My name is Sundae!

This is a very special dog who has received the best care Sundae is an adorable 8 year old Maltese/ Shih Tzu mix who wants nothing more than to be a lap dog. At only 5 lbs, she is a tiny teacup that perpetually looks like a puppy. She is spayed and housebroken. She has super soft fur and doesn't shed at all. We've had Sundae since she was a teeny tiny 7 week old puppy, and she has brought so much joy into our lives. We hate to let her go, but we have to move out of the country for work and can't take her with us.

Sundae is a very easy dog to have around. She is quiet, calm, and mostly just lays around all day. This dog loves everyone, and will run up to strangers tail wagging. However, she is not well socialized with other dogs and rather nervous around agressive young children. She is probably too small and fragile for a home with young children. She isn't aggressive to other dogs and seems to enjoy interacting with them, but she has never learned how to play with another dog. She often barks excitedly at strange dogs. She does fine with other mellow dogs of all sizes, and seems to have grown to like her younger brother, Jax the Doberman, who is also being re-homed. She may not know how to play with other dogs, but she will play with people and toys and is so cute to watch. She will attack the hand, play with a ball, chew a bone, and loves to chase the laser. She also loves to be carried around in her front pack carrier, and likes to ride around in the basket of my bike.

Behaviorally, Sundae is a great dog. She does, however, have some flaws. The biggest thing to understand about Sundae is that she has separation anxiety. After 3000 years of breeding Maltese to be companions to people, it's no wonder that she hates to be alone more than anything else. She doesn't require much attention- she just wants someone to be home with her. She doesn't do well in a a crate, but she can be left alone in the house or run. She may whine at first, but usually calms down. We take her to work with us, and she rides well in the car and is quiet at work. She would be a great dog for someone that stays home and doesn't have young children. She also has a bad habit of unrolling and tearing up toilet paper and paper towels, and chewing up dirty socks and underthings. Both can be easily avoided by not leaving her unattended with these things on the floor or the bathroom door open. She does not chew shoes, claw at furniture, chew remotes, or anything like that, just the papers and socks. Other than those two things, she has a great temperment- neither agressive or shy and no dominance issues. She does as she's told.

Sundae may not shed a hair, but her coat requires maintenance. It's easiest to keep it short (puppy cut) but it could be grown all the way to ground with diligence (full coat). Growing her fur out would require daily brushing, so for convenience she should really get trimmed monthly by a professional groomer. She used to be afraid of all groomers and has had some bad experiences, but now we have found a great one that she actually likes going to. We hope she can keep the same groomer here in Escondido. Like most dogs of her breen, Sundae's eyes tear a lot, and it helps to clean or trim her face weekly. Often just wiping with some cotton pads helps a lot.

Sundae is potty trained (goes outside on command) and she walks well on a leash. She can also be trusted off-leash, but may explore too far if you aren't watching. She knows many tricks, including: sit, down, come, off, speak, take a bow, go potty, and play dead, and has forgotten others that she could be re-taught.

Sundae is healthy. However, she is blind in one eye after being nipped by a large dog over 5 years ago. You can't really tell, and the opthomologist says she will keep that eye but it's vision won't return. She does fine without it, but her night vision is not the greatest. She also used to have a rather sensitive stomach, but since we got her on a good food it hasn't been an issue. She is super cute and sweet and can still learn new tricks. Even at her advanced age of 8 years, she is from a long-lived breed and will probably live to be 15 years old.

Once you meet Sundae, she will steal your heart. It breaks our hearts to have to let her go, but we know she can have a great life in the right home. If you think that you might be the right person to own Sundae, please email us details of your experience with dogs and why your home is right for Sundae. After you meet Sundae, if it seems like a match we will need to check your references and visit your home. Also, the new owner will need to pay for a new license. We will also now be charging a re-homing fee at the advice of PETA and the local rescue groups, who will be helping us to screen potential families. We do not want a family to take Sundae in order to sell her for a profit. Her vaccinations and heartworm and flea & tick meds are up to date.

Please give us time to respond to all inquiries, as we are very busy preparing for our move. As long as this ad is still up, Sundae has not found her forever home. If you include a lot of details in your email, such as your home and family, schedule, other pets owned, and previous pet experience, it will help speed up the selection process. Thank you so much! This is a very special baby girl Plz call 619-655-6485