Meet Vito, a 6 year old chiweenie that found himself at the doors local animal shelter and not very happy about the situation! You may recognize him - he was on the hunt for a family back in the Summer. Vito is back because he is cute & moody. He needs a savvy home that is familiar with the likings of a moody small dog. But once Vito learns the rules and you earn his respect, he is a lovely housemate.
Vito is a very loving boy. He does enjoy his human & spending time together. He is a great housemate! But Vito's love can turn a smidge grumpy at times & his new family will need to navigate. For example, Vito loves to sit & take up all the space on his foster mom's lap. But when the smushfest is over, Vito may not be ready for it to end & can be grumpy in gaining his cooperation. Vito's foster mom is currently using a leash to encourage him to do the things he needs to & the process is working beautifully. She will happily teach you her techniques. His foster mom reports he is responding positively to her rules!
Put simply - Vito is a guy's guy. Vito prefers the male in his home over everyone else. He can co-exist with others but he will give his love & loyalty to his man friend & you will simply have to accept it! To his make human, he will worship you - wait for you in your recliner, mope around waiting for you & then celebrate your arrival. Vito is textbook man's best friend!
Vito is calm and relaxed — and enjoys long walks. He is a great walker but can be reactive on a leash toward other dogs. This is manageable & with work, can diminish. Vito does need a fenced backyard. Some of his moodiness may be stored up energy & his foster mom believes a yard he can run in is best for him expending the energy. Vito does enjoy walks and outings, but he may not be the dog that would enjoy many large social outings. He will prefer the comfort of his home, his yard & his routine.
Vito gets along well with other dogs but prefers them to be more on his level of activity (quiet and calm) versus hyper and playful (though he has proven that at times he loves to do zoomies in the backyard). He is being fostered with a very bossy female dachshund that is the leader of the pack - Vito Cooper does not challenge her & has learned his role!
Vito has nipped before & some of his low grumbles are likely his form of communication, but because of this, we will not place him in a home with children under the age of 12. Vito does grumble - sometimes it is just his way of saying hello and sometimes he is telling you he is not happy. You learn his speech & if we are honest (granted we are not normal people here at DBPR!), we love a pup that communicates, so Vito's grumbling is endearing. But his new family will need to earn his respect by setting boundaries for him & also allowing him to be himself. It's a balance that we know can be reached. Vito & his foster parents have struck this balance and will gladly show you the ropes.
Vito is current on vaccines, heartworm negative and has been neutered with a full dental polish at the same time. He is fostered on the NC coast so any perspective family will need to travel to the area. We prefer adopters within a few hour radius of NC in neighboring states. His adoption fee is $300.
Vito recognizes he is not the easiest kid to find a new home. That reality does not upset him! He always wanted us to remind you that you too are moody & grumble when people make you mad - so don't judge him! But in all seriousnesses, we are seeking a savvy home that will accept his quirks & work with them; one that will have a human that is his pack leader & will set boundaries; and defintely one that will provide him the stability he has never had and love him endlessly. Even the difficult ones are worth it!
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