Winston

My story

Calling all ChiWAWA lovers!!  Meet Winston. This 3yo 18lb young man is learning how to be a dog in the pack. While we don’t know his back story his scars both outside and inside have told us plenty. Winston came into foster as an emergency surrender. Before that all we know is he had been living in the shelter. He came to us clearly overwhelmed and afraid. It took patience, medication, and ultimately time for us to help Winston understand he was safe and loved.  Looking back at the dog I met to the dog that curls up next to me on the couch every day, it’s safe to say he has grown tremendously in his temperament and behavior.   Winston would absolutely benefit from professional training to help continue building his confidence and letting him fully shine. If you are a chihuahua lover, you know this is an extremely loyal and intelligent breed. Training can provide you and the dog with the best tools for success!  He’s fully crate trained and approximately 98% house trained. He does wear a belly band to prevent marking behavior in the house. We have a medically complex dog who has to use pads so breaking this habit for Winston has been difficult. However, with the belly band on Winston RARELY actually even attempts to mark inside the house. He wears it without any issue, does not try to take it off, and has been in his crate for up to 10 hours without a belly band and without any accidents.  He’s fantastic on a leash and loves to go for walks. He’s curious when he sees other dogs, people, bunnies, cats, etc. but has not shown a high prey drive.He’s coexisting very well with our resident dogsHe’s visited the groomer and they said he was a perfect gentleman!! He’s truly a couch potato who must be covered up with blankets at night and woken up with positive affirmations before going outside He loves rides in the car and curls up in his travel carrier to sleep. He’s been to multiple adoption events and has been very loving to visitors of all ages and co-existed well with other dogs at events.  Now, on to the serious notes. Winston initially displayed some fear based aggression. After being placed on Prozac his behavior has improved greatly for the better. I still believe he would benefit from formal training that could possibly lead to him being weaned off Prozac in the future.*Note* - Fluoxetine (Prozac) CANNOT be stopped abruptly. This medication must be tapered off under the guidance of a veterinarian.  Winston will require a low-ish traffic home with an experienced owner. He has not been cat tested. He will require a home with children 13 or older - while he has NEVER shown ANY concerning behavior towards children of any age, I still believe it would be in his best interest to be in a home with children old enough to understand gentle behavior and signs that a dog may be overstimulated.  The truth is not all dogs that come into foster find homes very easily. Adopting a dog is a lifetime commitment and should be done after considering not only if the dog is a good fit for your home, but if your home is a good fit for that dog. Some need extra TLC to help them heal inside and out. So please know that all information provided in his profile is only to give potential adopters all necessary information to make sure he finds the best home possible. We want to set you AND all of our fosters up for success!  Winston deserves a loving home and lifetime of being spoiled. If you think Winston would be a match for you please apply, we would love to set up a meet and greet! In the meantime, Winston will be snoozing on the couch or in the sunshine ##2397183##

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