River is really doing well and seems to be settling into a slightly more mature personality phase (as one would expect of a dog approaching her first birthday). She is not spayed yet, and went through her first heat in February/March (a little over three weeks in length--she finished roughly a week ago). This was my first experience with a dog in heat, and it was a harrowing time for all, but we made it through with no mishaps and she seems awfully glad to be finished with her doggie panties for the time being.
It has been interesting to see River's personality change as she grows. She continues to be a big cuddler (and always will be, I'm sure).
I no longer keep her contained in her gated kitchen space when we leave (her safe-zone when she had to stay home alone as a puppy), and she is excellent about being left alone in the house now--no barking, no whining, no destruction (of course she always has access to about 10 bones and a million toys, which she likes to distribute across the floor). She's become a bit shy with some strangers entering our house, but I think it's just the ones that make 'ooo doggie' type noises and immediately reach out towards her head (understandable--I wouldn't appreciate that if it were directed towards me!) I want to start working with her on the 'say hello' command you do with Cedar, which could really help with the shyness, since so many people you meet on the street reach out before you have a chance to ask them not to, and the reaching out is the only thing that seems to phase her. 
The beach photos are from just a day or two before she went into heat.
Thanks, as always, for letting me have this wonderful dog,Leila
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