Meet Gianna

Status: Fostered

Estimated Age: 1.5-2 Years

Estimated Weight: 13-15 Pounds

NOTE: Needs a second dog in the home for confidence.

UPDATE - 2 JANUARY 2022: Gianna has been with us for three weeks and has become more comfortable, and we are seeing more of her personality. She is a lovely girl who is so sweet. Her big brown eyes melt your heart!

She’s become more affectionate and more vocal as well. She was a bit nervous meeting house guests during the holidays, but within a few days she was fine being around new people. She now gets excited when she sees other dogs from a distance and does well when meeting them. She does very well on a leash, too. She does well at the dog park but is not afraid tell a dog to stop following her. However, once she’s comfortable, she will initiate play. She is doing well having a furry foster sister.

Gianna does exhibit some separation anxiety when we leave the house. We continue to try to distract her, which seems to help. In the previous post, it was mentioned that she travels well in the car. More recently she exhibited anxiety when traveling alone. She seems to be more calm with another dog or person in the car. House training continues to be a struggle as she does not indicate a need to go out. Accidents occur even with regular trips outside. We will continue to work on this behavior with her.

UPDATE - 20 DECEMBER 2021 (from foster family): Gianna joined our family last week, and we've enjoyed getting to know her. She's a small, sweet girl that is a bit reserved, but she is getting more comfortable each day. At first, she'd run away from us but now allows us to pick her up and let her snuggle on our laps. For entertainment, she’s a big fan of bones and squeaker toys. She also likes to follow us around the house. She does very well on a leash. She will occasionally crouch down if you stand directly over her. It seems to make her nervous. She’s had a few runs at the dog park. Gianna prefers that other dogs not run up behind her. It seems to upset her; however, she does like to run and is curious about all the action that is going on around her. Gianna has done well with other dogs in the house. It seems like she’d do well as an only dog or in a multi-dog home. Having a companion may give her support and additional confidence. She does great riding in the car with no issues. She has had the freedom to run around the house but will sleep in a crate or lounge in it with the door open. She will hop in the human’s bed at night or make a comfy pillow bed on the floor. Gianna has had some accidents in the house, but she is improving. She exhibits some separation anxiety when people leave the house, but having an activity seems to lessen the issue. Gianna is a sweet pup who deserves a loving home. We hope to see more of her personality as she becomes more comfortable.

UPDATE - 11 DECEMBER 2021: Gianna joined us at our adoption event today and had lots of fun! She is so darn cute and little! We were surprised no one was ready to adopt her, but she is now in a foster home, so we will be learning more about how this tiny girl does as a house dog.

UPDATE - 23 NOVEMBER 2021: This silly, tiny girl is now fully vetted and available for fostering and adoption.

NEW - 31 OCTOBER 2021: This little cutie is Gianna. This tiny girl is sweet and friendly, and she is good with other dogs. She was a stray at the Fluvanna County Animal Shelter in Virginia, so her history is unknown. She will be available soon.