My name is Lucas!

This little love bug is Lucas, a 2-year-old Chihuahua X Miniature Pinscher looking for a family to call his own. We don’t know why life brought Lucas to a county pound but can assure you it is not due to any fault of his own. Lucas is a happy and loving little boy with a wonderful personality and “zest” for life that has won over everyone he has met. His foster family is constantly stopped when out with him and he absolutely loves meeting people of all ages and dogs of all sizes. Lucas deserves to be in a home where his people will continue to teach him boundaries, love him unconditionally, and commit to taking care of him for the rest of his life.

Lucas is an energetic fella that requires an active family. Lucas is currently walked twice a day and enjoys lots of playtime with other dogs and in the backyard. Although Lucas is significantly smaller than the dogs in his foster family, he keeps up with them on hour-long walks and on hikes in the woods. He walks extremely well with his foster brothers but does tend to pull when walked on his own. His forever family will need to continue leash training with him so that he understands what is expected of him. Don’t let Lucas’ size fool you: although he is a small dog (weighing in at a whopping 9lbs), he does need a fair bit of daily exercise in order to keep him happy/satisfied and his energy levels down. Lucas is not the type of dog that wants to be carried around or coddled: he needs to be treated like a dog and experience the same things that medium and large sized dogs do. In fact, we had Lucas and our dogs out swimming and Lucas went in without any hesitation and swam like a pro. He is definitely an outdoorsy type and needs a family that will let him go on adventures with them; walks, hikes and car rides. He would even like to try his hand at camping if that was a possibility. He is not a dainty dog at all; he’s got a hardy, rugged personality and needs a similar minded family.

Lucas is excellent in his crate when his foster family is not home and sleeps in it throughout the night without issue. He does let out a couple of whimpers when you leave him in the morning but quiets down almost immediately. He is not destructive with the bed/blankets/and toys that are left with him in his crate and will often go in it on his own accord to have naps or to chew on a bone. Lucas has been left out of his crate when his foster family wasn’t home for shorter periods of time and hasn’t gotten into any mischief or had an accident. Lucas is extremely quiet both in and outside of the home and (to everyone’s surprise) rarely barks! He does not react to the doorbell/knocks at the door and is learning not to jump up when people enter the home. He is fully house trained and has never had an accident in the house. He would be fine in pretty much any housing situation as he is not a barky dog. If his home has a fenced backyard it will need to be closely inspected for small holes or gaps that he could fit through and kept secure for his safety.

Lucas would do well with or without animal companions in the home. He is currently living with two dogs and three cats and has fallen in line with the pack. It doesn’t seem like Lucas has had much experience with other animals and because of this sometimes doesn’t understand boundaries and limits with dogs. He doesn’t seem to understand that other dogs don’t want him tagging along all of the time! He idolizes one of his foster brothers and wouldn’t leave him alone (constantly following him from room to room, chasing after him), even after being continuously corrected by his foster family and being grumped at by the dog. If Lucas will be gaining a dog sibling it is essential that the dog be a very social and tolerant dog that is willing to be patient and show him the ropes. His other foster dog brother is younger and playful like Lucas and they have a great time together. Lucas loves the cats that he has been living with and regularly licks their faces. He has never tried to chase them and respects their wishes to leave them alone when he gets a smack! If he doesn’t go to a home with another dog then his family will have to make sure that he has doggie friends for regular play dates to keep his socialization up and give him an outlet for his need for doggie play.

Lucas is currently being fostered in a home without children but has been excellent with the children he has met and is always interested/excited when he sees them on walks. Due to Lucas’s sweet and gentle nature we believe that Lucas would do well with children over 12yrs of age as long as they are taught how to appropriately approach and treat a dog and are careful with a dog of his small size.

Lucas loves to play and sometimes is still raring to go after his foster dog brothers are tired and no longer want to play. It is incredible how much energy this little guy has and how willing he is go always be on the go! As much as he looks predominately Chihuahua he definitely has the Min Pin energy and joy for life. His favourite thing to do is play catch with stuffed animals that are the same size as him and he will enthusiastically drag it back every time. Lucas is learning the “drop it command” and sometimes struggles with letting it go but is making positive progress on a daily basis. He has played with small, medium and large sized dogs and has never had an issue.

Although Lucas has countless positive attributes, he still has a few quirks that require continued training and correction. Lucas has some shyness with men he doesn’t know. He startles easily with men and will growl and show his teeth and try to hide in his crate. He loves his foster dad now and has made incredible progress during the time in his foster home but may revert back to old habits once he is adopted. He will need continued positive exposure to men of all ages in order for him to learn to relax and trust. Lucas also possesses some Chihuahua traits and can be bit possessive over his food and toys with people (never with other animals) and will need lots of positive reinforcement surrounding these activities during the transition to his new home. Lucas will need to go to obedience classes with his new family in order to build the essential bond that is needed to help him flourish in his new home. Even though he is small he is a dog and needs the structure and training that come from obedience school as well as the socialization. He will continue to blossom with continued training. He is a very smart little dog and will easily show up the bigger dogs in class.

Overall, Lucas is a kind hearted, sweet soul that will be a fun and loving companion. He loves to cuddle on the couch, go for long walks or car rides, and meet as many people as possible. If you are looking for a dog to be equal parts cuddle buddy and adventure partner, Lucas is the right guy for you!

All Pound Dog Rescue dogs are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, heartworm tested, de-wormed (if required), and micro-chipped prior to adoption. The adoption donation of $400 is applied to assist in the costs of veterinary care and the overall care of the dog. For more information and adoption applications please consult our website at www.pounddog.ca.