Bridgette is living in a foster home. Please submit an application from our website and email dogs@heartlandanimalshelter.org to see if you're a match! Scroll through her pictures to see her cute videos! Bridgette was brought into Chicago Animal Care and Control as a stray in the middle of January. She was one of those dogs who entered that building and immediately shut down. She had to be carried outside to potty, would barely lift her head to make eye contact, and trembled in her kennel. A kind volunteer, who also happens to be one of our fosters, spent time with her and reached out to us about taking her in to our program for her to foster. It did not take long for Bridgette to open up in her amazing foster home, and with three foster dog siblings to welcome her and help her along, how could she not blossom? When Bridgette came to us for her first vet exam, we noticed something was off with her gait. It turns out that Bridgette had a badly dislocated hip on her left side, likely from some trauma such as being hit by a car. Bridgette is still young, and the trauma likely happened when she was a pup, so it did not slow her down any! Bridgette loved to run and romp in her yard at home. We knew that even though she seemed to have adapted well for now, her hip would surely cause her pain and discomfort in the future if we did not fit it. In March, Bridgette had surgery to correct her dislocation, and we are so glad that she has now been officially cleared for adoption! Bridgette's foster family has had many weeks to get to know her. Bridgette is housebroken, and after many weeks her fosters trust her being left out of the crate when they are not home (though she was initially crated for up to 6 hours and did well!). They say that she LOVES other dogs (as you can see in her pics and videos!), and car trips. She is super food-motivated and loves her toys, too! Her foster mom writes, "Bridgette is a delight! She's an over-the-top lovebug. A cuddly goofball. Formerly a scared stray from Chicago, she has blossomed into a happy and confident dog in her foster home. Bridgette is enthusiastic for playtime, including spirited sessions of tug, chase, and wrestle-mania with her dog pals. But when playtime is over, she loves nothing more than snuggling. Affectionate, curious, and good-natured, Bridgette is ready to bring her sweet, silly, joyful energy to her forever home! Once Bridgette is comfortable, she may get intermittently barky/ protective with new sights, smells, sounds -- e.g., the first night our sump pump was going off, or the first times she heard the neighbor kids play in the yard next door. She usually settles pretty quickly when comforted. She can be clumsy, not super aware of personal space, and may be mouthy in a puppyish/playful (but nonetheless uncomfortable!) way. She may not be a great fit for small children, being that she is somewhat of a toddler herself! Bridgette is a total sweetheart and she is going to make someone very happy as their lifelong companion." We hope you will ask about our beautiful shepherd lady today! Bridgette's adoption fee is $300. She is spayed, up to date on core vaccines, and Heartworm negative.