Amber

Amber got her lucky break when two good very nice people, out for their walk with their dog, noticed a shy little girl. She was shy, severely undernourished, and unsure of the world. Fortunately, Amber could read kindness and she followed closely behind as though she knew right away that this meant life would change. When we were asked to help Amber, we were ready for the sweet shy little girl who needed to gain weight, but the shock when we saw her for the first time was one of those silent shocks, the kind where a tear would spill down your face if only you could get over that shock. We see ribs showing in a lot of undernourished dogs that come our way. Rarely do we see the faces that are so sunken that you can see the bones of the skull where muscle should have been. Amber was the latter. We knew that the first thing she needed was a foster home, and not just any foster home but one that knew how to be patient while she learned to trust, one that could be loving but give her space to learn to trust at the same time. We had the perfect foster family. Initially in her new foster home, she walked slowly, head bowed, ears down, cautious about where she was and what was expected of her. With plenty of room to play and run, good food, occasional treats and consistent love and patience, Amber blossomed into the perfect family addition. It didn't take long for her foster family to fall in love with her and wonder about being the perfect home. When they thought long and hard, though, no matter how much they loved her and how perfect she could have been for them, giving them everything they wanted, they would not be the right ones to give her everything that she wanted, needed, and loved. Amber loves to run, not by your side on the leash, but to run and frolic like a puppy, sometimes known as the zoomies. She runs and does circles and little dances with her feet. She runs here and runs there, to quickly stop and take a breather while she looks out at her surroundings. and then she runs again, and she loves playing with the grandchildren when they visit. Her foster love her very much, but they want her to have an active family that can give her the space for her zoomies, the joy of playing with kids at home, maybe even another dog. Until her forever home comes along, she will be enjoying life with her foster family. And they put together a list of some of the things they have come to learn and know about her. · She interacts well with other dogs and still is initially a bit shy · Responds to her name and commands (sit, stay, come, down, cookie, etc) · Loves to lay down on the steps of the pool; still has not been seen swimming in the water · Sleeps thru the night in her bed, (10:00 pm thru 6:30 am) · Eats 1 cup kibble in the morning (7:00 am) and again at night (5:00 pm; treats such as dog biscuits, freeze-dried chicken pieces in between · Trained easily using Kraft American cheese as incentive · She will bark at what she perceives as approaching danger (coyotes, wild animals) · Is protective of family members · Interacts well with people, is trusting and seeks affection · Does not jump · Does not seem to enjoy playing with toys · Will reach up to grab low-hanging avocados, eat all the fruit and discard the pit (she tries unsuccessfully to bring avocados with her into the house) · Loves to lay in the sun · She is clean, housebroken, and will sit at the door if she wants to go outside · Rides well in the car; sleeps on back seat and at times will sit at open window · Is up-to-date with all shots Please visit http://www.coastalk9gsr.org/ to learn more about our dogs. Click on available dogs: https://www.coastalk9gsr.org/team to see further descriptions. If you are interested in me, please contact us at [email protected] or call (858) 779-9149. Don't forget to fill out our online application: https://www.coastalk9gsr.org/applications. The minimum adoption donation ranges from $300 to $400. This amount only partially covers the cost of veterinary care, boarding fees, and other miscellaneous expenses involved in the temporary care and adoption of our dogs and is 100% tax deductible. Prior to placement, all dogs will be spayed or neutered, receive current vaccinations, and are usually microchipped. If not, arrangements will be made on an individual basis. Special consideration may be given to those willing to adopt older dogs or dogs with physical problems. Our adoption process begins with completing an application on-line. A phone screening will soon follow, and lastly a home visit will be conducted by our volunteers.