Josie and Noah became a part of our family after our dog, Ily, passed away last November, leaving her brother, Coby, grieving her companionship. Ily was everything you’d hope home to be - warmth, light, comfort… and she gave our family more love than we could ever wish for, so we knew it was time to begin our search to welcome home a new sibling for Coby - and share that love with them.
And this is when we found Josie Fay.
We adopted Josie from the Maine Sheltie Rescue (MSR) in December 2023. When she first arrived, she found a corner in the house where she felt safe - and wouldn’t leave her spot unless we leashed her up to go potty. She avoided eye contact, kept her tail tucked when we approached her, and maintained a withdrawn expression, which Jesse and I could only imagine resulted from spending years in an inescapable painful environment. For the first month, we fed her meals in her spot, where she would feel comfortable eating as long as we were out of sight. Since we knew Josie’s history of being underfed, we separated her feeding schedule into three mealtimes so that she would spend fewer hours between meals, wondering when she'd get fed. We gave Josie the space she needed to acclimate slowly and focused on creating a safe, predictable, calm space, including a comfortable bed, some familiar items from her foster homes, and relaxing music to help her relax. (A Key Tip We Learned: We played bilateral stimulation music, which is often used with trauma therapy - and was very beneficial for Josie’s anxiety!)
As the weeks went on, Jesse and I relied on the valuable expertise of the MSR family and fellow dog families who had experience with rescue dogs. We started to notice subtle signs of Josie’s progress, such as her venturing into other rooms of the house, perking up her ears when she heard the treat bag open, and hanging very close to Coby. One of the most memorable moments for me was the day I saw the “light” come into her eyes as she looked up at me from her bed and made eye contact. From this day on, her progress grew rapidly!
Josie went from pacing around the backyard to initiating playtime with Coby and visiting dog friends. She went from hiding in her corner to following me into every room in the house. And she went from tucking her tail around us to cheerfully wagging her tail, greeting us when we came home with that classic Sheltie bark!
Josie and Coby were the perfect companions - and we’d often find them curled up next to each other on the couch, quietly relaxing. However, Jesse and I noticed that the two of them were most playful with each other when they were among other dogs. We had this in the back of our mind in June when we attended the Sheltie Bark BQ, and this is where we met Noah.
After talking with the MSR team about Noah and the kind of home he needed, Jesse and I agreed ours might be the perfect fit. We were hopeful that an additional sibling would enhance Josie and Coby’s playful dynamic. Noah's foster mom brought him to our house for an initial introduction, and by the end of the meeting, Jesse and I agreed we both had a feeling that it was meant to be! Watching Coby, Josie, and Noah interact for the first time was like finally finding the last missing puzzle piece to complete the picture. Our decision to adopt Noah came naturally!
During Noah’s first few weeks, we identified some key goals, including reducing his anxiety about unfamiliar sights and noises, resource-guarding behavior around food, and earning his trust around being touched, picked up, etc. We noticed how Noah would walk around the house with his chin up - constantly scanning his surroundings to make sure he was safe. The measures we took to create a safe, predictable environment were different for Josie and Noah. Josie’s comfort level grew by creating a quiet, calm, comfortable space where she could acclimate at her own pace, whereas Noah required constant reassurance that his days competing for food were over. Along with implementing the three-mealtime schedule, we also incorporated regular treat games, so that Noah would associate food with positivity and encouragement.
Observing the different stress responses between two dogs from the same traumatic experience was heartbreaking, eye-opening, and ultimately inspiring to recognize just how far they’ve come. Josie and Noah responded to stress very differently; when Josie was triggered, she would shut down and become submissive, while Noah was more reactive. By consistently approaching Noah slowly, and giving him loving, gentle touches, his affectionate personality has truly blossomed!
Josie and Noah are confident, outgoing, full of life, and they are the most loving younger siblings Coby could have ever hoped for! Since welcoming them both home, they have developed a taste for adventure - curiously exploring the world through activities like hiking, camping, and even paddle boarding and kayaking! The three siblings can often be found curled up on the couch next to each other, or playing for hours in the backyard.
Now, when Jesse and I come home, we are greeted by three wagging tails! We are so proud of Josie and Noah's progress, and so grateful to their foster families and everyone who has cared for them in their adoption journey. Josie and Noah have done more than overcome hardship - they have changed our lives. Josie’s sweet gentleness combined with Noah’s vibrant playfulness perfectly resembled the traits of Ily’s personality, and together, Josie and Noah restored Coby’s need for companionship.
Thank you to the Maine Sheltie Rescue family for saving lives & making this world a better place ♥️
- Abby & Jesse