Annabelle

Annabelle, age 5

AVAILABLE

Update 6/20/12:

Beautiful blonde Annabelle comes to GRR from a family whose lives were changing to include lots of travel—and that, on top of the long hours they already worked, meant that Annabelle would be spending way, way, way too much time stuck in her kennel. Crated alone in an empty house or confined at the boarding kennel – that’s no life for a dog, and her owners knew it!  Luckily, a couple of GRR families live in the same neighborhood, so finding help was a snap.

At 75 pounds, Annabelle is a big-boned, tall gal with great big paws. She’s had a choppy “summer cut” fairly recently, but once her fur grows back all the way, she’ll be even more gorgeous than she already is. She shares her foster home with a boy Golden; she was a little slow to play, but after he made repeated offers she suddenly decided “hey, this might be fun.” Now they enjoy brisk bouts of “bitey head” and lie side-by-side doing “head wrestling.” She likes toys and has a few favorites that she enjoys toting about and tossing in the air.

Annabelle is a little bit TOO interested in the resident kitty and would likely chase if given the chance, so a no-cat home might be best for her. Foster mom has her baby-gated to keep the kitty off limits, but she’s a clever one who knows how to open a loosely fastened gate by snapping the latch up with her nose, then zipping through—so be warned! She’s wonderful with her 9-year-old human “sister” and was great with her original owner’s grandkids, too; and “I had my five nieces, ages 19 months to 14 years, over to visit, and she was right in the middle of them, just loving all the petting,” says her foster mom. She doesn’t jump up at all, and she takes treats very daintily, with just her lips.

After spending so much time alone, Annabelle is reveling in getting aattention, and enjoys grooming and petting. She isn’t clingy & doesn't have to be on top of you all the time, but she DOES want you around. She loves to just sit beside you, leaning against your leg, and will gently put her head in your lap by  leaning her head backwards. She’s a sweet, calm, laidback girl. She likes to look out the window and rest her head on the sill, and will stay there for long periods of time, just looking out.

Annabelle really needs a home with steady companionship to make up for the rather barren life she’s had since puppyhood. We don’t want her to start living alone for long hours at a stretch again!  Another friendly dog would be just fine, but probably a no-cat household would be best. And needless to say, she’d love to have a few children to give her lots of gentle pats.