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Posted over 10 months ago
| Updated over 9 months ago
I found a new home! Plenty of my friends are looking for one too. Check out other pets at this shelter, or start a new search.
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My basic info
Breed
Bichon Frise/Poodle (Miniature)
Color
White
Age
Senior
Size
Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less (when grown)
Weight
–
Sex
Male
Pet ID
–
My details
Not good with kids
Good with dogs
Good with cats
Shots current
Spayed / Neutered
Housetrained
Has special needs
My story
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Here's what the humans have to say about me:
Odie is being fostered in VA.
Don’t read any further unless you have a place in your heart and home for a wonderful senior dog!
Like many Blind Dog Rescue dogs, not much is known about Odie’s history. His shelter records document he came from a puppy mill/cruelty situation and was adopted in 2013. Somehow Odie then became a stray and landed in a shelter in Pennsylvania in April 2023. The shelter records say he is 16 years old and is a Bichon/Havanese mix. He looks a bit “poodley” too. And weighs just 11 pounds with a lovely, very white, very thick curly coat.
About his health. For an old guy, he is doing remarkably well! Odie cannot see (he has cataracts) but his eyes are currently healthy and require no medication. He hears a little – usually sharp or high-pitched sounds. He has three teeth (three canines) and he has the cutest mouth that is shaped like a Muppet’s mouth! The shelter thought they might have heard a heart murmur but none has been noted since he has been in his foster home; his heart sounds good! He has luxating patellas and arthritis and is currently on two daily medications which have greatly improved his ability to walk around. He is heartworm negative. He is not a fan of toenail clipping; when his toenails were clipped at the vet clinic, he was pretty vocal! But, overall, he is doing well.
However, like any rescue dog, and especially an older dog like Odie, because we know nothing of his medical past before he landed in the shelter in April, the future for him medically is unknown and anyone planning to adopt him needs to understand that and be prepared.
At mealtimes, Odie can be a bit of a distracted eater. Because he only has three teeth and perhaps also because of a little trouble coordinating his mouth to eat hard/solid food, he does the best with canned food that is watered down. His bowl is elevated. It can take him some time to get focused on the bowl of food. Once he starts, he tends to eat for a while and then may wander off and have to be directed back to continue eating. This can happen a few times during each meal. He enjoys having freeze-dried liver treats grated over the top of his food and doing this can encourage him to eat more.
Odie sleeps quietly through the night in an indoor pen. And he has done well, overall, with his housetraining!
When Odie first arrived at his foster home, he rarely moved at all inside or outside, likely due to the pain. Now, because of the pain meds and also being more comfortable in his new setting, he will do some wandering and exploring! And he was very nervous about the leash when he arrived and would sometimes jump when he felt it touch his back but now he is rarely startled by it although does scare himself sometimes in the house and he may let out a yelp. Generally, though, he is very quiet and is definitely not a barker.
He lives in a home right now with four other dogs and a cat. He doesn’t mind them but also doesn’t seek to interact with any of them. If one gets in a dog bed with him, he is fine with that.
Odie is carried outside and back inside. He is not able to go up and down steps at this time.
Odie sleeps a lot but has more times now when he is awake and moving around. He usually enjoys time on the sofa in the evenings with his foster parents; sometimes he settles down to nap and other times he likes to rearrange the blankets.
Most important of all, Odie is very sweet. He has not growled or snapped or tried to bite, not even once. He enjoys getting attention and seems like a happy dog.
Odie has not spent time around children and, because he can be easily startled, he would not be appropriate in a home with young children.
Odie is looking for a very special retirement home for his final years. If you think you can give Odie all the love and care he deserves, fill out an application today!
BDRA has voted against the use of electrical fencing effective immediately.
