Size
(when grown) -
Details
Good with kids,
Good with dogs,
Good with cats,
Shots are up-to-date,
House-trained,
Story
Meet Howie. This sweet boy was rescued with his mom and six 7-week-old puppy siblings in early November. The family lived in an outdoor pen in a rural community with no engagement with the outside world. Howie spent his entire life in that pen, never going inside the home or even to a vet. The pen was his universe. A local animal advocate became aware of the family’s situation and reached out to Worthy Dog for help. Thankfully, the owner surrendered all the dogs so that they could have a better life. Being new to home life, Howie had never had a trusting human relationship when he arrived at his foster home and was very timid. He would come close to his foster mom, Renee, but would shy away from being touched. With some time and patience, he began to let her pet him. He’s still not a fan of being picked up, but he’s grown more comfortable each day with being petted and has engaged more and more. Having other social dogs in the home has been vital for Howie. He gets along great with his foster brother and playmate, Ryder, and is very respectful of the senior Chihuahua in the home. He likes being part of a pack and needs a calm, social pup in his new home to emulate and learn from. Renee considers Howie to be a medium-energy dog. He is active at times throughout the day and loves playing with his toys. He also enjoys going outside with Ryder to romp through the leaves but doesn’t stay out too long if it’s cold. He settles down for naps and will relax after play, so he’s not rambunctious in the house. Howie is housetrained and will go to the door when he needs to go out and has had no accidents in the house. Understandably, he does get nervous in the crate. His foster mom will crate him for car rides but trusts him in the home. His leash skills are fairly good but will need some more work. He was hesitant on the first day on walks but still brave enough to sniff around. By the third day of walks, he seemed to enjoy walking with Ryder to explore. He went camping recently with Renee and did very well in an environment that was all new to him. Good boy, Howie! Howie has been in his foster home for a month and has come a long way, but he can still be aloof with his foster mom. If he gets nervous, he will run away. Anything out of the ordinary might make him skittish, but he’s become comfortable with his normal routine. He sleeps on the couch during the day or in his bed, and he will now sit with Renee on the couch to get some petting. He tries to jump up on the bed, but it’s too high and he doesn’t want to be picked up, so he sleeps in his bed in the bedroom. Howie does need to be watched for chewing and investigating things. He’s interested in all that’s new, so Renee makes sure he always has access to toys to keep him occupied. Howie has become more confident about meeting strangers who visit. It’s best if they don’t approach him and let him come to them on his own time. When he approaches someone new, he will just sniff, but if they move too quickly, he will retreat. Renee tells her guests to sit down with no eye contact and speak with a soft voice to let Howie relax so he will engage. Renee’s sister is visiting, and she gave him time to smell and approach her to build rapport. By day three, he was lying in her lap. This is great progress for him to accept a stranger in just a few days. We are looking for a special, patient adopter for this handsome boy. With his gorgeous, golden, flowy coat, we expect him to be popular, but we need to be selective with his placement. He will need an adopter with some dog savvy, someone who will be patient with him and give him time to trust. He is afraid of loud noises and will dart inside if something startles him. He’s also hesitant around doors. He will walk through them, but if the door moves, he darts back out. Howie is still adapting to this new life and needs an owner who understands this. Howie needs a calm, quiet home environment with other calm, social dogs in the mix. He is not a city or condo dog and will do best in a home without kids or with older kids who understand he needs time to trust and process change. Howie will be coming to the DC metro area in late Dec/mid-January time frame. Apply today to learn more!!! BREED ESTIMATE: Mutt Mix -Dachshund Mix (Mom is Dachshund/Chi,unsure of dad) GENDER: Male APPROXIMATE WEIGHT: ~ 12 lbs APPROXIMATE AGE: ~ 1- 1.5 years old COAT TYPE: long, flow ADOPTION FEE: $425 OTHER INFO: utd on shots/neutered/microchipped LOCATION: Rock Hill, SC 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. December 5, 2023, 7:30 pm
