Meet Gremlin. I am a seven-year-old Chihuahua/dachshund mix (chiweenie?) who was rescued along with seventeen other dogs. I have never known safety, love, security, trust, or companionship. I had several litters of puppies and no healthcare until I was rescued and given the chance of a new life. Although I can’t share any details about my prior treatment, it has left me scared. I am a sweet, timid girl who wants to be loved and cared for more than anything. I will need an adoptive person/family that is prepared to be patient with me and to teach me what it is to be a family pet and who can familiarize themselves with the task of adopting a rescued hoarded dog.
When I came to foster care I was neither leash trained nor house broken. My foster family is working with me to train me to use pee pads while also getting me comfortable with a leash and going outside. I am doing very well at both. I have become very curious on my walks, but also scared of cars and loud noises. I am as curious as I am scared, leaving these two feelings in competition when it comes to venturing outside. I am surprising everyone with how quickly I have come to feel secure on my walks and connected going outside with going potty. I am doing very well with crate training, because the crate is where I feel the safest. But I also get lonely, so I have gotten braver about venturing out of the crate on my own and exploring my foster house and joining my foster family around the home. I like to have my crate as a safe space to retreat too while I work on my bravery in exploring my surroundings. I sleep in the crate happily at night, and don't mind being there when there are no humans in the house.
I have warmed up to my foster family enough that I show excitement when I see them, and wag my tail for them. I will even jump into a nearby lap if it is available, and I am now comfortable being picked up and cuddling on the couch. I'm also discovering that I love toys, treats, playing, and making blanket forts in my crate. I really want to run and play in the yard with my foster siblings. Sadly, I am so small I can walk right through a wrought iron fence. I need a yard with a fence that can keep me safe.
Because I have lived my whole life with other dogs, they don’t bother me. I currently live with two other dogs in my foster house, but I am indifferent to them. They do not scare me, I am not at all aggressive. I need a house that has a confident dog to help teach me how to be like them. I have no experience with cats or small children.
I don’t yet know how to be a normal dog. I will need a family to show me through consistent patience and love, and it may not always be easy. But I am worth it, and I deserve a second chance at life.
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