Size
(when grown) Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less
Details
Not good with kids,
Good with dogs,
House-trained,
Spayed or Neutered,
Shots are up-to-date,
Story
Meet Sophie! She is an approximately 6.5-year-old Shih Tzu who is ready to find a patient, special forever home.
She came to us from a breeder October of 2023. She had minimal human interaction, a dead eye, partial blindness in the other, and battled a severe tick born disease that caused temporary neurological issues. While her adorable face may entice you to give her hugs, snuggles, and kisses, her not-so-ideal past will prevent that from happening anytime soon.
She spent the first several years of her life in a kennel being bred, without proper socialization, and as a result, she is extremely timid of new people and human touch. She does not accept being handled or touched by people very well. She has made some progress in that area in her foster home, but she still has a long way to go before she might be considered your average love-seeking / outgoing pup. This means her adopter can very likely count on it taking months, not weeks, for Sophie to become comfortable in her new home. In her foster home, she has gotten in the habit of following her foster mom around, and attempts her own version of playing when outside. She's even started giving kisses in the mornings before getting out of bed. She is still not a fan of being picked up, but that is something we are working on regularly! Due to her not being handled growing up, she really doesn't know how to be picked up, but she's learning. She is also a bit weary of going through doorways or steps.
Sophie has been to a groomer and tolerated being groomed and did behave, but she was visibly uncomfortable throughout the process and once she was let off the grooming table, she wanted no part of interacting with the grooming staff. Although she did seem to have a little more pep in her step. She will need a home that understands she needs to be groomed regularly, but that will also appreciate her apprehension of that experience. It would be fantastic if her adopter could invest in some at-home grooming equipment and groom her themselves at home, but that is not a requirement. Her foster mom can give you the name of the groomer who did so well with her and has done other dogs with similar issues.
Due to being confined to a kennel for most of her life, Sophie will very quickly regresses when she is placed in a kennel. This means, if her adopter feels the need to confine her while they're not home, they must be capable of providing Sophie her own space to crash when nobody is home (whether that be a seldom used bathroom or a laundry room, a spare bedroom, etc.). She's currently left out with no issues. She should never be kenneled for any reason, as it causes undue stress, which is not good for her wellbeing and will set her progress back.
We do not believe Sophie is a good fit for a home with young kids or a home with lots of company coming and going. Too much activity causes her stress. She needs a low key adopter or couple who understands her very specific needs in a forever home. Her new human(s) should be able to provide a relaxing, safe space to decompress and continue learning how to be a beloved member of the family. She has shown a tendency to be attached to one human so far.
Sophie has been in a foster home with several other small dogs for approximately 7 months, and she does fine with them as long as they do not jump on her or catch her off-guard on her blind side. We have not had her around large dogs, so we are unsure of how she would interact with them. She currently also lives with cats and she could care less about them.
Sophie's foster mom uses potty pads that she uses most of the time, but frequently goes outside. For unknown reasons, she is reluctant to go outside late at night, but has never had any accidents in her foster mom's bed which is where she sleeps every night. She will need a very understanding adopter, who will give her time and have patience with her in learning the routine with her new family and them hers.
If you think you can provide the care and understanding Sophie needs, please reach out to us at muttmisfitsadoptions@gmail.com. Her foster mom can answer any questions you may have and help determine if your home is a good fit for this sweet, but traumatized girl. Additionally, you can apply to meet / possibly adopt her at www.muttmisfits.org/adoption-application
