Jackie the misunderstood!

To anyone who has followed the saga of Jackie, they may be shocked at this post.  I have to make a confession- I completely misjudged Jackie at first!  Jackie is an amazingly resilient and adaptable dog.  Initially, I thought that Jackie should be an only dog and kept away from younger kids.  I still think babies would make her nervous, but I think in time she would adjust.  I have watched her go from a snappy dog to one that calmly waits to see what is going to happen.  I have watched her go from being in other dogs' faces to learning some manners and eliminating the tenseness that comes from an ill-mannered dog.  I have watched her go from being very nervous around her human five year old foster brother to being comfortable enough to let him get on the bed with her and pet her- She even respects him enough that when he tells her to go lay down on her bed, she gets up and walks over and lays down (his own grey does not listen to him that well!!).  I would not hesitate to house her with another grey and I would not hesitate to house her with a young kid (who is willing to follow some basic rules that all dog owners should follow like "let sleeping dogs lie.").  The only thing she still needs to work on is her interaction with other breeds of dogs.  And, quite honestly, given her ability to learn and desire to be with others, I firmly believe she would be fine if someone is willing to work with her.  What I have learned about Jackie is that her post racing career homes have been with adults and older children only.  After spending time in a foster home with another grey and a young kid she has settled down.  When she spends time with anything and learns what the traits are, she settles down and adapts- She just needs time and patience!

So, lets talk the lighter side of Jackie.  Jackie is surprisingly energetic and resilient.  Her toe was removed two weeks ago and she acts like nothing happened.  Today we get the stitches removed and she can move on...Of course, she really hasn't stopped moving!  She is so resilient that she can't wait to go to the vet's office.  We walk in and she gets greeted by all the friends she made while she was there and gets to explore other breeds.  I have never seen a dog that has been through all that she has, actually want to go to the vet's office!  As proof that she is doing just fine, watch the video and you can see how she has become a dog that will be the life of the home and will be a welcome addition to almost any family!