Hi!
I thought you would enjoy an update on our dear sweet Sophie. We are so happy to report that Sophie just had a thorough annual check up and all her bloodwork, urine analysis, etc all look great!
We are so happy that Sophie is very healthy!
We appreciate that some of you were concerned when we removed Sophie from the Available Dog List. The reason wasn’t because Sophie is ill.
DAR&E just decided that with Sophie’s fear/trust issues, her compulsive eating disorder and after being in her foster home for 2 1/2 years, it would be difficult for Sophie to adjust to a new home. Sophie is happy here and we love her❤️. We are able to manage Sophie’s trust issues and keep her safe.
One of Sophie’s favorite things to do is to stretch out in the yard and sun herself. No one looks quite as decadent as Sophie when she is sunning herself! 😄
Here is a recent short video of Sophie enjoying a nice sunny day. Enjoy!
Donna and Andrew, Sophie’s foster parents
About Sophie
Sophie is a 5-year-old black/tan female Doberman. Sophie is always curious to meet people but will dart off if strangers try to pet her for too long. She worries if she thinks people are trying to grab or hold her. You see, Sophie has cropped ears but very sadly it appears that her ear crop was a “home job”. It is incredibly sad to think about what Sophie went through while someone butchered her ears so it’s no surprise that Sophie has extreme trust issues with people. Sophie came to us from a shelter as a stray. She probably escaped from the horrid people who butchered her ears and had used her as a breeder. She had pressure sores that makes you think she was confined a lot. Thankfully Sophie is not there anymore. She is with DAR&E in a foster home where her needs and wants are catered to. Sophie is a very smart, independent lady. She is quite the charming Diva 🙂
Sophie has been with us for over 2 years. She has grown to trust us somewhat. She still gets nervous if she thinks she is being trapped or thinks you are trying to grab or subdue her. She is afraid of being confined in a crate or small spaces. Sophie has come to enjoy pets and rubs from us but will still dart off sometimes if she feels uncertain. If she has to go to the vet we have to grab her and put her in the car. She is afraid to walk on a leash. She sees the car and the leash as a trap. Sophie is suspicious of anything that is new and out of her routine. This presents certain challenges but day to day she has her routine and is quite happy here. Of course, in a new home it would take months for her to get to that point again. She loves to stretch out in the yard and sun herself. Sunning herself and playing with her treat balls/eating are Sophie’s favorite activities.
Although Sophie’s trust issues are challenging at times, the most problematic issue with Sophie is that she has an extreme oral fixation. If she can chew and swallow something, she will eat it. She is extremely curious about everything and immediately seeks to check to see if it is edible. She will eat anything remotely soft and pliable. Furniture, rugs, dog beds, non-durable toys, household items, etc. Due to this, Sophie has her own room when not supervised where we make sure there is nothing she can ingest. She has many toys but they are all very hard, non-edible toys. She loves her buster cube treat toy. She has a Karunda bed because she will eat regular dog beds. Whenever Sophie is anywhere else in the house she is watched like a hawk to make sure she doesn’t get something that she can ingest and might kill her.
Sophie is house trained as long as you let her out when she indicates she needs to go. If not, she isn’t apt to hold it for long. Sophie is very smart so I am not sure why I haven’t been able to completely house train her. Sophie can be snarly toward other dogs. I think it depends on whether she thinks they are a threat to her or not. I am not sure she would hurt a dog, but she puts up a good show. She really doesn’t want dogs near her food though so she will be best as an only dog. Sophie needs a very patient caretaker; one that accepts her on her terms and has the ability to keep her safe from her eating obsession.
Here are a couple videos of our dear, sweet Sophie:
Sophie came to us from a shelter as a stray. She probably escaped from the horrid people who butchered her ears and had used her as a breeder. She had pressure sores that makes you think she was confined a lot. Thankfully Sophie is not there anymore.
DAR&E only places within the Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, Delaware, and in portions of both eastern West Virginia and southern Pennsylvania. Please do no apply to adopt if you live outside of those areas. Please visit our Adoption Process page for additional information on adopting one of our DAR&E Dobermans & an online application!
Our dogs are spayed/neutered, up-to-date on shots and microchipped.
How You Can Help Sophie
A Tax deductible sponsorship gifts of any amount are welcome in support of our orphans.
DAR&E Wear
$15
Step 1 on the road to a forever home is a collar and tag. DAR&E dogs always have a home with us. Support a dog on its first steps by sponsoring the purchase of their collar and tag.
SPONSORS
All sponsorship donations are tax deductible and will be used to care for and for medical treatment for dogs in DAR&E’s care. You can sponsor multiple dogs.
