Available

Nicole

Shih Tzu · Female · Adult · 5 years

Nicole has come to us from a breeder and is now searching for her forever home. She was very scared when she first arrived and had clearly had little handling or socialisation, making human contact very worrying for her. Nicole briefly moved into a foster home to learn about home life but returned to us following one incident where she became tangled in her lead and harness, panicked and nipped her fosterer. This was a single incident during a frightening experience, but adopters must understand that she can panic if she feels trapped or overwhelmed. Nicole has now been back at the rescue for just over a month and is making lovely progress. She still doesn't like being picked up or handled, but is much better than she was and is increasingly comfortable spending time around people she trusts. She enjoys sitting in the play yard with her trusted people and responds brilliantly to treats, which are helping to build her confidence. She is a curious, cheeky little character who loves food, toys and snoozing in her bed, and she is even trying hard to be kennel clean. Nicole loves other dogs and takes comfort from their presence, so she will need a kind and confident resident dog to help her feel secure and act as a role model. She needs a calm, quiet, adult-only home with adopters who have experience of nervous ex-breeding dogs. As she has never successfully experienced home life, she will need patience with house training and learning the basics of being a pet. Lead and harness training will also need to be introduced very carefully because of her previous experience. Nicole still has a long way to go, but her curiosity and wonderful personality are beginning to shine through. With the right home, canine companion and plenty of time and understanding, we hope she will continue to blossom. Our vets noted a slightly unusual heart rhythm, and a heart scan showed mild valve changes. She currently requires no treatment and is expected to live a normal, happy life, although routine heart checks and monitoring for future symptoms are recommended. She has been treated for a ear infection. This dog can be homed with a resident dog.

Size

—

Age

Adult · 5 years

Location

🇬🇧Llanelli

Shelter

Many Tears Animal Rescue

Living with Nicole

✓Good with dogs
✕Good with kids

Cared for by Many Tears Animal Rescue · Llanelli Learn about Shih Tzu →

More dogs in Llanelli →More dogs in United Kingdom →

Listed 5 months ago

Bringing Nicole home

What you'll need for Nicole in week one.

Hand-picked · prices indicative

§ Affiliate links · TailHarbor earns a small commission, no extra cost to you.

About Nicole

What life with Nicole looks like

Nicole is an adult shih tzu dog waiting at Many Tears Animal Rescue in Llanelli.

An adult dog fits most household rhythms once the first couple of weeks of adjustment pass. Two reasonable walks a day plus play time is usually enough. Plan a "decompression fortnight" — quiet routine, no visitors, no off-leash adventures — to let them settle.

🇬🇧Adopting from United Kingdom

UK shelters work under the Pet Travel Scheme (post-Brexit, the EU pet passport is not valid; a UK Animal Health Certificate is required for travel into the EU). Most UK rescues focus on domestic placements but some work with EU partners.

Llanelli, United Kingdom — browse more dogs in United Kingdom.

Frequently asked

Adopting Nicole, answered.

How do I contact the shelter about Nicole?: Use the phone, email, or website link in the sidebar of this page. Many Tears Animal Rescue handles screening and the adoption contract directly — TailHarbor doesn't broker the conversation. When you reach out, mention you saw Nicole on TailHarbor so they know which animal you're asking about.
Can I adopt Nicole if I live in another country?: Yes, in most cases. Rescues across Europe routinely place animals abroad — Many Tears Animal Rescue will tell you what they need (EU pet passport, rabies titer, transport coordination) and whether they handle transport themselves or refer you to a partner. UK adopters: post-Brexit travel into the EU requires an Animal Health Certificate. Transport is usually a separate cost, so ask for the exact figure before you commit.
Is Nicole already vetted, vaccinated, and chipped?: Most dogs on TailHarbor leave their shelter with sterilization, current vaccinations, microchip ID, and an EU pet passport included in the adoption fee. The vet status on this page reflects what the shelter has reported — ask them directly if you need details on specific vaccines, recent bloodwork, or chronic conditions.
What happens if Nicole isn't the right fit?: Every reputable rescue accepts an animal back if the adoption genuinely doesn't work — that's part of the standard contract. Talk it through with Many Tears Animal Rescue early rather than rehoming privately; they know Nicole and can place them more successfully than a second-hand listing can.
Why does the description sometimes read awkwardly?: TailHarbor translates shelter descriptions into English from the source language (EN). Translation is imperfect — names of streets, donors, and shelter-specific terms occasionally slip through unidiomatically. For the cleanest read, click the source link to see the shelter's original page.