My name is Little Ritchie!

Posted over 4 weeks ago | Updated over 4 weeks ago

Cared for by Worthy Dog Rescue

Adoption process

Submit Application

Interview

Home Check

Approve Application

Meet the Pet

Sign Adoption Contract

Pay Fee

Or Apply to Adopt

My basic info

Breed

Chihuahua/Pug

Color

Tan/Yellow/Fawn - with White

Age

Adult

Size

Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less (when grown)

Weight

–

Sex

Male

Pet ID

21438381

My details

Good with kids

Good with dogs

Good with cats

Purebred

Shots current

Spayed / Neutered

My story

Here's what the humans have to say about me:

Meet Little Ritchie! This charming pup was rescued as a stray by two Good Samaritans who found him lingering near a Food Lion close to one of our vet partners. They brought him to the clinic to be scanned for a microchip, and that’s when one of the kindhearted vet techs, Jacob, stepped in to help. Jacob took Little Ritchie home, contacted the local shelter, and posted him on social media in hopes that someone would come forward—but no one ever did.

Little Ritchie spent his stray hold safe and loved in Jacob’s care. When it became clear no one was coming for him, Jacob reached out to Worthy Dog to help find him the forever home he deserves.

Now in his foster home, Little Ritchie is living with three senior dogs and multiple cats. He had an easy introduction to the pack and was respectful, though he initially kept to himself. After a couple of weeks to settle in, he started to follow the other dogs around the yard, chase the occasional squirrel, and bark at those ever-suspicious neighbors. He’s done well with most of the cats, though he needed a little more time and guidance to adjust. He may give chase here and there, but he’s easily redirected and improving each day.

Little Ritchie is a mellow, sweet-natured boy who could thrive either as a solo pup or with a canine companion. He hasn’t shown much interest in toys or play yet, but he’s also living with older dogs who aren’t exactly inspiring any zoomies. With a more playful pup around, we might see a different side of him emerge.

His favorite things? Being close to his people, soaking up the sunshine in the backyard, hopping into the car for a ride, and curling up in his foster mom’s lap under a blanket like a little burrito. That’s his definition of a perfect day.

Little Ritchie is crate trained and has never had an accident in his crate. He also understands going potty outside and has started going to the door when he needs to go out. When he was first settling in, he did mark inside the home. His foster mom has used a belly band to help manage that, but is starting to give him more trust and freedom, and seeing improvement. It's a process.

We checked in with his foster mom for a quick update.

“Overall, Little Ritchie is a perfect mellow little guy who is just a really sweet companion pup. Aside from the belly band early on (which really wasn’t a big deal), he’s an easy-going little guy. I think he would love an older family who was home more and possibly another doggie pal. I think he would really be a good companion dog to go out and take places, as long as the environment wasn't too chaotic. He’s the ultimate lap snuggler. We love him so much and are so grateful he’s safe with the rescue and no longer out there on his own.”

Little Ritchie is a loving companion who’s ready to share life’s simple pleasures with someone special. Could that be you?

Apply today!

BREED ESTIMATE: Chihuahua/Pug Mix - Chug
GENDER: Male
APPROXIMATE WEIGHT: 10 lbs
APPROXIMATE AGE: ~ 4 years old
COAT TYPE: Short/medium coat (Pug fur with curly tail)
ADOPTION FEE: $425
OTHER INFO: utd on shots/neutered/microchipped
LOCATION: Rock Hill, SC - Coming to N. VA on 4/26!

FOR MORE INFO OR TO ADOPT: Please go to https://adopt.worthydog.org and complete the application.

You can also help save dogs like this one by becoming a foster, providing a rescue dog with a temporary home and giving them the love and care they need until they are permanently adopted. Every person who fosters is directly responsible for saving the life of a dog, because we can only save as many dogs as we have foster families available to welcome them into their homes. If you think you might be interested in becoming a foster and want to learn more, please go to https://foster.worthydog.org and fill out an application.

Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based rescue that primarily adopts to families in the DC Metro area.

Little Ritchie spent his stray hold safe and loved in Jacob’s care. When it became clear no one was coming for him, Jacob reached out to Worthy Dog to help find him the forever home he deserves.

We checked in with his foster mom for a quick update.

Little Ritchie is a loving companion who’s ready to share life’s simple pleasures with someone special. Could that be you?

Apply today!

FOR MORE INFO OR TO ADOPT: Please go to https://adopt.worthydog.org and complete the application.

Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based rescue that primarily adopts to families in the DC Metro area.

Rescue

Worthy Dog Rescue

Contact info

Pet ID

21438381

Contact

—

Phone

—

info@worthydog.org

Website

https://worthydog.org

Address

Vienna, VA 22181

Donation

Donate to This Rescue

Their adoption process

1.
Submit Application

To start the approval process, the first step is to complete our non-binding adoption application.

2.
Interview

Once your application is reviewed, a Worthy Dog Rescue volunteer will contact you to schedule a phone interview to discuss your application

3.
Home Check

A volunteer will schedule a time to visit your home, in person, to meet you and verify that your home is a good, safe environment for a dog

4.
Approve Application

After a positive veterinary reference check, phone interview, and home visit, we will approve your application

5.
Meet the Pet

Upon approval, if the dog you applied for is still available and a good match, we will schedule a time for you to meet the dog

6.
Sign Adoption Contract

7.
Pay Fee

Additional adoption info

Thank you for considering adoption and choosing to save a dog’s life!

Adding a dog to your family is a rewarding and life-changing experience. Dogs enrich our lives and have the amazing ability to give and receive love unconditionally. They can be your loyal companion and friend, and a watchful playmate for your kids, but they are also a serious, long-term commitment. They will depend on you for their health and well-being, and require an investment of love, time, and money for the rest of their life.

As you search for your new dog, please remember that there is no shortage of dogs who need saving. There are far more dogs waiting to be adopted than people who are willing to adopt them, so if the dog in the picture who you’ve imagined bringing home isn’t available, there are thousands more amazing, loving dogs just hoping for the chance to be your dog. We ask that you keep an open mind, stay flexible, and we will do our best to work with you to find a great match for your family.

We strongly encourage anyone thinking about adopting a dog to do your research and make sure you are prepared for the commitment. If you have thought about what’s required and are ready to adopt, here’s what you can expect when you apply to adopt a dog from Worthy Dog Rescue.

APPROVAL PROCESS

APPLY
To start the approval process, the first step is to complete our non-binding adoption application

REFERENCES
If applicable, we check vet references to ensure that your pets have been kept current on care, and a copy of your lease to ensure that adopting doesn't violate your rental agreement

INTERVIEW
Once your application is submitted and reviewed, and your vet provides a positive reference, a Worthy Dog Rescue volunteer will contact you to schedule a phone interview to discuss your application

HOME VISIT
A Worthy Dog Rescue volunteer will schedule a time to visit your home, in person, to meet you and verify that your home is a good, safe environment for one of our dogs

APPROVAL
Upon approval, if the dog you applied for is still available and a good match, we will schedule a time for you to meet the dog. If not, we will work with you to find another dog who will suit your family.

TIMING
The approval process can take a week or two depending on your availability and our volunteers’ schedules. The rescue is run by a team of volunteers from your community who love dogs. We are just regular people with jobs, kids, and lives whose time is as limited as yours. That means that during periods of high activity or seasonal vacations the process may take a little longer.

THE DOG YOU APPLY FOR IS NOT GUARANTEED
Worthy Dog Rescue cannot guarantee that the dog you apply for will be available once you have been approved. We do our best to work with adopters and meet your needs, but we do not adopt dogs on a first-come, first-serve basis. All applications are screened to determine the most suitable match for the dog and the adopter. We want to place dogs in good homes as quickly as possible, so the dog can start their new life with their family, and we can free up their foster home to save another dog in need.
We understand how easy it is to become attached to a dog you’ve found online, but sometimes the dog you apply for may already be scheduled to meet another adopter, or it may not be the best fit for your home for a variety of behavioral reasons. Our dogs are fostered by one of our volunteers, living in their home as part of their family. This allows us to get to know the dog, what they need, their level of socialization, and the type of home that will best suit them.
Our goal is to place dogs in loving, responsible, and committed permanent homes. We take great care in finding good matches for our dogs and adopters too. We look forward to working with you to find the dog that will be with you and your family for many years to come.

ADOPTION POLICIES

Must be at least 23

All applicants who live in a rental property must provide contact information for their landlord, and have approval from the landlord to have a pet at the residence listed on the adoption application

Applicants must allow Worthy Dog Rescue to conduct a home visit to confirm that your home will be a good environment for a new dog

All animals in the applicant’s household must be spayed/neutered and up to date on all vaccines before consideration

All adults living in the home must meet the dog and be in agreement about adoption

Applicants must be willing to keep their new dog and current family pets as indoor pets

All adoptive families will provide all medical care and treatment needed for the dog including, but not limited to, yearly medical checkups, vaccines, and preventative heartworm medication

Dogs will be adopted only as a personal companion and not as a gift, working animal, or guard dog

A fenced yard is ideal for dogs, but is NOT a requirement for adoption unless specified

Because young puppies require intensive training and care, we cannot place puppies younger than five months of age in a home where someone is consistently absent from the home for long periods of time

In the event an adoption does not work out, applicants must agree to return the dog to Worthy Dog Rescue rather than rehoming the dog themselves

Thank you for considering adoption and choosing to save a dog’s life!

APPROVAL PROCESS

APPLY
To start the approval process, the first step is to complete our non-binding adoption application

REFERENCES
If applicable, we check vet references to ensure that your pets have been kept current on care, and a copy of your lease to ensure that adopting doesn't violate your rental agreement

INTERVIEW
Once your application is submitted and reviewed, and your vet provides a positive reference, a Worthy Dog Rescue volunteer will contact you to schedule a phone interview to discuss your application

HOME VISIT
A Worthy Dog Rescue volunteer will schedule a time to visit your home, in person, to meet you and verify that your home is a good, safe environment for one of our dogs

APPROVAL
Upon approval, if the dog you applied for is still available and a good match, we will schedule a time for you to meet the dog. If not, we will work with you to find another dog who will suit your family.

TIMING
The approval process can take a week or two depending on your availability and our volunteers’ schedules. The rescue is run by a team of volunteers from your community who love dogs. We are just regular people with jobs, kids, and lives whose time is as limited as yours. That means that during periods of high activity or seasonal vacations the process may take a little longer.

THE DOG YOU APPLY FOR IS NOT GUARANTEED
Worthy Dog Rescue cannot guarantee that the dog you apply for will be available once you have been approved. We do our best to work with adopters and meet your needs, but we do not adopt dogs on a first-come, first-serve basis. All applications are screened to determine the most suitable match for the dog and the adopter. We want to place dogs in good homes as quickly as possible, so the dog can start their new life with their family, and we can free up their foster home to save another dog in need.
We understand how easy it is to become attached to a dog you’ve found online, but sometimes the dog you apply for may already be scheduled to meet another adopter, or it may not be the best fit for your home for a variety of behavioral reasons. Our dogs are fostered by one of our volunteers, living in their home as part of their family. This allows us to get to know the dog, what they need, their level of socialization, and the type of home that will best suit them.
Our goal is to place dogs in loving, responsible, and committed permanent homes. We take great care in finding good matches for our dogs and adopters too. We look forward to working with you to find the dog that will be with you and your family for many years to come.

ADOPTION POLICIES

Must be at least 23

All applicants who live in a rental property must provide contact information for their landlord, and have approval from the landlord to have a pet at the residence listed on the adoption application

Applicants must allow Worthy Dog Rescue to conduct a home visit to confirm that your home will be a good environment for a new dog

All animals in the applicant’s household must be spayed/neutered and up to date on all vaccines before consideration

All adults living in the home must meet the dog and be in agreement about adoption

Applicants must be willing to keep their new dog and current family pets as indoor pets

All adoptive families will provide all medical care and treatment needed for the dog including, but not limited to, yearly medical checkups, vaccines, and preventative heartworm medication

Dogs will be adopted only as a personal companion and not as a gift, working animal, or guard dog

A fenced yard is ideal for dogs, but is NOT a requirement for adoption unless specified

Because young puppies require intensive training and care, we cannot place puppies younger than five months of age in a home where someone is consistently absent from the home for long periods of time

In the event an adoption does not work out, applicants must agree to return the dog to Worthy Dog Rescue rather than rehoming the dog themselves

Adoption application

https://adopt.worthydog.org

Go meet their pets

Worthy Dog Rescue believes that public adoption events are unnecessarily stressful for the dogs and the foster families who care for them, and that our structured, personalized adoption process leads to a more consistently positive outcome for both the dog and the adopter.

More about this rescue

Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping dogs in distress, especially those living on chains, in pens, or in neglectful and abusive situations. Our mission is to provide a better life for dogs, while working to address the root problems of animal overpopulation and improve animal welfare. We do this through community outreach and by supporting and educating dog owners in underserved communities, by sponsoring spay and neuter programs, and by rescuing and rehabilitating dogs in need.