Winona

Shih Tzu · Female · Puppy · 4 months

13-08-26 Winona is a beautiful little puppy who is looking for an extra special home as she has come into our care from a breeder after she was unsold due to having a fused left hind leg. Our vets have carefully assessed Winona and at present, this does not appear to be causing her any problems. She gets around well, is full of energy and shows no signs of pain or discomfort with the leg. She does walk with an abnormal gait, as she is not able to bend this leg, but this doesn't seem to bother her. We are unsure how her leg will effect her in the future, it is possible that she will always manage perfectly well just as she is, but there is also a possibility that this could cause her problems as she grows or when she is older. If this was the case, she may need further investigations, x-rays and potentially referral to a specialist in the future. Her adopters will therefore need to be in a position to fund any future investigations or treatment that may be required, as this condition would not be covered by insurance. She also has an undershot jaw, which just adds to her charm! When Winona first arrived with us, she was a very worried little girl, so she went straight into foster and the transformation in her has been wonderful to see. She is now a typical, happy, cheeky puppy who is absolutely full of life! She loves saying hello to everyone she meets and is becoming a very confident and affectionate little girl. She is also very clever and has already mastered sitting nicely for a treat. Winona is confident enough that she could potentially be homed as an only dog, provided her adopters are around for most of the time and are able to give her plenty of time, attention and positive guidance as she grows into a well rounded adult. She is currently living with two small adult dogs and is very respectful of them, so she would also be happy to share her home with another kind, tolerant dog who wouldn't mind having a cheeky puppy racing around after them! She is also in foster with a cat, who she did initially bark at and chase, as puppies do, but with time and supervision they have become good friends, so she could be homed with a dog savvy cat. We would also consider homing her with gentle, dog savvy, older children. Winona is beginning to learn all about house training, but as with all puppies, this will take time, patience and consistency. She is not yet walking on a lead, but we think she will absolutely love heading out on adventures with her new family once she is ready. Winona initially spent her first few nights sleeping happily in a crate, however, as her confidence grew, so did her love of her humans, and she decided that sleeping with them was much more appealing! She does sleep well through the night on the bed and will even use the steps to get down and take herself to a puppy pad during the night before climbing back up for more cuddles. Because Winona loves her people so much, it is very important that her adopters take things slowly when starting to leave her alone. They will need to gradually build up the amount of time she is left using positive, reward-based training. Winona is a young puppy with lots to learn, so her new family must be prepared for the time, patience and commitment that comes with raising a puppy. She will need to attend puppy socialisation classes to help her develop into a well-rounded adult. As with all puppies, her adopters will also need to agree to have her spayed at the appropriate age in accordance with her adoption agreement. Winona is such a happy, funny and affectionate little girl, and whoever is lucky enough to adopt her is going to completely adore her! She is incredibly loving and enjoys nothing more than being close to her humans. She loves her cuddles but equally has a wonderfully playful side and enjoys having fun with her toys. She really is the perfect mix of affectionate, playful and cheeky, and we can already see what a wonderful companion she is going to make for the lucky family who gives her a home. She has a travel document. This dog can be homed with a resident dog. This dog can be homed with cats.

Listed 4 days ago