GRETCHEN (JUDY)

First, we want to thank you deeply for the adoption of our little girl. The learning phase of us with her and her with us took a little bit, but she has settled in perfectly. She knows her name and is learning our daily routine. Bedtime, at the beginning she would start up on the bed, then jump off the other side and sleep in her bed on the floor. She did that for a few weeks. Now she stays in bed with us but needs to have her stuffed animal to sleep next to her. If we have any piece of clothing on the TV cabinet at the end of the bed, she would ever so carefully drag it onto the bed, then curl up on it. She is such a character.

She has met so many other dogs in our neighborhood and has 2 boyfriends … Louie (Louis) – they chase each other til they poop out. Then there is Tuck, he lives next door and they really play hard. Sometimes she runs right into me as Tuck cuts corners super sharp and I am in her way.

Gretchen loves people like her big sister Gidget, but in the beginning, she did not like guys, she would back up – but she came to love them as well.

When we go for walks, sometimes Gretchen will just stop and plop down. Guess it is in her time of when to walk. She is getting better with that now too.

Her and Gidget get along very well, and they travel together very well, and play good together, share their toys. Gidget loves to go for bike rides, have not taken Gretchen yet. Gizmo also loved bike rides. Gidget loves to swing, will see if Gretchen will like to swing too.

Bath-time – both girls like their bath-time. Sometimes it is on the sink, sometimes in the shower, they like both.

When we first got her home, Dan and I like to watch cartoons on the weekend, and Gretchen was walking through the living room and stopped in front of the TV and was watching cartoons too. We both laughed, but she just kept watching cartoons like we weren’t even around. Another day, she watched 2 full shows of Wheel of Fortune, including all commercials. It is hilarious to watch her cock her head left and right. If I am on my phone, and there is a video, if she is on my lap, she will pop up and want to watch the video also.

She is super curious. I guess I am not to have anything in place. My slippers, if they are not on my feet and I have them sitting by my chair, she will carefully take one at a time and drag them to the living room floor and leave them there. Then she will drag my shoes, or Dan’s flip flops. THEN … the bed that is on the floor in the living room, I guess that is NOT in the right place either and she takes it upon herself to re-decorate. She will drag the bed to the middle of the living room floor, then drag the blanket out. Then walks away when she is done. She is curious about everything … she watches everything outside, inside, needs to know what everything is … likes to eat bugs … gross, just like her sister. Today, I saw her and she almost snapped at a wasp. Ouch, that could have been bad. Her curiosity would get her into trouble then. Nighttime treat. Dan will ask: “What time is it?” and both girls will go and stand in front of him patiently waiting for him to get up and get their bacon treat.

Bedtime – I say “Daddy is going to bed.” and upstairs they go. Gretchen will jump down if I do not follow as she wants all of us in bed together.

Gretchen is a cuddler. My favorite part. She loves to snuggle right in on my chest or Dan’s chest and fall right to sleep. She will sit in my lap while I work. Now she stands on the arm of my recliner so she can rest her head on my shoulder while I work and she can watch the world out the window. She will jump up on the back of the sofa to look out the window, or go to the door and stand up on her hind legs and watch out the door. She likes to know what is going on around her at all times (except when sleeping).

Right now, I heard her jump out of bed and came down here, stopped and gave me The “LOOK”… you know… “Hey, Mom, we all went to bed, you aren’t there … C’mon … let’s go”… “oh, never mind Mom, I will come up on your chest and settle in. Nighty Night Mom” 5 minutes later, she jumped down to the floor and is out like a light. Guess she is waiting for me to finish this and go to bed. Poor baby, she looks so sweet.

She sounds like Chewbacca on Star Wars when she gets excited, her bark or whatever it is, sounds like Chewbacca. I call her Chewy sometimes.

People in the neighborhood call the girls G1 and G2.

I can’t wait for her to meet Toby’s dog “Gypsy” this winter. Gretchen has really melted our hearts and we are so proud to be her parents, and look forward to many loving years with her.

We thank you again for the adoption of (Judy) Gretchen. God has blessed us with a sweet, sweet, girl.