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Small Breed Rescue of East Tennessee |
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4/25/12 update: Check out my new video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cFBzOgSOYc Hi. I'm Silvertoes, a 6 pound, ten-year-old male Chihuahua. I am one of the Missouri puppy mill dogs that were rescued in October. I am a special needs little guy and am looking for a home that will give me time to continue to heal emotionally and build trust over time. My ten years in the puppy mill really damaged my mind. From what I have heard, I was one of the most shut down dogs that SBRET has taken in. Thank you to SBRET for giving me a chance to prove that one day I can be happy little man. I have taken the last couple months to de-stress and acclimate myself to household sounds, smells and rhythms. My foster mom set me up in a warm and cozy open door crate inside an exercise pen in a place in the house where I can watch everyone as they are in the kitchen, dinning room and living room. The first three weeks I was here, I would only come out of my crate to eat and potty after everyone had gone to bed or had left for the day. I would not bark or cry or even look at anyone. I stayed curled up in the corner of the crate. Now, I will eat with the family around, I enjoy the other two small dogs and will even play/chase squeak toys. I LOVE squeak toys. My favorite time of day is when my foster mom gets home from work and she acts like a fool squeaking all kinds of toys at once and throws them in different directions and lets me chase them down all over the house. I pick them all up and pile them in my crate until another one of the dogs takes them back out for another round of play and chase. Be sure to check out my video on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltoK3VYATwA) of the first time I came out of my crate to play with toys. I have made progress, but Please understand that I am by no means ready to be a regular companion dog. I am terrified of hands and of people that I am not familiar with. I'm not mean about it; I just shut down and stare blankly into a corner. My foster mom says it breaks her heart, but I can't help it. As far as potty training goes, well...I've just really gotten to the point where I could start. I am down to two potty pads a day (with a make shift "fire hydrant") that is inside my ex-pen but most of the time I will go outside and potty when the other dogs go out. I go out into a fenced yard, I have not yet tried the leash...baby steps – I'm all about baby steps. The ideal home for me, would be one that will understand that I do not want to be touched at this time and that it could take months or even longer for me to really want to be petted or held. There is a possibility I may never enjoy that. The only contact that I enjoy is through playing. I should also be set up with a crate and ex-pen in my new home so that I will feel more comfortable and keep me from lifting my leg in places that you do not want me to. I would also really enjoy having another small dog or two to play with. My new family should be willing to continue working with my potty training and shyness. Because of my size and special needs, I do need a home without children, but teenagers may be okay. I also need a fenced yard as I would be a flight risk if I got away from my family. If you think you are the person for me, please call SBRET. As with all SBRET dogs I am heartworm negative, on heartworm preventative and up to date on all my shots. My adoption fee is $175. For more information about caring for puppy mill dogs, go to http://aspcabehavior.org/articles/185/Adopting-a-Puppy-Mill-Dog.aspx 3/20/12 update: Silvertoes was the name he came in with from the puppy mill. Around the house he knows his name as Carson. Carson has been in foster care with Small Breed Rescue of East Tennessee since the middle of November 2011. When Carson first came into rescue he was one of the most shut down of the group of 5 Chihuahuas that came from the Missouri Puppy Mill. Probably one of the reasons that he's the most shut down is because he is male and his age. The females are handled a bit more often because they are the ones that have the puppies and Carson is around 9 or 10 years old and hasn't known any other life other than living in a cage until coming into rescue. I'm Carson's second foster mom. He's been living in my home since January 28, 2012. Since Carson has come into rescue he has come a long way in his rehabilitation. He has gone from a dog where his skin literally crawled when I would reach out to touch him to a dog that enjoys getting pats on the head and whole body rubs and especially butt scratches. It has taken him several weeks to get to the level of comfort he now has with me. But he is still afraid of strangers. He is learning that not all humans are all bad. I learned early on that Carson is food motivated and has learned the word "cookie", which in my house is a bit of his dog food. When he hears the word and sees the other dogs in my home are getting a treat he comes running for his. He isn't bossy with the other dogs but gets very excited and happy when it comes to getting a treat. Another treat that Carson loves is a bit of banana in the morning when I have my cereal. When Carson first came to my home he would run and hide from me. If you notice in the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTfHv6KQxDo) that Carson is wearing a vest with a long-line attached. It's a very lightweight line that he can't really feel and it's thin enough it slides under the furniture and doesn't hang him up. What it's useful for is keeping him from running away and it has helped teach him the word "wait". When I first put the line on him I didn't make a big deal of it and let him walk around the house with it trailing behind him. Eventually I started stepping on the line. I didn't look at him or make a sound but just stood on the string. The first several times he would panic. But now after several weeks he will stop and turn to face me waiting for me to pick him up or to give him a treat. To prepare him for me picking him up I always say "lift". Carson will pee a little bit when he's anxious and I always try to keep him calm and relaxed. So using the work "lift" prepares him for what is going to happen to him next. Carson has learned to walk on a leash and enjoys snuffling around in the yard. When I first put a leash on him several weeks ago it scared him to death even though I didn't pull on him. He totally panicked and fought until he finally learned that it wasn't going to hurt him. Now he is not afraid of the leash and will let me lead him on a walk. He still gets scared when he hears a strange dog bark or other noises he's not familiar with. When that happens I'll talk gently to him and keep moving as if nothing happened. Just so you know, Carson is wearing a slip collar or slip chain because he has tried to back out of a regular buckle-type collar. If Carson was ever to get loose he would probably never be caught again. One of the games we play after a walk on the leash is "scratch me". Carson has learned that one of the nice things about hands is that they can scratch those itchy places he can't reach. Usually after a walk he will often back towards me for a good butt scratch, get his head and ears rubbed and even a few hardy pats! He's even offered to lick my hands a couple of times. I try not to use a crate for Carson at all. One of the scariest things for Carson is big giant hands pulling him out of a crate. Every time I've tried to get him out he poops and pees on me. If he needs to be crated, the best way to get him out is to allow him to walk out on his own. He would be very motivated to come out of his crate if you had a "cookie"! I no longer crate Carson for car rides and I've discovered that he seems to enjoy riding in a doggie car seat. The kind of home Carson needs is a home that doesn't have any younger children. Quick movement and loud noises would absolutely send him into a panic. He would benefit from a home that isn't too quiet though. When I go to work or on long errands I leave a radio on for him just so can hear a human voice. He may never be a dog that will be comfortable with going out on outings with you such as a busy park or into a store; but a quiet walk outside on his secure leash is something he has learned to enjoy while with me. He has learned to be more comfortable with me holding him while watching TV and has even curled up in my lap. Carson will always need to be considered a "flight risk" and will need a home with a secure fenced yard with no places where he can sneak under or through. As I said before, if he gets free he will probably never be found again. One last word about housetraining, Carson may never be housetrained. Most dogs don't want to soil where they sleep. But because Carson lived in a cage for so many years he had no choice where he could do his business. So when he is loose in my home he wears a belly band. It's a strip of washable fabric that is secured with Velcro around his middle so he can't mark. But one thing I've noticed is that Carson has never soiled his belly band while sleeping in my bed at night so now I take off his belly band when he's in my bed. So far so good!
4/13/12 update from Silvertoes' (aka Carson) foster mom:
Carson is doing much better with home life. He is now very confident using my stairs, going to bed when told and is starting to enjoy "gumming" antler bones, he doesn't have any front teeth to actually chew the antler but that doesn't stop him! He has been playing with his foster brother, Ender and enjoys interacting with the rest of the dogs here. He is now learning to come when called and to make eye contact with me. I still need to go get him to have him lie in my lap when relaxing in front of the TV but he is comfortable enough to go to sleep while in my arms.
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