Wayside Waifs Campus My Friends at Wayside say: - During my time at Wayside, I have enjoyed hanging out with other dogs. - I’m a little shy—slow and steady wins the race with me. - New people and things make me a little nervous. Wayside recommends that I have a low traffic home. My home needs are: -I need a home with kids 6 years old and older since I tend to be nervous around new people and loud noises. -If you have kids in the home 9 years old and younger, I will need to meet them since I can be nervous around new people and loud noises. -Wayside recommends that I have a fenced-in yard since I am still learning to walk on leash. Hi there, I’m Josie! I’m such a good dog! I’m curious, affectionate, sweet, and so loyal. I’m timid and shy at first, but once we bond, it feels so good to lean into you for pets and belly scratches. I’ll sit close by or even on your lap for hours if you let me! I’m not just a couch potato, though, far from it. I love to run at full speed in a fenced yard as I play and explore. I’m the perfect combination of lovable, silly, and tons of fun. I will make such a nice companion, if you decide to give me a chance. I hope you do. I’d love to finally have a home and family all my own. I’m an adorable, 4-year-old, 40-pound Hound mix, with the cutest, expressive face, floppy ears, and an unassuming, endearing, delightful personality. I have experience with crate training, and I’m partially housebroken too. I’m doing very well in both regards, but please stay patient with me, especially as I get settled in. An adjustment period is perfectly normal in a new home. If you keep me on a schedule and get me out frequently, it will help to set me up for success. I was transferred to Wayside from a rural shelter in Arkansas that didn’t have space for me. Change can be difficult for a shy dog like me, and the big shelter felt so stressful and lonely, but still, my sweet spirit came shining through. And then the best day ever happened when Foster Mom came into my life. She took me home to help me relax and to show me how good it feels to be loved and cared for. And now I am ready for you! Foster Mom understood my insecurities and how scary it must feel for me to come to a new home, so she let me go at my own pace as I settled in, which has helped to put me at ease. I felt anxious and out of place those first several days, but I am brave and resilient, and I gained confidence and comfort with each day. Now, with a few weeks under my belt, I’ve made myself at home. I quietly and calmly stay in my crate when my foster family eats their meals or when they can’t keep an eye on me. My crate isn’t my favorite place to be, but I understand my routine, and I don’t mind it once I’m inside. When I’m not in my crate, I can free roam on one floor of our house. I’m generally well behaved, but I’m still figuring out which toys and things are mine. It’s easy to redirect me if I pick up something I shouldn’t. At night, I peacefully sleep on my dog bed in the bedroom. Ah, the luxuries of a real home are something I will never take for granted. I am thriving with positive reinforcement, patience, and praise as I learn how to simply be a family dog. I'm a sensitive soul, so please don’t ever be harsh with me. I’m eager to make you happy and proud, and I’ll do my best to follow all the rules in my new home. It takes me a little extra time to bond, but once I do, I’m a passionate cuddle partner. Foster Mom is my favorite member of the family, and she says she gets free therapy when I snuggle with her in the evenings. The connection helps me feel happy and content, and she feels the same. I do just great when visitors stop by. I don’t bark or jump on anyone. Foster Mom lets me decide when and if I want to approach new people. I like that. I love to play outside in our fenced yard! I try my best to keep all the squirrels out of the yard, even jumping at the trees to try to get to them. I’m fast and strong. When we go for walks, I keep my nose to the ground, soaking up all the scents and pulling on my leash, especially when I spot a squirrel or catch a great smell. A harness works well to help me stay focused. Sometimes I bark at the neighbors or other dogs that I see, but I’m just curious and shy when they get close. I prefer walking in a familiar, low traffic area, where I know what to expect. I hope to have a fenced yard in my new home where I can release some energy and have some fun, and please keep an eye on your front door so that I don’t try to bolt outside. I got along well with other dogs that I met at Wayside, gaining comfort from them, and happy to mostly coexist. I currently live with two cats in foster. One is my buddy, and we like to hang out, even napping together on the couch. The other cat is afraid of me, and I sometimes chase or bark at him. I should do fine in a home with or without other pets. I love the older kids I live with in foster, ages 10-14, giving them love and letting them help to take care of me. I am nervous around the 3-year-old, though, especially when she cries or makes loud noises. I will need a home with kids over the age of 6 and I will need to meet any kids under the age of 10 before we all go home together, to make sure we’re a good match. I hope to find a quiet and calm home without a lot of commotion, but with people who have time to play and exercise with me. I want to be an important and engaged member of the family. All I’ve ever wanted is to be part of a family, with everything that goes along with that. I want to be your constant companion, there whenever you need me. And I want to show you how it feels to be loved unconditionally. Let me do that for you. I can’t wait to be your dog. Love, Josie