“We adopted Yvette (now Zia Maria) in April of 2009. When we met her at ARF she ran across the room and wrapped her front legs around me in a hug. I knew she had to come home with me. She was so easily overwhelmed by just by about everything that we had to drop out of the obedience classes after 3 weeks.
But she just needed to adjust to her new life at her own pace. And we let her go at her pace. It took weeks to get her to walk to the end of the driveway and not lay flat on the ground if something startled her. Several months later we could walk a mile to the Center of Castro Valley and back. She was loving it. She also overcame her incredible shyness with strangers that came to the house. Now she loves everybody, and loves a party.
Zia has developed a degenerative disease of the tendons in her legs. So she can only walk short distances now. But her spirit and cheerful disposition have remained strong. After this started a few years ago, I bought a children’s stroller and fitted it with a pad so we can still do our walks. She loves going out in the buggy to see the neighborhood dogs. The thing that makes her the most excited is asking her if she wants to go for a buggy ride. She will skip breakfast for a buggy ride.“
– Steve
“I knew she had to come home with me.”
Steve, ARF Adopter
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