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Meet Dixie. This sweet girl spent the last year of her life chained outside. She was seen running as a stray puppy, and her finder took her in and decided to “help” her by chaining her in his backyard. Dixie spent most of her formative months chained outside to a mobile home hitch with only a tiny plastic igloo for shelter. Thankfully, some local animal advocates got involved and secured her release to Worthy Dog; now, her life is forever changed.
Dixie has been in her foster home for a few weeks, living with a foster mom and dad and three dogs (a large Pittie and two small Chihuahuas), and is doing well. It took her about a week to get settled in and comfortable with her new routine and the pack, which is to be expected coming from living outside and alone most of her young life. She is super sweet and connected once she lets her guard down and starts to trust. She’s also been a wonderful house guest. She has excellent house manners: housetrained, crate trained, and sleeps quietly through the night.
Dixie is still a young pup with an ideal energy level — she can be laid back in the home but does like to play. She doesn’t always need to be moving but loves to run and chase balls in the yard. She also enjoys playing with her foster pup brother, Kane. He’s older and much larger than her, but they play well together. When he’s done playing, she respects that and will do her own thing. Her foster mom does not feel the need to use the crate but says she will go right in on command and lie down. She mostly stays in the sunroom when they are out of the home to sleep on the couch and has never been destructive.
We believe Dixie would do well as an only dog or with another laidback, social dog. She is sweet and not alpha or submissive. She will stand her ground if another dog tries to challenge or bully her, but does not seek out conflict. She respects the two small chi in her foster home and understands they don't want to play. She has a friendly nature and would do well as a family dog with kids out of the toddler stage, too. She is curious and nervous about meeting strangers, but once given a minute to get familiar with them, she really loves people and getting their attention.
**********
Now that she’s settled in, Dixie’s foster mom, Donna, has started taking her for walks in busier areas to see how she does. We checked in with Donna for an update:
“I love Dixie so much. She eats up any love and attention and loves to cuddle on the couch. She has learned to sit for treats. She is so much better than I expected in the house!! Perfect manners and I absolutely trust her with my pack!!! She loves my Kane and is good around my littles. They are chihuahuas, so they can be troublemakers sometimes. lol.
We just started working on her leash skills. She does need work but is a quick learner and wants to please. The issue is going to be distractions. We live in a pretty quiet neighborhood, so this first trip out was good just for her to understand leash walking in general. I’m using the phrase ‘leave it’ any time she seems to want to pick up on a scent or distraction. So far so good, and I have no doubt that she will be great with more experience. I was able to get her to ignore the barking dogs in fences, so that was good. The harness works really well because I’m able to slightly lift her from any forward progress. This was her first outing, and I’d call it a great success.”
UPDATE: I took Dixie to McDowell Park, it’s a nice little park by the water and has trails to walk. Unfortunately, it was on the colder side and there weren’t a lot of people out. However, she did fabulous on the trails and seemed to love it. She had scent overload as she was smelling just about everything. But after a few sniffs, and "leave it" we moved on nicely. She was a little nervous about the water and it lapping the shore but again, responded nicely. She is a great car rider!!! There was one family that showed up just as we were leaving with 3 small dogs and 2 smaller children. Dixie was high alert but moved on decently well. I really thought the park would be busier. After Thanksgiving, I’ll try another park and see how that goes."
*********
Dixie is a young petite Lab mix (only 33lbs) who will make a great pup companion for a single person, an active couple, or even a family with kids out of the toddler stage. She has done well transitioning to home life, and it’s wonderful to see her flourish.
Apply today!
BREED ESTIMATE: Lab Mix GENDER: Female APPROXIMATE WEIGHT: 33 lbs APPROXIMATE AGE: ~ 1 year old COAT TYPE: Short coat ADOPTION FEE: $425 OTHER INFO: utd on shots/spayed/microchipped LOCATION: Centreville, VA
You can also help save dogs like this one by becoming a foster, providing a rescue dog with a temporary home and giving them the love and care they need until they are permanently adopted. Every person who fosters is directly responsible for saving the life of a dog, because we can only save as many dogs as we have foster families available to welcome them into their homes. If you think you might be interested in becoming a foster and want to learn more, please go to https://foster.worthydog.org and fill out an application.
Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based rescue that primarily adopts to families in the DC Metro area.
December 8, 2024, 11:35 pm
Meet Dixie. This sweet girl spent the last year of her life chained outside. She was seen running as a stray puppy, and her finder took her in and decided to “help” her by chaining her in his backyard. Dixie spent most of her formative months chained outside to a mobile home hitch with only a tiny plastic igloo for shelter. Thankfully, some local animal advocates got involved and secured her release to Worthy Dog; now, her life is forever changed.
Dixie has been in her foster home for a few weeks, living with a foster mom and dad and three dogs (a large Pittie and two small Chihuahuas), and is doing well. It took her about a week to get settled in and comfortable with her new routine and the pack, which is to be expected coming from living outside and alone most of her young life. She is super sweet and connected once she lets her guard down and starts to trust. She’s also been a wonderful house guest. She has excellent house manners: housetrained, crate trained, and sleeps quietly through the night.
Dixie is still a young pup with an ideal energy level — she can be laid back in the home but does like to play. She doesn’t always need to be moving but loves to run and chase balls in the yard. She also enjoys playing with her foster pup brother, Kane. He’s older and much larger than her, but they play well together. When he’s done playing, she respects that and will do her own thing. Her foster mom does not feel the need to use the crate but says she will go right in on command and lie down. She mostly stays in the sunroom when they are out of the home to sleep on the couch and has never been destructive.
We believe Dixie would do well as an only dog or with another laidback, social dog. She is sweet and not alpha or submissive. She will stand her ground if another dog tries to challenge or bully her, but does not seek out conflict. She respects the two small chi in her foster home and understands they don't want to play. She has a friendly nature and would do well as a family dog with kids out of the toddler stage, too. She is curious and nervous about meeting strangers, but once given a minute to get familiar with them, she really loves people and getting their attention.
**********
Now that she’s settled in, Dixie’s foster mom, Donna, has started taking her for walks in busier areas to see how she does. We checked in with Donna for an update:
“I love Dixie so much. She eats up any love and attention and loves to cuddle on the couch. She has learned to sit for treats. She is so much better than I expected in the house!! Perfect manners and I absolutely trust her with my pack!!! She loves my Kane and is good around my littles. They are chihuahuas, so they can be troublemakers sometimes. lol.
We just started working on her leash skills. She does need work but is a quick learner and wants to please. The issue is going to be distractions. We live in a pretty quiet neighborhood, so this first trip out was good just for her to understand leash walking in general. I’m using the phrase ‘leave it’ any time she seems to want to pick up on a scent or distraction. So far so good, and I have no doubt that she will be great with more experience. I was able to get her to ignore the barking dogs in fences, so that was good. The harness works really well because I’m able to slightly lift her from any forward progress. This was her first outing, and I’d call it a great success.”
UPDATE: I took Dixie to McDowell Park, it’s a nice little park by the water and has trails to walk. Unfortunately, it was on the colder side and there weren’t a lot of people out. However, she did fabulous on the trails and seemed to love it. She had scent overload as she was smelling just about everything. But after a few sniffs, and "leave it" we moved on nicely. She was a little nervous about the water and it lapping the shore but again, responded nicely. She is a great car rider!!! There was one family that showed up just as we were leaving with 3 small dogs and 2 smaller children. Dixie was high alert but moved on decently well. I really thought the park would be busier. After Thanksgiving, I’ll try another park and see how that goes."
*********
Dixie is a young petite Lab mix (only 33lbs) who will make a great pup companion for a single person, an active couple, or even a family with kids out of the toddler stage. She has done well transitioning to home life, and it’s wonderful to see her flourish.
Apply today!
BREED ESTIMATE: Lab Mix GENDER: Female APPROXIMATE WEIGHT: 33 lbs APPROXIMATE AGE: ~ 1 year old COAT TYPE: Short coat ADOPTION FEE: $425 OTHER INFO: utd on shots/spayed/microchipped LOCATION: Centreville, VA
You can also help save dogs like this one by becoming a foster, providing a rescue dog with a temporary home and giving them the love and care they need until they are permanently adopted. Every person who fosters is directly responsible for saving the life of a dog, because we can only save as many dogs as we have foster families available to welcome them into their homes. If you think you might be interested in becoming a foster and want to learn more, please go to https://foster.worthydog.org and fill out an application.
Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based rescue that primarily adopts to families in the DC Metro area.
To start the approval process, the first step is to complete our non-binding adoption application.
2.
Interview
Once your application is reviewed, a Worthy Dog Rescue volunteer will contact you to schedule a phone interview to discuss your application
3.
Home Check
A volunteer will schedule a time to visit your home, in person, to meet you and verify that your home is a good, safe environment for a dog
4.
Approve Application
After a positive veterinary reference check, phone interview, and home visit, we will approve your application
5.
Meet the Pet
Upon approval, if the dog you applied for is still available and a good match, we will schedule a time for you to meet the dog
6.
Sign Adoption Contract
7.
Pay Fee
Additional adoption info
Thank you for considering adoption and choosing to save a dog’s life!
Adding a dog to your family is a rewarding and life-changing experience. Dogs enrich our lives and have the amazing ability to give and receive love unconditionally. They can be your loyal companion and friend, and a watchful playmate for your kids, but they are also a serious, long-term commitment. They will depend on you for their health and well-being, and require an investment of love, time, and money for the rest of their life.
As you search for your new dog, please remember that there is no shortage of dogs who need saving. There are far more dogs waiting to be adopted than people who are willing to adopt them, so if the dog in the picture who you’ve imagined bringing home isn’t available, there are thousands more amazing, loving dogs just hoping for the chance to be your dog. We ask that you keep an open mind, stay flexible, and we will do our best to work with you to find a great match for your family.
We strongly encourage anyone thinking about adopting a dog to do your research and make sure you are prepared for the commitment. If you have thought about what’s required and are ready to adopt, here’s what you can expect when you apply to adopt a dog from Worthy Dog Rescue.
APPROVAL PROCESS
APPLY
To start the approval process, the first step is to complete our non-binding adoption application
REFERENCES
If applicable, we check vet references to ensure that your pets have been kept current on care, and a copy of your lease to ensure that adopting doesn't violate your rental agreement
INTERVIEW
Once your application is submitted and reviewed, and your vet provides a positive reference, a Worthy Dog Rescue volunteer will contact you to schedule a phone interview to discuss your application
HOME VISIT
A Worthy Dog Rescue volunteer will schedule a time to visit your home, in person, to meet you and verify that your home is a good, safe environment for one of our dogs
APPROVAL
Upon approval, if the dog you applied for is still available and a good match, we will schedule a time for you to meet the dog. If not, we will work with you to find another dog who will suit your family.
TIMING
The approval process can take a week or two depending on your availability and our volunteers’ schedules. The rescue is run by a team of volunteers from your community who love dogs. We are just regular people with jobs, kids, and lives whose time is as limited as yours. That means that during periods of high activity or seasonal vacations the process may take a little longer.
THE DOG YOU APPLY FOR IS NOT GUARANTEED
Worthy Dog Rescue cannot guarantee that the dog you apply for will be available once you have been approved. We do our best to work with adopters and meet your needs, but we do not adopt dogs on a first-come, first-serve basis. All applications are screened to determine the most suitable match for the dog and the adopter. We want to place dogs in good homes as quickly as possible, so the dog can start their new life with their family, and we can free up their foster home to save another dog in need.
We understand how easy it is to become attached to a dog you’ve found online, but sometimes the dog you apply for may already be scheduled to meet another adopter, or it may not be the best fit for your home for a variety of behavioral reasons. Our dogs are fostered by one of our volunteers, living in their home as part of their family. This allows us to get to know the dog, what they need, their level of socialization, and the type of home that will best suit them.
Our goal is to place dogs in loving, responsible, and committed permanent homes. We take great care in finding good matches for our dogs and adopters too. We look forward to working with you to find the dog that will be with you and your family for many years to come.
ADOPTION POLICIES
Must be at least 23
All applicants who live in a rental property must provide contact information for their landlord, and have approval from the landlord to have a pet at the residence listed on the adoption application
Applicants must allow Worthy Dog Rescue to conduct a home visit to confirm that your home will be a good environment for a new dog
All animals in the applicant’s household must be spayed/neutered and up to date on all vaccines before consideration
All adults living in the home must meet the dog and be in agreement about adoption
Applicants must be willing to keep their new dog and current family pets as indoor pets
All adoptive families will provide all medical care and treatment needed for the dog including, but not limited to, yearly medical checkups, vaccines, and preventative heartworm medication
Dogs will be adopted only as a personal companion and not as a gift, working animal, or guard dog
A fenced yard is ideal for dogs, but is NOT a requirement for adoption unless specified
Because young puppies require intensive training and care, we cannot place puppies younger than five months of age in a home where someone is consistently absent from the home for long periods of time
In the event an adoption does not work out, applicants must agree to return the dog to Worthy Dog Rescue rather than rehoming the dog themselves
Thank you for considering adoption and choosing to save a dog’s life!
Adding a dog to your family is a rewarding and life-changing experience. Dogs enrich our lives and have the amazing ability to give and receive love unconditionally. They can be your loyal companion and friend, and a watchful playmate for your kids, but they are also a serious, long-term commitment. They will depend on you for their health and well-being, and require an investment of love, time, and money for the rest of their life.
As you search for your new dog, please remember that there is no shortage of dogs who need saving. There are far more dogs waiting to be adopted than people who are willing to adopt them, so if the dog in the picture who you’ve imagined bringing home isn’t available, there are thousands more amazing, loving dogs just hoping for the chance to be your dog. We ask that you keep an open mind, stay flexible, and we will do our best to work with you to find a great match for your family.
We strongly encourage anyone thinking about adopting a dog to do your research and make sure you are prepared for the commitment. If you have thought about what’s required and are ready to adopt, here’s what you can expect when you apply to adopt a dog from Worthy Dog Rescue.
APPROVAL PROCESS
APPLY
To start the approval process, the first step is to complete our non-binding adoption application
REFERENCES
If applicable, we check vet references to ensure that your pets have been kept current on care, and a copy of your lease to ensure that adopting doesn't violate your rental agreement
INTERVIEW
Once your application is submitted and reviewed, and your vet provides a positive reference, a Worthy Dog Rescue volunteer will contact you to schedule a phone interview to discuss your application
HOME VISIT
A Worthy Dog Rescue volunteer will schedule a time to visit your home, in person, to meet you and verify that your home is a good, safe environment for one of our dogs
APPROVAL
Upon approval, if the dog you applied for is still available and a good match, we will schedule a time for you to meet the dog. If not, we will work with you to find another dog who will suit your family.
TIMING
The approval process can take a week or two depending on your availability and our volunteers’ schedules. The rescue is run by a team of volunteers from your community who love dogs. We are just regular people with jobs, kids, and lives whose time is as limited as yours. That means that during periods of high activity or seasonal vacations the process may take a little longer.
THE DOG YOU APPLY FOR IS NOT GUARANTEED
Worthy Dog Rescue cannot guarantee that the dog you apply for will be available once you have been approved. We do our best to work with adopters and meet your needs, but we do not adopt dogs on a first-come, first-serve basis. All applications are screened to determine the most suitable match for the dog and the adopter. We want to place dogs in good homes as quickly as possible, so the dog can start their new life with their family, and we can free up their foster home to save another dog in need.
We understand how easy it is to become attached to a dog you’ve found online, but sometimes the dog you apply for may already be scheduled to meet another adopter, or it may not be the best fit for your home for a variety of behavioral reasons. Our dogs are fostered by one of our volunteers, living in their home as part of their family. This allows us to get to know the dog, what they need, their level of socialization, and the type of home that will best suit them.
Our goal is to place dogs in loving, responsible, and committed permanent homes. We take great care in finding good matches for our dogs and adopters too. We look forward to working with you to find the dog that will be with you and your family for many years to come.
ADOPTION POLICIES
Must be at least 23
All applicants who live in a rental property must provide contact information for their landlord, and have approval from the landlord to have a pet at the residence listed on the adoption application
Applicants must allow Worthy Dog Rescue to conduct a home visit to confirm that your home will be a good environment for a new dog
All animals in the applicant’s household must be spayed/neutered and up to date on all vaccines before consideration
All adults living in the home must meet the dog and be in agreement about adoption
Applicants must be willing to keep their new dog and current family pets as indoor pets
All adoptive families will provide all medical care and treatment needed for the dog including, but not limited to, yearly medical checkups, vaccines, and preventative heartworm medication
Dogs will be adopted only as a personal companion and not as a gift, working animal, or guard dog
A fenced yard is ideal for dogs, but is NOT a requirement for adoption unless specified
Because young puppies require intensive training and care, we cannot place puppies younger than five months of age in a home where someone is consistently absent from the home for long periods of time
In the event an adoption does not work out, applicants must agree to return the dog to Worthy Dog Rescue rather than rehoming the dog themselves
Worthy Dog Rescue believes that public adoption events are unnecessarily stressful for the dogs and the foster families who care for them, and that our structured, personalized adoption process leads to a more consistently positive outcome for both the dog and the adopter.
Worthy Dog Rescue believes that public adoption events are unnecessarily stressful for the dogs and the foster families who care for them, and that our structured, personalized adoption process leads to a more consistently positive outcome for both the dog and the adopter.
More about this rescue
Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping dogs in distress, especially those living on chains, in pens, or in neglectful and abusive situations. Our mission is to provide a better life for dogs, while working to address the root problems of animal overpopulation and improve animal welfare. We do this through community outreach and by supporting and educating dog owners in underserved communities, by sponsoring spay and neuter programs, and by rescuing and rehabilitating dogs in need.
Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping dogs in distress, especially those living on chains, in pens, or in neglectful and abusive situations. Our mission is to provide a better life for dogs, while working to address the root problems of animal overpopulation and improve animal welfare. We do this through community outreach and by supporting and educating dog owners in underserved communities, by sponsoring spay and neuter programs, and by rescuing and rehabilitating dogs in need.
Other pets at this
rescue
We'll also keep you updated on Belle's adoption status with email updates.
