My name is Mikey!

I do have an adoption fee to cover my vetting and to help save the next pup.
I am fully Vetted/Nuetered/Microchipped/Dental Done/Heartworm Neg/ on preventative and also under flea/tick treatment as well
I am looking for my perfect home within 50 miles of Chicago Illinois an application and home visit a requirement
I am such a good little doggie!! Cute too!!
Our Adoption Process...
Adoption Application
Meet and Greet
Home visit
Adoption Contract
Adoption fee
*** Please be patient, we are a very small organization and we all sadly have to work and have families just like you. We also know the excitement of finding a pet that could be your furever family member and we receive numerous inquiries
from other families who feel the same way. Our primary goal is matching the perfect family with our pups and do not practice first come, first serve". We are setting up many meet and greets with our pups and the family could be found prior to you even getting to meet them. We will make sure all potential adopters who inquired are updated if the pup has been adopted. We do not want to waste anyone's time and recommend you keep looking while you wait to hear from us and as always Thank You for adopting and not shopping. ***
Adoption applications will be sent via email only, we do not have them posted online anywhere or on a website.
COME SEE MORE PHOTOS AND MY FULL STORY AND UPDATES AT
https://www.facebook.com/TheFirstStepRescue
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**MY STORY**
**Jan 15th 2014**
I came in as a stray - With no place to go - I will go to a place - They call my foster home
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My name is Mikey and I am an 9-10yr old 15lb male super sweet Lhasa Apso or Lhasa Apso mix. I did get my dental done and yes sadly I do have cataracts, the rescue would love to see about correcting this but with minimal funding and other dogs in the rescue that may not be an option. This means is I can see shadows but in the dark have a harder time and may run into things and see better during the day and I may go blind as I get older. I also seem to be hard of hearing, the vet said there is nothing wrong with my ears such as infection or anything but I do not respond to voice or barking of the other dogs, I could be very stubborn or a big language barrier but we are leaning towards hearing impaired. Neither of these things make me not love and enjoy life and I love life just the way I am. My handicaps are why I can not go into a home with children, I need a home that will approach me slow cause if you scare me I turn like I am going to nip you but I have never bitten anyone. My foster mom says I am super sweet and love to be in the company of my humans, I will sit and cuddle with you and am very happy to see you. I am doing very good with my housebreaking but have had a couple of mistakes but my foster mom does have a busy schedule and I may need to go out a little more frequently but I do only piddle on the tile never the carpet, a little more work and I can be perfect. I do great with the other dogs and cats in the home and never show aggression towards them.I am looking for my final forever home even with my disabilities I am still a loving dog and I just want love and love furever. Can you be that family?
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Yes I did have a microchip that showed my previous family lives in Chicago. Sadly the numbers and address for my family was no longer valid but with much research my owner was located and sadly I was no longer wanted. You can understand there is no way I walked all the way from Chicago to DuPage County and sadly this is a case of setting me free far away from where I live. I am lucky someone took the time and stopped to save me esp with it being the middle of winter and that's how I ended up at the shelter. More of my story to follow.
Vaccinated/Chip to be changed/Heartworm Neg/Dental desperatly needed/Hard of hearing
011514(Foster 0210515)
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**Feb 2nd 2015**
Well my microchip address was no longer valid and the phone number listed was no longer valid, after much research the family was found and contacted. Here is my story from one family member who says he no longer lives with the other family member on my chip. He stated I was found orginally when I was very young in Skokie by them and they turned me in to animal control and after I wasn't claimed I was then adopted by them back in 2005. I then moved with my family to different homes but was always with them and I was loved. He then stated every chance I got I would bolt out the door if someone wasn't watching and would eventually end up at the city shelter and was there numerous times costing them money but they always bailed me out because he said they loved me. I was finally neutered/chipped by this city shelter and he said they finally registered this my chip because I do like to bolt out the door. He at first didn't realize how far away I ended up and "we" all know there was no way I walked all the way to DuPage County from the city of Chcago when he then said someone must have found me and found out I had a chip and dumped me so they wouldn't get into trouble. During the conversation he "did say" he was familiar with the area because he does work out here delivering newspapers in the DuPage area (could that be how I really got out here? we can only guess) He said the family separated, they to one place and he moved to another and he was told at the new place I ran out the door and he was never told about it because they knew he would get upset. Yes the family was contacted and said they were going to come and get me, if they didn't he said he would... They(He) loved me, I was old and should die with them..........They changed their minds....so here I am.
**Feb 6th 2015**
My foster Mommy came and sprung me out of the shelter and I am super happy. I am currently staying with her until my furever home and vetting can be completed!! I am doing very well my first night in my foster and getting along with both the cats and the dog that live here. My foster Mommy does think I may have a hearing issue so that will be checked out to make sure it is not selective hearing, language barrier or upbringing. I do like to hump the other pets in the home and that will be something that will be worked on esp since if I am truly deaf could get me into trouble with another dog giving me a warning that I will not hear.(This has now stopped in my foster home 6-1-15) My foster Mom took me for a nice bath, a little hair trim and a nail trim so I'm looking all handsome and dapper and I didn't mind it at all either!
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Feb 10th 2014
Foster Mom says I def love to sleep on the bed and the soft beds that are laying around. I'll even drag clothes, towels or other pillows into my bed too make it even more comfy. I appear to be doing very good and appear to be housebroken so far and only have had a couple accidents which is too be expected due to all my stress. I am doing great and will be going in for my dental soon.
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Feb 18th 2015
Well I did have a couple more accidents in the home but it was in the basement on the concrete only, not on any of the carpets in the house. My foster Mom does work plus goes to school making it harder for me esp if I came from a home where my family was home more then not. I'm still doing great with the other animals and I'm not humping as much but we are working on that. Foster mom has noticed a few things about me that is of a concern and will be checked out when I go to the vet for my dental. I still act like a do not hear which could mean I'm very stubborn, deaf or hard of hearing or only know Spanish but I should at least react to a noise. I seem to be running into things lately, like I'm having a hard time seeing which will also get checked out. Foster mom also says I do prefer women over men and I am timid sometimes with certain men and great with other men. My dental, eye check, ear check and blood test is all scheduled for Feb 23rd 2015. Please keep your fingers crossed.
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Feb 23rd 2015
Well I went in for my dental and didn't have it done, my blood test came back bad and they are thinking I'm possible a diabetic dog. My blood and or urine is showing a high glucose level and a slight elevated reading on one kidney and yes I have cataracts forming which is common for a diabetic dog. They decided to do a fructosamine blood test on me to get a better answer. The vet said my ears are fine but with everything else the rescue was soaking in they didn't ask if "fine" meant they are just clean or if the vet checked to see if I could hear.
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Feb 26th 2015
Well we all breathed a sighed a breath of relief!! I am not diabetic so we are rescheduling me dental to be done in a week with another test done prior to the dental.
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March 6th 2015
I finally got my dental done..yeeaaaaa! No teeth had to be removed and now I have nice clean teeth. The vet did say I had a slightly high reading on one kidney but said it is nothing to worry about and it could be I have been eating cat food when I can sneak it in. Foster Mommy is going to try and make sure I do not eat that anymore and the rescue is going to look at the food I am eating, Blue Buffalo which may be to rich for me to eat and problem solved. I am super happy and I am ready to find my final furever home where I will be loved and cherished like I was when I was younger. I want to feel that love once again before I became something that was disposable. If you are my perfect home please contact the rescue I would love to start my new fun and exciting life!!
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March 18th 2014
Hello everyone, well it has been decided I will definitely need an adult only family due to my eyesight. I have cataracts which means I don't see like I should and I can spook very easily... if you approach to fast or suprise me I get scared and may nip. I really love women over men but will deal with most men. I need a family who will go very slow and allow me the time to adjust to my surroundings and get the layout. I do love to snuggle but I need to come to you. I am a little hard of hearing and you need to be close for me to hear you. and quite family who will give me the time to adjust. I LOVE me walks and so very well walking on a leash. I do well with cats and dogs but I am food aggressive so I would need to be fed separate but me being the only dog may allow me to adjust better to my own home. The rescue would love to fix my cataracts but the funding is preventing that but they are still researching options. Please don't pass me by due to my eyesight I do have much love to give if you will give me the time to do it.
Tail wags Mikey
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April 14th 2015
My foster mommy feels it might be better if go to another home because I do not seem very happy here. She thinks there is to much activity going on here. When her boyfriend is there he will not go near the boyfriend but nether will the other foster pup here. She is also foster cats and some other dogs and I seem to eat and want to go into foster moms bedroom and stay there.
April 18th 2015
My foster mommy took me for my very own spa day, the rescue wanted me to have a cute fuzzy puppy cut and they decided since I had some mats to go ahead and shave me down. Boy I feel naked! was a tad chilly after having all that hair but I did do great at the groomer and had no issues with being groomed.
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April 27th 2015
I'm sad, all I do is sleep and shake now that I am bald. Foster mom is trying everything she can to make me happy. She did put a thundershirt on me to help keep me from shaking and to keep me warmer. The rescue has reached out to other rescues since they are so small in hopes they can find me a new family or rescue.
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May 5th 2015
Yep I am still looking for my home, I'm becoming sad in my foster home. I just want to stay in foster Moms bedroom, I come out to eat go potty and then go back into the bedroom to sleep. I now have a crate to sleep in when no one is home to keep me from going potty and I do like my crate, the door is open 24/7. I have toys and my bed in there and seem to spend a lot of time in there now. I do not like belly rubs, I did snap at foster Mom said she has been trying to work with me. The rescue thinks it could be I met up with one of the cats and because of my eye site might have gotten batted by one so I want to avoid them at all cost so I stay in the bedroom now. I do not want to hang out with all the people here the other animals here either.
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May 7th 2015
I had my second photo shoot thanks to Jackie Peterson Photography and I was so good and look so handsome! I hope my cuteness shines thru and that I can find my furever home real soon!! I also was super excited for a photo shoot party and was on the couch with a bunch of people and happy to be around everyone. My foster mom was totally shocked and was so happy I was happy! When people come over for the cat photos I do not want to be locked out of the room, I want to be around everyone and even bark.
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May 22nd 2015
Foster mom says I am a quite pup but have started to bark when I have to go potty now if she is around. She also said I joined her in bed the other day when she slept in the guest room cause I was able to reach the bed...I liked sleeping near foster mom. I just wish I could find my new home and it is beginning to look like it is not going to happen thru The First Step Rescue and they are trying to currently find another rescue to take me in, someone larger that has a larger following and maybe I will be able to find my perfect home thru them.
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June 3rd 2015
I'm still here and only 2 people have shown any interest in me. I seem to be opening up more per foster Mom but now she is going on vacation so I need to find somewhere to go. I do have a family I am meeting on Sunday and am praying they want to add me to their family, that they will give me the time to adjust, maybe be my furever home. Foster Mom is going on vacation this month so now I will be going into another home and will have to adjust once again.
Please help me find my furever home!!
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