Vivian - Retired Breeder

​Hello, Rhonda and Stephanie.
 
It's so hard to believe that it has been one month since we adopted Vivian.  At times it feels she has been a part of our family forever, she is doing so well.
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The day after we brought her home, she spent most of the day in the bedroom and would come out every so often to check things out.  Now she is wherever we are.  She now sleeps in her bed in our room.  At the beginning she would only sleep on the floor next to the bed by me.  I still will occasionally find her there, but she is quite content with her bed.  Twice now, she has awoken us up with the deepest bark.  She would be staring out the bedroom window in the dark barking.  The only thing we can think of is that she heard the deer come out of the woods into the backyard.  It amazes us that petite little Vivian could have such a deep bark! 

For some reason in the beginning she was afraid to go out through the laundry room and garage, only to go out through the front door.  Now when you say, "who wants to go out?" she's the first to the laundry room door.  She loves being outside and is very content to lay out in the grass and will follow the sun or shade depending on the temperature.  She loves to walk around the property and is very curious at the wood line.  She will do lapses around the house all day but she hates to be on the sidewalk.  Then it dawned on me, I don't remember seeing sidewalks near the farm in Iowa.  It must feel foreign on her paws!

We had a dinner two weeks ago for my sister's Godmother, who turned ninety four.  Evelyn is by no means a 94 year old who would require a therapy dog in a nursing home.  The woman still lives alone, cleans our her own gutters and cuts her own grass.  She and Vivian were joined at the hip the entire day.  I was  beginning to wonder if Evelyn was going to try and sneak her home.  That reinforced my belief that she will make a wonderful Therapy Dog.  We begin obedience training the first Saturday in November.  I'm sure she will be at the head of her class.

Once you get her somewhere and they ask if she wants to go home she will jump right into the car.  We think she likes her new home! I remember you telling me, Rhonda, how Vivian would go in circles when you would go out to her each morning.  It melts my heart when she sees me and will go around in circles and then come for a hug.   One day she was at the front door with Rick, when I came in through the garage.  When I asked where my Vivi was, she turned and jumped over both the little dogs to get to me.  It was the funniest thing and we wished we had it on video. We are totally in love with Vivian.

She is everything we expected and much, much more.  There are no words to explain how we feel about her.  She has won over every person she has met with her quiet demeanor and gorgeous looks.  There has not been one second that we regret adopting her.

Thank you Rhonda and Stephanie, for the imprinting you made on Vivian making her the dog she is today. 
We will continue to be in touch and share our stories of Vivi with you.  Good luck with the two new litters of pups coming soon.  Cannot wait to see them.  We are so happy to be part of the Snitker Family!

JoAnn & Rick

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