Cheerio

My story

If you've never considered having a dog because you work during the day, Cheerio may be the dog for you! Cheerio was rescued from the Clayton County Animal Control facility in Georgia where he was on the euthanasia list, and has been in foster since the beginning of June 2023. He is a beautiful gray-brown guy (think Weimaraner color), on the small side (less than 40 lbs), with a long body and short legs, estimated to be about 2 years old, microchipped, neutered and up-to-date on vaccinations and heartworm/flea/tick preventative. DNA says he is mostly a mix of American Pit Bull Terrier, Rat Terrier and Chihuahua! When he first arrived he was very suspicious of people and would actually snap at a hand reaching back past his head, especially when he was in his crate, making it difficult to get him out to potty. As a matter of fact, the information that came with him stated he had bitten someone at the vet's office where he was taken after rescue. He has come a long way since then and is a generally happy boy, tolerant of being handled (except by a vet wielding a syringe!), and quite the snuggle bug, wanting to be a lap dog. He has met several new dogs while in foster and does fine with slow introductions. He also did beautifully at an adoption event where he was fine with being petted by adults and children alike. The biggest issue with Cheerio was his intense dislike of cats. Because his foster home has two resident cats, he had to spend a lot of time in his crate, only being allowed out when the cats were safely shut in another room, so he got very used to being crated. Eventually, he became used to them and was allowed out of his crate most of the time except for overnight, feeding and when home alone. Unfortunately, he has decided he hates one of the resident dogs and they have to be kept separated, so he is back to being in his crate most of the time. The positive of all this is that he would likely be a good fit for someone who works all day, possibly living in an apartment, since he is used to spending a lot of time in a crate. In his foster home he is taken on two long walks (between 3/4 -1 mile) a day; the first is an off-leash walk in the morning and a leash walk in the evening, with several trips (not walks) out-to-potty during the day. He is reliable off-leash in the yard and will come when called to go in. He should do fine living with someone on a work schedule. If you're away from home during the day, all of his crating experience here will serve you both well since he's used to it! Cheerio is basically a very good boy and he will most likely be just as good a buddy for an adopter if you give him slow introductions and plenty of time and space to gain his trust. Fostered in Fort Wayne.

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