Meet the new girl - Lily

After getting Abby adopted my plan was to take a break from fostering and to consider the alternative lifestyle of "not fostering." I did plan to keep an open slot for the occasional Great Dane foster when the need arose. That plan went down the tubes before it even got started.

Meeting Maya

First, Abby did not get adopted this past weekend as I had hoped. The potential foster wasn't ready. It may happen next weekend, or not, I'm not sure, because it doesn't appear that everyone in the household is onboard with the reality of Abby living among them.

And then came this new girl. I'm calling her Lily because her former name was Cujo.  That's just stupid on many levels, but it appears that stupid has figured prominently in Lily's life up to now. I'm not really clear on all the backstory, but it seems to involve a short term home after an improvident purchase off of Craig's List, followed by being dumped in a shelter. The big girl is severely underweight, but she's had a good grooming recently so she looks really good.

Lily is with Green Dogs Unleashed. I picked her up Sunday evening after a long day of not adopting Abby in northern Virginia. I brought her in the house, did a short version of introductions, and then put her in a crate in my office for the night and we all went to bed.

The rest of the pack, not so patiently waiting their turn.
That's Trooper trying to come over the top.

She was fine in the crate all night and has been fine with all the dogs. Lily even seemed interested in chasing Abby around the dog yard the next morning. She's a Saint Bernard so she's a little drooly, but I've seen worse. I'm not sure of her weight. She's as tall as Theo, maybe even a little more, but you can feel her ribs and her spine under that beautiful coat. It doesn't appear that her history has included very much food. I offered her three cups of dry food Monday morning, which she ignored until I added a half can of wet food, then she devoured it all.

Theo, getting acquainted.

She's not quite two  years old and she's already been spayed. Vet records are being pursued today and I'll take her to the vet for an exam and any vaccines that we can't get evidence for. Given her weight, I think that a three day worming treatment may be in order too.

Nice dog, good with other dogs, not good with cats. I'll get more and better pictures today, but here's some of the initial introductions.

There's a shepherd that may be heading this way soon as well. So much for my plans.

Clay, with Lily and Theo

Striding around the dog yard with confidence.

Even being underweight, she's much bigger than Abby, but
Abby is not intimidated by size.

Lily is very pretty, she just needs
to put on some weight.

Theo, Lily, Abby, and Max

First morning light