Welcoming Evander to his new home

On a Friday, I started casually looking at shelter dogs on PetFinder.com. That Monday, I brought Evander home from the Indiana County Humane Society. He's a White German Shepherd/Lab mix and about a year old.

The shelter picked him up off the street two months ago and described him as extremely nervous and mildly aggressive. They had no idea if had ever been in a house before or even responded to basic commands. His nerves were too shot for him to do anything but pace back and forth and try to dig under the fence.

This boy barely acknowledged me but I wanted him anyway. So I went home to puppy-proof my house and came back the next day to get him. He cried full force the whole hour and a half home. I knew I was gonna be in for it? I dragged him in the house kicking and screaming. He peed on the floor, then the curtains, then the floor again. Then he jumped on the couch and plopped his head on a pillow, rolled over for a belly rub and licked me square in the face.

I've had Evander for a few weeks now and he has settled in flawlessly, aside from being a little nervous with strangers in his new home. No more accidents, no chewing things, and he comes flying the minute he hears his name. His new hobbies include waiting for the refrigerator door to open, lounging in bed (always with his head on a pillow) and chasing balls around the yard.