Rocket

My story

Meet Our Quirky Little Dynamo! Looking for a pint-sized best friend with a GIANT personality? Meet Rocket - 9lbs of non-stop energy and limitless love to give. Rocket lights up every room he walks into. With his happy smile, irresistible golden brown eyes, and enthusiasm to please his people, this 6-year old chihuahua is going to teach YOU some new tricks. Sit? Check. Shake? Sure. But where he really goes nuts is chasing squeaky toys, playing “find it”, and even “touch” - tapping his sweet cold nose to your hand - down low, up high, and everything in between - for his favorite pupperoni treats. On top of all that his manners are top notch. He’s crate-trained, house-trained, comes when called, and is highly motivated (by toys, treats and attention) to be the Goodest good boy you’ve ever met.Rocket has a “history”, and while his fosters genuinely think he’s pretty close to perfect, he’ll need a specific home to make sure that his next family respects him and is, truly, the loving forever home he deserves. Rocket was first with AARF as a one-year old in 2021. A few months ago, we received a call from a local shelter that he had bitten someone in the home and had been brought in by Animal Control. After a mandatory quarantine, he re-joined AARF to evaluate his needs and adoptability. We unfortunately have no details on the reported bite. We don’t know the context in which it occurred or how mild or severe it might have been before the call was made for Animal Control to pick him up. What we do know and will detail is his behavior since he’s been back with AARF. What his fosters experienced right away was a sweet boy who wanted desperately to please, but had an aversion to being touched around his neck or hands looming over his head. After just a couple weeks of game-playing that incorporated moving hands around him (touch, toy-throwing) and slowly acclimating him to gentle pets in those areas, his growling and freezing reactions mostly stopped. Since then, he has blossomed into not only a fun-loving little dude, but an absolute snuggle-monster. Rocket will need an adult-only home (because of his record) who will know when to go slow to gain his trust, and know when to go FAST, because that’s how Rocket loves to play. Play is also the way to his heart and get over any initial shyness. He is highly trainable, picking up new games, commands, and tricks in mere minutes. His ideal home will nurture that energy to become an u

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Rocket, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.