Size
(when grown) Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less
Details
Good with dogs,
Needs special attention,
Needs experienced adopter,
House-trained,
Spayed or Neutered,
Shots are up-to-date,
Story
Richie is a male Shihtzu/Poodle mix. We think he is around 8-9 yrs old.
Richie was found as a stray in Cleveland and taken to the city kennel. His hair was long, filthy and severely matted all over his body including his face. When we picked him up we were shocked to find that there was no eyeball in his left eye socket. He had an open infected eye socket. To make matters worse, he has a mature cataract in his right eye with anterior lens luxation (the lens has slipped in front of the iris/pupil). We have been told he is a poor candidate for cataract surgery.
Richie is blind due to the extreme neglect and abuse he suffered. In addition to being blind, he was malnourished, underweight, full of intestinal parasites and both ears were infected. This poor little guy was scared, anxious and in pain. The suffering he was experiencing is unimaginable!
In spite of all he’s been through, Richie is a sweet, loving dog. He loves cuddles and belly rubs with his foster mom! He has shown us he is a strong, brave, determined little guy who has overcome so much and is slowly adjusting to being blind. He sees with his nose and paws to find his way!
Richie has recovered from surgery to close the left eye socket wound. He has been neutered, had his teeth cleaned and completed treatment for his infections. He’s gained strength and is at a good weight now. Richie was evaluated by an eye specialist on 4/22 and he does not have dry eye, glaucoma or any other issues, other than the cataract, in his right eye. He was prescribed eye drops that will help prevent issues developing in the future. He will need a recheck of the eye in 5-6 months.
Richie will need a home where his adopters understand the special needs of a blind dog and the commitment involved in maintaining a safe and secure environment for him. It will take time for him to transition and learn how to navigate his new home.
Richie has crate anxiety. He does not tolerate being crated or confined to a small area. He likes his independence and as a result is not restricted in his foster home and has been good. He has learned to use a stair ramp to get on and off the couch.
Richie is a bit of a “velcro” dog who prefers to be close to his human(s) and this includes sleeping in their bed at night.
Richie is fully house-trained. He doesn’t ask to go out but only goes when taken out to the yard for potty time. He’s never had an accident in his foster home! He is very well-behaved and does not chew on anything. He is good when the humans are away in his foster home but it’s important to make sure his environment is safe.
Richie has done well and is nonreactive when meeting other dogs. He is not interested in playing and becomes nervous with dogs who are pushy and try to initiate play with him. He would be happy as an only dog or in a home with other dogs who allow him to have his space.
He is not cat tested but would likely be okay with them.
We think he would be happiest in a quiet home where his humans are home more than they are gone so he can get lots of cuddle time. An all adult home is preferable but older children over the age of 10 who understand his limitations would be okay.
Richie currently isn’t able to go up and down stairs on his own. He will go down a couple steps, if they’re not too steep, with some coaxing but not consistently. He tries very hard but he is still unsure. We are working with him to see if he can learn to do a couple steps to get in and out of the house but for now he needs to be carried up/down stairs.
When on leash he prefers to lead and take you where he wants to explore.
His favorite thing is to freely wander/explore the yard so we’re requiring a fenced yard where he can move about safely. No invisible fences.
Potential adopters must live within 1 hour of Cleveland, OH to allow for an in-home visit for a meet and greet.
If you are interested in adopting Richie please complete an adoption application on our website at:
https://www.dogsunlimitedrescue.org/adoptables.html
