My name is Jenni!

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.

We at PDR firmly believe in the importance of obedience training, regardless of breed or size of dog, and have a clause in our adoption contract requiring adopters to attend and complete a basic obedience course at a facility of their choosing. Only in certain circumstances will we waive this clause, so please be prepared to attend dog school should you wish to apply for a dog through our program.

For more information and adoption applications please consult our website at www.pounddog.ca.

This little cutie is Jenni. She is a 5-6 year old Shih Tzu. Jenni was a stray and was taken in by a rural animal control facility. She had been terribly neglected. Her long hair was so matted it had to be cut very short, and her nails were very long. It was obvious she hadn't been cared for in a very long time.

Despite this, she was obviously a socialized dog at some point because she loves all people she comes into contact with. Jenni is also good with other dogs and is being fostered with two dogs. Having said that, she does prefer humans over dogs and we think she would do best as an only dog.

Jenni is a companion dog and would make a wonderful companion for a couple or a single person. Jenni isn't being fostered with children so we're not sure how she would react with them. Assuming she is like other Shih Tzu dogs she is likely fine with children as long as the children respect her and treat her gently.

Jenni's favourite past time is hanging out with her humans. She doesn't play with toys. She is the quintessential companion, lap dog. She is such a good snuggler too. She will plop herself down on anyone who sits down on the sofa. She will need to go to a home where the humans want to get and give lots of affection. She is a very loving and sweet dog. She will let you do anything to her - she just loves being touched which makes it really easy to manage her hair, ears, nails, etc.

Jenni has hair that will need to be groomed regularly and she does enjoy being brushed gently. Her hair can be grown out, if that's what her forever family chooses. When we first got her, the long hair that wasn't matted was luxurious and silky. She would be gorgeous with a long, well cared for coat. And she is super cute with a short cut too. Most pet owners find that a trimmed ShihTzu is easier to live with as the coat requires less care when short.

It's obvious Jenni was an apartment dog and may not have known grass at all. She avoided the grass at her foster home for the first week or more. Slowly she started to understand that grass is ok but she still prefers to lie on the patio stones in the sun. It took Jenni about two weeks to feel comfortable to explore the large yard at her foster home. Still she will walk through the grass lifting her paws as if walking through water.

Jenni loves her walks (walkies). Although she is a fairly low energy dog she will need regular, daily walks. Her stamina is still building - at first she was only able to walk short distances before slowing down and dragging behind at the very end of her leash - I nearly picked her up a number of times but kept her walking - she plopped down on the dog bed when we got home and was completely exhausted. She must not have been walked in her previous home. But she likes to walk - she holds her head high while walking and looks around curiously. She doesn't stop much to sniff, just a little when something really interesting catches her nose. I need to stop every now and again to encourage her to pee because she doesn't seem to be aware that she can do this while on walks. And she needs to be encouraged to go onto the grass because she prefers to pee on the sidewalk.

Jenni was not house trained when she arrived at her foster home. Surprising for a 5-6 year old dog, but true. She is learning to do her business outside but is still having the odd accident now and again. She responds very well to positive reinforcement when she goes outside and she jumps for joy when she is finished - it's so cute! Her foster mum takes her out very frequently during the day but Jenni sometimes needs to be reminded to go pee-pee as she is still not used to going outside.

Jenni is relatively quiet - she does bark when her human leaves the house and upon returning - and she barks if someone knocks on the door. Jenni is not fond of being left alone. She does ok in the crate but barks when I leave and when I come back. Jenni is fine being left out of the crate when I leave the house. I've left her for up to two hours, with my other dogs, and she has been fine - no accidents too! She will need to have a consistent crating schedule in her new home when her family leaves for the first while though to alleviate any accidents that may occur due to the stress of a new home.

Jenni loves car rides and will eagerly hop into the car even if we're not going anywhere. She hops into the drivers seat and looks with anticipation at you hoping you'll get in and take her somewhere.
Jenni has a good appetite and could easily gain weight if allowed to over indulge. Her current weight is good and her new family will need to make sure not to spoil this adorable little girl with treats. That said, she is quite picky about her treats - she only likes the good ones!

Shih Tzu dogs are naturally a bit stubborn so training can require more repetitions than for some other dogs. But Jenni is such a wonderful girl that this won't be a problem as she doesn't act out in any way or exhibit bad behaviour. She's truly a wonderful, sweet, and loving dog. However, if you wanted to teach her tricks you will have to be patient and persistent. She will require her new family to take her to obedience school to teach her (and her family!) and give her a great start on recognizing her new people as her leaders. ShihTzu’s take well to training, they just need consistency and not to be coddled. Rules are important for little dogs as well as big dogs to keep them a well balanced dog.

Jenni is just a wonderful little dog and has been an absolute dream to foster. She has a strong desire to be a companion. She is a little love bug so if you're looking for a snuggle companion then this little princess might be the dog for you!