Nipper - Wire haired Dachshund - male/neutered - young (3 years of age) - 22 pounds - black and tan
Nipper is such a character. With his whiskered face and searching brown eyes, sturdy little torso and short legs, he is utterly endearing and completely irresistible. Along with his life-long friend, Cricket, whose breed we have not determined - (she is a small halo of black and white plumage and busy, quiet attentiveness) - Nipper is a slightly stout and, fortunately for Nipper, wonderfully adjusted little fellow who has shown courage in the face of loss.
Raised by an elderly gentleman who passed away in October, Nipper and Cricket were the favored children and light of their human's life. Kind and concerned neighbors fed and visited the two little dogs, who continued to live in their deceased human's house these past months, but the loneliness and loss for Cricket and Nipper were profound, and the dogs began to show signs of strain and desperation.
Our organization was contacted for assistance, and Cricket and Nipper came immediately into foster care. Nipper voiced his life story and need endlessly at first, and his foster care providers listened patiently while providing a secure routine and constant assurances to Nipper that everything would be fine.
Since coming into foster care, Nipper has begun to relax, and to assume what we imagine to have been some of his former delights - going out into his fenced yards for regular jaunts, curling happily in his bed with a crunchy biscuit, and enjoying loving bouts of cuddling and praise. He is now "voicing" in his peppery little bark less and less, and he has demonstrated in short order that he is house trained, knows how to sit, and moreover, that he is the gentlest and funniest of dogs.
Nipper will require continued support as he struggles to regain his confidence that he will always be supported and loved by his human caregivers. The reward will be great for his committed adopter(s), as he is obviously a dog who is capable of deep bonding, both with humans, and with his sister Cricket.
Although typically our organization prefers placing dogs singly, especially when a dog evidences need for positive and concerted support, in Nipper's case we are completely open to seeing him placed with Cricket. Nipper and Cricket appear to be a strongly bonded pair, and have supported one another throughout a series of major transitions in their lives. It is important to note, however, that adopting both dogs will ask for a much larger degree of commitment from their adopter, to ensure that both dogs' needs are met independently in addition to working with them as a pair.
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