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Posted over 6 months ago
| Updated over 6 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
Australian Cattle Dog/American Staffordshire Terrier
Color
Red/Golden/Orange/Chestnut - with White
Age
7 years 9 months old, Adult
Size
Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg) (when grown)
Weight
80 lbs (current)
Sex
Female
Pet ID
–
My details
Good with kids
Good with dogs
Not good with cats
Shots current
Spayed / Neutered
Housetrained
My story
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Here's what the humans have to say about me:
She's a silly, funny girl, who doesn't ask for much - just a comfy place to be, regulr belly rubs, and people to love. Chili is the perfect dog for a family with young children who want an undemanding, easy-going playmate and cuddlebuddy.
HISTORY
In fall of 2021 this sweet girl was dumped on a country road outside Prosser, Eastern Washington. A private rescuer took her in, and Chili spent the next several years in an outside run, surrounded by the many other dumped dogs picked up by this rescuer. She moved into a HART foster home in summer of 2023, and has steadily become healthier and more playful.
SOCIALIZATION
She's a sociable girl, happiest when with the people she loves and always willing to make new friends. She is great with kids - gentle and patient with the two- and four-year-old children in her first foster home, loving and playful with the 10-year-old in her current foster home.
She's calm with other dogs, both large and small, and has been learning to enjoy playtime. She doesn't tolerate rude behavior and will correct a dog who tries to dominate or bully her, but she doesn't need to be top dog - all she asks is to coexist peaceably. She'll do best in a home where she has another dog to keep her company when the humans are away.
Chili is not safe with cats or any other small prey animals.
GENERAL TEMPERAMENT & BEHAVIOR
Chili just loves to be loved, and will flop and bare her belly at the least hint that a tummy rub might be about to happen! But she's not generally a needy dog; once she's had some loving time, she's content to take herself off for a quiet, solitary snooze.
We're not going to lie ... if you're looking for a jogging or even a hiking partner, this girl is probably not it. This chunky, middle-aged girl is pretty much a couch potato, although she'd enjoy casual strolls around your neighborhood. She loves to chase balls (not so much to bring them back) and she's been learning to play with the other dogs in her foster home. But 30 seconds of hard zoomies is about all she wants, and then it's time for a snooze, preferably in a warm patch of sunshine. It's important that she get regular walks, but she's not going to complain if you decide to take a day off for some extra couch time.
All that said, she will sometimes release her inner Houdini! Chili doesn't really like being alone. She's learned to feel safe when she's crated, but if you leave her loose in the backyard while you go out, chances are she'll figure out a way through or over the fence. A canine companion makes a big difference in helping her feel safe and comfortable, but really she wants to be where the people are.
She's a foodie! Chili LOVES to eat, and she's not above checking the trash to make sure you haven't accidentally tossed out anything tasty. She also tends to be protective of food and treats with other dogs, although she willingly gives way to humans. She's learning better manners in her foster home, however.
Apart from that, she's a quiet, easy-going girl with no significant bad habits. She rarely barks, except to alert you to a stranger coming into your space, she doesn't chew things she shouldn't, if you tell her you don't like something (for instance, if she jumps up when she's excited while playing) she stops doing it. She's a good traveler who enjoys car rides.
TRAINING
Chili is reliably house-trained and crate-trained. She knows the basic obedience commands and her recall is reliable. Some of her manners are still a work in progress, but she's good at understanding the rules and routines of her home and she wants to be a good girl.
Although she's an older girl, she's still very trainable. She is highly treat-motivated and has a strong desire to please, and she's pretty smart.
HEALTH STATUS
Chili has been vaccinated, spayed, treated for parasites, and microchipped. She appears to be in good overall health. She was very overweight when she came to us and at around 80 lbs still needs to drop a few pounds to be her best weight. We have assigned her August 31, 2016 as her birthday.
ADOPTION
For more pictures of Chili, please see her Facebook album at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=HearthfireAnimalRescueTeam&set=a.572968338317593.
To adopt Chili, please email us at HearthfireART@gmail.com, and request an adoption application form.
