COULD I PLEASE BE YOUR FUZZY VALENTINE?
On Thursday, Houston was seen by both our Veterinarian and Behaviorist, and he did extremely well. After just spending a few minutes with them he warmed up and was climbing right into everyone’s lap for attention.
As we suspected, Houston does have a couple medical issues going on. He has a very serious inner ear infection, which was affecting his hearing in one ear, and it was likely very painful. Thankfully it was treated immediately!
His blood test results revealed that his liver values are also not too good, in fact, the Veterinarian said for a dog this young she’s very surprised. This damage is most likely due to all the different “cocktails” of medications he has been prescribed over the years to curtail his bad behaviors. He was simply too young to be medicated so much. We are going to be weaning him off some of the medication, monitor carefully and recheck blood work again in March.
Both the Veterinarian and Behaviorist concur with us that Houston’s issues are all fear based; this beautiful soul never learned to trust. Trust is an essential component of the human canine relationship.
Dogs that do not trust their owner are unlikely to obey commands, foster a bond, or truly become a member of the family; in addition to this, dogs that show lack of trust may seem unfriendly or untrainable, which unfortunately, can result in the dog being surrendered or abandon in order find another home.
Reactivity, aggression and anxiety are symptoms of fear, which is important to understand before trying to change any behavior. Many times, people focus on changing the cringing, wincing or even charging behavior instead of the cause, which is fear. Some dogs are just much more fearful than others.
Houston does not require Sanctuary, he is a highly adoptable dog, and his behaviors are very manageable. We are recommending a quiet adult only home with a couple something like a 55 and older couple or those with children who are in college and have the time to devote to him. Savvy dog experienced individuals who will be patient and give him the time he needs to decompress, learn to trust, and adjust to his new environment without overwhelming him. Houston warms up quickly and really just wants to be a lap dog and receive all your love and attention possible.
Houston is about 2 years old, believed to be a Chihuahua Lab Mix, and weighs about 25 pounds. He is completely housebroken, crate trained and knows his basic commands plus. He loves belly rubs, enjoys a good massage, and climbing into a lap to cuddle up to his people.
As for other dogs, we recommend either he be the only dog in a home, or a home with one other laid back dog around Houston’s size at most – he gets too overwhelmed otherwise.
We’ve seen shy dogs with mild fears become more confident in a few short weeks, and have also seen dogs take up to two years before they actually felt comfortable. Whatever amount of time it takes, the time and investment in Houston will be worth it!
Since we are a Sanctuary, and normally do not handle adoptions, applications for Houston will be processed by Yorkie911 Rescue.
To fill out an application for Houston, please head over to: https://www.yorkie911rescue.com/forms/form?formid=1626
If you are not in the position to adopt please share Houston so we can find him a forever home!