Casey joined our household in mid-March and she's just now starting to relax and let her Golden spirit show. Casey was a breeder girl, but those days are now behind her. She's getting exercise -- absolutely enjoys playing with our other dogs -- and slowly learning how to enjoy family life.

She is a cream-colored Golden with short hair right now. We think she may have been shaved somewhat recently. Her fur is very soft, and she has an unusual patch of hair on her forehead that grows in a different direction; it's cute and distinctive at the same time!

Here's what we've learned about Casey so far:

1. She does not want to eat if anyone is watching -- she enjoys her meal, especially if there's a dollop of yogurt or maybe a bit of canned dog food to entice her.

2. She has two favorite spots in the house: one in the dining room in the corner and the other in the living room where she will spend time with us in the evening.

3. She needs to be put on a leash to go outside into our fenced backyard. The process still isn't quite comfortable for her. When she's out, we always have her wear a long leash so we can easily and gently lead her back into the house when it's time.

4. She has joined our dogs in what we call the backyard walk-about -- she didn't do that at first, but she's waited for the nice weather and will walk with us, at a bit of a distance, as we walk the perimeter of the yard. She is slowly learning to trust us, and it is heartwarming to see.

5. She has been seen actually chewing on a dog toy, and we're pretty confident that's a brand new experience for her.

It's too soon for Casey to go to her forever family; we're still getting to know her. We'll post more pictures and let you know how she's doing as she learns the Golden way.