TAYLOR aka ANNIE – A1020993(Alt ID #A1049065)

A volunteer writes:

Who’s black and white and friendly all over? That’s right, it’s Taylor! This young beauty is no girly-girl and she wears her ‘tuxedo’ proudly, bouncing outside with enthusiasm and happily wagging her tail for each and every new friend she meets, especially those of the four-legged variety. Her looks lean heavily toward Labrador and that cute nose is no exception so once we hit the street and she takes care of her business, the hunt is on for all the best scents in the neighborhood — Taylor isn’t going to miss a single spot! So excited by everything and everyone she meets that even her behavior evaluation was cause for happy snuggles and kisses, our good girl aced everything from handling to resource sharing to doggie socialization. Smart and sassy, Taylor is ready to become the most adorable new addition to just about any kind of home and she’s following her singing namesake’s advice to shake, shake, shake off all her troubles until she finds the perfect forever family to love. So c’mon now…who wants to dance with the prettiest girl in town?

Another volunteer writes:   Gorgeous in her gleaming black coat, she welcomes me with a wiggle butt and a smile.  A big stand up hug follows and she has my heart.  Calm, sweet, gently playful and a total lover girl, Taylor wags her tail in welcome to staff who stop by to say hello and is great in group play, social, loose and easy, and is a potential “helper” dog as she meets other dogs appropriately.   As we head back inside she stops to greet some people sitting around a table, wagging her tail in greeting to all.  She’s got it all – good looks and a great personality.   Shouldn’t she be yours?

Behavior:

Taylor did very well on her SAFER and has been highly social with our staff, but during a recent trip to a busy public area Taylor reacted strongly to some male visitors, hard barking and occasionally redirecting that barking toward other stimuli after the original person stepped away. She had a similar reaction to people carrying objects (canes, moving boxes, construction tools, etc.). Due to this behavior we feel she is most appropriate for an experienced adopter.

8/26 SAFER: Taylor was excited but very interested in interacting with handler during assessment – jumped up, licked hands and face. She was calm and relaxed during handling. She was relaxed and wiggly when playing tag with the assessor. Taylor was slightly difficult to push out of the food bowl, but had neutral language. She took away the toy and rawhide but had soft body language.

Taylor was brought to the care center as a stray; upon intake, Taylor had soft eyes and a wiggly body and immediately attempted to solicit attention from staff. When Taylor was found she had been playing with some little girls on the street who stated they were not her owners. Throughout the assessment Taylor remained very friendly and wiggly, she showed no behavioral concerns. The

Look: 1. Dog’s eyes are averted, with tail wagging and ears back. She allows head to be held loosely in Assessor’s cupped hands.

Sensitivity: 1. Dog leans into the Assessor, eyes soft or squinty, soft and loose body, open mouth.

Tag: 1. Follows at end of leash, body soft, and comes toward the Assessor in a friendly manner when the Assessor ceases moving.

Squeeze 1: 1. Dog gently pulls back her paw

Squeeze 2: 1. Dog does not respond at all for three seconds. Her eyes are averted and her ears are back.

Food 2. Dog follows the dish with her tail down, body neutral. Dog lifts head after a bit of pressure from hand to cheek.

Toy 2. Dog takes toy away, keeps a firm hold. Her body is between you and the toy, and she is loose and wiggly. No growling or stiffness.

Rawhide 2. Dog takes rawhide away, keeps a firm hold. Her body is between you and the rawhide, and she is loose and wiggly. No growling or stiffness.

Dog – dog 2. Dog approaches helper dog with tail at spine level, body not stiff, ears relaxed, and lip long or neutral

Group Behavior:  ***Taylor is a social group helper dog.***

When off leash with other dogs Taylor is social and playful, engaging in rough running play with both males and females. She is vocal and will offer correction for inappropriate behavior. 8/28 update:  Taylore is social, and engages in rough, vocal play.  9/1 update:  Taylor is social, but is vocal and pushy in her attempts to solicit play.  9/2 update:  Taylor is social, solicits play and engages in rough, running play with other playful males and females. She may become vocal when playing and offers appropriate corrections.  9/3 update:  Taylor is social and engages in rough play with other playful dogs. She may become a bit unsure when playing with a larger dog and will vocalize while playing.  9/4 update:  Taylor is social, and engages in rough, vocal play with playful dogs.  9/5 update:  Taylor continues to engage in rough, vocal play with other playful dogs.  9/8 update:  Taylor is social and engages in vocal, mouthy play with males and females.