living inside and one that will not involve puppies.

Understandably Jaycee is tentative and nervous but is proving to be a quick study, quickly learning about treats and different kinds of food - She doesn't (yet) like carrots, green beans or other vegetables - But she does like cheese, bread and loved crunching on ice cubes yesterday. She is also not shy about asking for attention, and giving you her big paw to hold. ❤

For the most part, Jaycee is healthy. She is a big girl, over 100 pounds, and needs to be spayed after she loses a few pounds. And as you maybe can see by the below photo, she is missing a lot of her chocolate-colored coat. 

Intros to our group have been very slow, and aside from Jack having a bit of an attitude towards her, (not unusual) she's getting along with the other dogs just fine and learning about cats. Our girl Ree really wants to play with her. 

~Ree hoping Jaycee will come back and play with her~

Jaycee may have quickly learned to trust us, but she's not trusting everyone she's met. If I have any concerns it's that for some reason Jaycee doesn't like my brother. We were pretty sure that it had something to do with his having a beard; probably resembling the Amish who are part of her past. Without my asking, my brother shaved off his beard. I thought that was a very kind gesture because he's had that beard for a very long time! 

The other person that Jaycee seems to be afraid of is our dog-walker. "Lydia" thinks that it has to do with Jaycee being alone and confined when she comes. Jaycee did much better the second day she came by giving her lots of treats which is encouraging. I'm hopeful that both my brother and Lydia will win Jaycee over in no time! 

~Jaycee, all smiles one week later~

 Welcome to Jaycee and onto next week!

And as a postscript, I'll add that I practically NEVER know who previous owners were or exactly where my foster dogs come from with Lab Rescue - But this time, I accidentally found out and out of curiosity I looked the owner up online where I found that he'd been fined a couple of times for keeping his dogs in too small cages. Despite that, I'm grateful that Jaycee was given to the rescue, and has the chance at the life all dogs deserve. Sadly not all dogs like Jaycee get that chance.  ***Know where your cute puppies are coming from.***