My name is Digby!

This handsome, eyelash King is Digby, a 5-year-old Miniature Schnauzer looking for his forever family. We don’t know why life brought Digby to a local shelter but can assure you it has not dampened his spirit in the slightest: Digby has a wonderfully curious and adventurous personality that will keep you laughing and on your toes on a daily basis. He is the nosiest dog his foster family has lived with and is regularly caught rooting through cupboards, the garden shed, and anything else that doesn’t belong to him! He has never been destructive and is very quick to “leave it” but he just can’t help but get his nose into everything! Don’t let Digby’s size fool you: although he is a small dog, he keeps up with his larger foster brothers without missing a beat. Digby is not the type of dog that would enjoy being just a lap dog and isn’t a dog that needs to be carried around or coddled. Digby needs to experience the same things that medium and large sized dogs do, too.

On top of being a curious little devil, Digby is an athletic and energetic dog that requires an active lifestyle in order to keep him satisfied and on his best behaviour. Digby is currently walked twice a day and walks extremely well on his gentle leader. He loves to play fetch with his stuffed lobster and rubber squeaky toys and will enthusiastically retrieve it until he drops. He recently went swimming in the Grand River with his foster brothers and although it may not make it on his favourite activity list, it is representative of his “try anything once” attitude as he is always up for anything. Digby is great in the car so he is an easy travel partner when you are on route to your next adventure. Although Digby is a busy boy and loves being out and about, he will curl up in his bed with a bone when you settle in for the night. He also won’t protest if you let him up on your lap to cuddle, either.

Digby is crated when his foster family is away and has been progressing extremely well. When Digby first entered foster care he barked a fair bit when he was left alone. With appropriate amounts of exercise and consistent routines his barking has declined substantially and he now only lets out a few whimpers/yaps before he settles down. He is not destructive with the bed/blankets/and toys that are left with him in his crate and will often go in on his own accord to have naps or to chew on a bone. Because he has a tendency to bark when he hears noises or when he is excited, an apartment may not be an ideal forever home for him.

Digby is housetrained and will go to the door when he needs to do his business. He is food and toy motivated and knows basic commands (sit, stay/wait, and shake a paw) but is still trying to master the “drop it” and “lie down” commands. He does bark when people come over but does not jump up. Digby is cautious and a bit standoffish when meeting new people but warms up quickly after he realizes new people always come with treats! He is very intelligent and catches on to new things very quickly. Digby’s excitement is the only thing that gets in the way of his listening skills: sometimes chasing a cat takes precedence over coming when called. He does respond very well to food bribes and this has increased his recall substantially. His favourite treats are dehydrated liver and lung, hotdogs, and Kong’s stuffed with canned pumpkin.

Digby will need to be the only animal in his forever home. Because he was never properly socialized he doesn’t always know how to appropriately interact with other animals. Although Digby’s intention would never be to harm an animal, he gets too excited when interacting with them and this isn’t always appreciated by the dogs and cats he meets. Digby is making great progress but while he continues to learn how to act appropriately it will be best that he gets all of the attention by his new family. Digby is currently not in a home with children but has been a bit shy/nervous with the younger children he has met. It will be best for Digby to go to an adult home or a family with teenaged children.

Although Digby has countless positive attributes, he still has some quirks that need continued training. His excitement can escalate fairly quickly on walks and he often barks at other dogs and fast moving objects (bikes, people on rollerblades) when he sees them. He also gets fairly anxious if new people approach him on walks and will bark if they get too close. We have been working hard to make Digby feel more comfortable in these situations (thank you Maple Leaf wieners!) but his forever family will need to continue with his socialization, leash training, and appropriate introductions with both animals and humans. Digby’s first inclination when he is over stimulated or nervous is to bark so a patient, positive approach is required in order for him to learn to relax and trust in various types of situations. Digby is a wonderful dog with an incredibly sweet temperament but unfortunately was never taught how to be comfortable and how to deal with new environments. He will require a family that has terrier breed experience and that is committed to continuing his training through (at a minimum) a basic obedience class to build the essential bond that is needed to help him flourish in his new home. Once Digby feels comfortable in the training environment, he will excel in all of the commands that you teach him.

Overall, Digby is a happy, energetic, sweet soul that will be a loyal and loving companion. His favourite things are squeaky toys, being constantly underfoot, and barking (just kidding.. well, he does like to bark.. but he will stop if you tell him too)! If you are committed to continued training, daily exercise and lots of cuddles, Digby is most definitely the dog 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.