My name is Ralph!

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.

Hi! My name is Ralph. I’m a 1.5 year old Shih Tzu /Terrier mix looking for my forever home. I am a small dog and weigh 12lbs. I was found as a stray and ended up at the pound where I was never claimed. My foster parents aren’t sure how this happened as I’m so cute and lovable. It’s probably for the best though because now I can live in a home where I will never be allowed to run loose and get lost again! What makes me special? Well, let me tell you!

Inside the house I am very calm and relaxed. I mostly just lie on the floor in comfy places. However, outside the house I am more excitable. Although I am a little dog I am quite athletic and active and love to run and play. I need running activity to keep me happy and tire me out. I am certainly not a dog for someone looking for a cuddly lap dog. I am all about activities and doing things with you.

I love going on walks. They are one of the few things that I get excited about. I am learning to sit at the door and wait patiently for my leash to be put on, but sometimes I still get too excited. My foster parents have also taught me how to walk nicely on a leash and not to pull, except when I see another dog. When I see another dog on a walk I get too excited to go meet them; I bark and pull on my leash. Apparently, it’s my Terrier personality coming out. I’m learning that I should walk past the other dog without making a fuss but it’s still a work in progress. My new family will need to continue to work on this with me as I need to be reminded to stay calm and not bark. I also love to go for runs despite my small size. If you are a runner, I would be happy to go for short runs with you! I’m also now learning how to run beside a bike and this has been a lot of fun for me so far. I would love to continue this with my new family. I can’t go as far as a big dog but short jaunts are a lot of fun and tire me out! A fun fact about me...I don’t like to do my business in the backyard. I insist that you take me out for a walk to do my business. My foster parents aren’t sure if I have a reason for this or if this is just a trick to get more walks.

Car rides are one of my favourite things. Looking out the window is so much fun! I ride well in the back seat, or the front seat, wherever you would like me is fine. I’m just happy to be with you. My first few car rides I bounced around too much but have learned that I should probably stay in the back or the front...there are just so many things to see outside of the car! I have been on a long car ride and was fine in the car for the entire trip.

As for toys, I’m still learning how to play. I have no idea why my foster parents keep throwing a ball and squeaking toys in front of me; I’m not usually interested but I have played fetch a few times and enjoy running across the yard for a ball. I really enjoy swimming and chewing on rawhide bones though. I visited a cottage and loved it. My foster mom put me in the shallow water and I just took off swimming all on my own. I’m not much of a cuddler but do like to be near you. I enjoy the occasional scratch but don’t want to lie on your lap. I want to be in the same room as my foster parents and will follow them around the house. I love people and just want to be around them all the time...I wouldn’t want to miss out on something exciting.

I’m a good house guest and haven’t destroyed anything. I am fully house trained and will let you know when I need to go out. I occasionally bark if I hear another dog outside (or on the TV) but quickly stop when I’m told to stop. I’m learning new things every day! I have learned how to sit and stay and am working on down. At night I sleep in my crate and am learning that it’s a safe place to be. I get a treat every time I go in my crate, so it’s not so bad. I also go in my kennel crate while my foster parents are away. Sometimes I cry when I’m in my crate and I know you are leaving me but I quickly stop. I’m working on this but I just love people so much I want to be around you all the time!

I have been thoroughly checked out by the vet and given a clean bill of health. I am a bit too skinny though and need to put on some weight. My foster parents are trying to get me to eat more kibble. I’m a fussy eater and like to hold out for the canned food but my foster parents know its important that I eat my kibble food so they don’t let me get away with only eating the wet stuff.

I would be a good dog for experienced Terrier owners. Despite looking like a Shih Tzu, I very much have a Terrier personality and energy level and need to be reminded how to behave around other dogs I see on walks. I am now being walked on a Gentle Leader head halter and as much as I hate the control it gives my foster parents, I do hear them commenting on how much nicer it is to walk me and how much better I am when I see other dogs now. I can be stubborn just like a Terrier so consistency in training and a high expectation are needed. My forever family will need to know how to be confident leaders and have previous experience with training Terrier type breeds. I also need to attend training classes to keep up on my learning and help me recognize my new family as my leaders. Currently, I go on three 20 minute walks a day and my new family will need to keep this up, I like my exercise.

I don’t enjoy being left alone and prefer when my family is home all day. Because of this, my ideal family will have a stay at home parent or someone with flexible work hours so I am not left alone for 8 hours a day. I get too excited when I’m in my crate all day. I’m not being fostered in a home with children but my foster parents think I would be fine with older children (over 12yrs). In fact, they might encourage me to play and have a bit more fun in my life. As for other dogs, I get along well with other dogs once I meet them so having someone to play with might be nice. I really enjoy playing with other nicely mannered, fun dogs. I can either be relaxed and ignore the other dog or play with them, whatever they seem to prefer. A home with cats would also be fine with me ONLY if the cat is dog savvy and knows to remain calm and still in the presence of a dog. A cat that runs from me or hisses and reacts will be too stimulating for me and will entice me to chase. But the cats I met live with dogs so they weren’t afraid of me and out meeting went very well.

My foster parents say I’m an adorable little boy and deserve a loving family. I would be thrilled to find my forever home. I would like to live with active people who are looking for an athletic, energetic dog that is small in size but big in stamina and spunk. Is that you?