Size
(when grown) Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less
Details
Good with dogs,
Spayed or Neutered,
Shots are up-to-date,
Story
Stitch/ Shih Tzu
2yo/ 13lbs
Neutered/Microchipped
UTD on vaccinations
Current on flea/ tick/ heartworm prevention
Please read the bio in its ENTIRETY, it will answer most of your questions. If you are a perfect match, please send an email to gateway4paws@gmail.com for additional information. Only complete & qualified applications will be considered/contacted.
We do not allow shipping & do not transport. You must live within 350 miles from Maryville, IL & able to drive for a meet and greet. We are a 100% foster-based rescue. Applications can be found on our website at gateway4paws.org
Stitch is settling in a home for the first time in his horrible, short, little life. We know people will ask, so, yes, Stitch was a breeder release. We won’t dwell on how awful that experience was, or how that breeder is allowed to continue to operate. We are just extremely thankful that he was allowed to come to us & has a chance to be happy & free. We will be looking for a home that is prepared to give him time & space to get comfortable. His foster mom sent this update to us:
“Today marks one month he has been with us. He continues to learn how to be a dog. It's apparent that Stitch had very little human interaction before coming to us and what interaction he had does not seem to be good. He came to us extremely fearful of humans. If we came near him he would run, hide and poop, refusing to be touched by a human. If you could catch him to pick him up, he seized up & turned into stone. However, we work with him every single day and I'm glad to report he is showing progress (especially the last few days). We are now approaching him slowly. He retreats to a corner and lets us give him a few pets; we then gently pick him up from the corner.
He loves his brothers & sisters. If they are around, he doesn't have a worry in the world. The first 3 weeks he was glued to the hip of our male dog Oscar (which we found interesting). This past week he's been playing with the girls quite a bit. You can run a vacuum cleaner right next to him, open & load the dishwasher, do laundry, sweep the broom right over his feet, and he doesn't care. He sleeps with us & is great in the big bed!
He has a hearty appetite, loves treats, plays with toys from time to time, and has learned to use steps.
We do use a belly band (he marks) but anytime he goes outside he does go to the bathroom. We tried walking him once, but he is not ready yet. I think in time that will come.”
Stitch is a sweet boy that is just waiting to come out of his shell. We’ve seen it when he plays with the other dogs. So, to sum it up, here are the highlights. He will need a secure physically fenced yard, as he will need to immediately have a safe place to go potty. In time, his family can work on leash training, but it isn’t going to happen any time soon.
He is a very good boy that doesn’t need to be crated & is always on his best behavior when his foster family is gone. They leave him in a pet-proofed area of the home until they return.
Stitch needs a low-key family that will allow him to bloom. If his family has another furry friend of similar size, it would be a plus, but is not mandatory. He enjoys being able to be in the same room as his family at night, and really likes to sleep in the big bed. Napping on the couch is part of a normal routine day for him.
Please apply if you have a nice slow-paced home for Stitch to join.
