My name is Bitsy!

Posted over 4 months ago | Updated 1 month ago

Cared for by National Mill Dog Rescue

Adoption process

Submit Application

Interview

Approve Application

Meet the Pet

Pay Fee

Sign Adoption Contract

Take the Pet Home

Or Apply to Adopt

My basic info

Breed

Shih Tzu

Color

White - with Black

Age

2 years 10 months old, Adult

Size

Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less (when grown)

Weight

–

Sex

Female

Pet ID

57386008

My details

Purebred

My story

Here's what the humans have to say about me:

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HIGHLIGHTS
-Needs to be the only dog in the home
-Single person home
-Needs 4’ fenced-in yard
-Needs routine and an experienced adopter
-Particular grooming/veterinary needs

Meet Bitsy, a loving, intelligent, and spirited dog with a unique personality and special requirements. Bitsy is a 2.5 year old Shih Tzu mix and weighs 13lbs.

Bitsy thrives in a one-on-one environment and is best suited for a solo-human household where she can bond deeply with her primary caregiver. She is fiercely loyal and protective of the people she connects with, especially those she considers her `person.`. Bitsy is best suited to a home where she is the only pet and does not have to compete for attention. She should be placed in a home with someone who understands her need for space, respect, and routine. Bitsy thrives in environments where she is the center of attention and can form a deep bond with her human.

Bitsy enjoys engaging in playful activities like zooming around the yard and playing with toys, making her an excellent companion for active, engaged playtime. She does enjoy the attention from multiple people but only likes the attention from one person at a time.

Bitsy prefers a gentle, one-handed pickup, and she’s most comfortable when she initiates the interaction, but dislikes being cornered or approached too quickly and can become defensive if she feels threatened. Her discomfort with handling is something that can be worked through with patience, consistency, and understanding.
Bitsy walks on leash with pride but is learning to be more confident around new environments or other dogs, she struggles with being in close quarters with them, especially in a group setting. However, she is social and open to interact with people she knows, often greeting them enthusiastically by pawing at the front of her kennel.

Bitsy is highly intelligent and will seek out opportunities to escape when new people are around, so she requires a home with a strong, consistent handler who can provide structure and clear boundaries. While she has made significant progress with training at the rescue (muzzle & crate training), especially during activities like going outside and entering the kennel, she will still need ongoing training to help her feel more comfortable in these situations.

Bitsy is looking for a loving, patient home where she can feel safe, secure, and cherished for who she is. She’ll reward a caring and u

Rescue

National Mill Dog Rescue

Contact info

Pet ID

57386008

Contact

Go to nmdr.org/our-dogs/adopt/ to apply!

Phone

(719) 683-3334

customerservice@nmdr.org

Website

https://nmdr.org/

Address

5335 JD Johnson Rd, Peyton, CO 80831

Donation

Donate to This Rescue

Their adoption process

1.
Submit Application

2.
Interview

We will set up a phone interview with you over email

3.
Approve Application

4.
Meet the Pet

We will help you set up a time where all family members and dogs can come and meet your potential new dog

5.
Pay Fee

Once you've found the right dog, you can take the dog home that day if they are ready to go home.

6.
Sign Adoption Contract

7.
Take the Pet Home

Additional adoption info

Adopting a retired mill dog can be a challenging experience. These dogs have had very little human contact and may take quite a bit of time adjusting to life as a "real" dog. Therefore, we consider each adoption a trial and never want an adoptive home to feel like they're stuck with a dog if there are problems. One thing that mill dogs need more than anything else is time. Barring any major problems, we ask that adopters give the dog a reasonable amount of time to adjust to its new home. Most of our dogs do remarkably well and bring lots of joy and a great sense of satisfaction to their new owners.

Persons interested in adopting one of our dogs must complete the Adoption Application on our website. Those who meet our requirements and who appear to be a good match for a dog will be interviewed by a NMDR home study volunteer. The next step would be to have a home check with all members of the family present. You will then be able to meet the dogs that are available. Adopting families will then sign a contract. We do not place dogs in homes that we believe will not work out, so please respect our decision.

Requirements for Adopting:

• We do require fenced yards in most cases. (It may be possible for an adult or senior dog to work out fine in a townhouse or condo environment, that have small enclosures/patio's). We will occasionally adopt to apartments dwellers but only on a case by case basis. Puppies will not go to homes where they will be left alone for many hours. Most of our dogs have lived in small cages all their lives and we would prefer for other methods other than crating be arranged for when the dog is home alone.

• All NMDR dogs will be primarily inside dogs - no dogs will live outside.

• All NMDR dogs will be provided with adequate fresh food and water, clean, dry shelter when outside, and daily exercise.

• All NMDR dogs will be provided with a safe collar with ID tags to be worn at all times.

• All adoptive families will obey all applicable laws governing control and custody of animals.

• All adoptive families will provide all medical care and treatment needed by the dog including but not limited to: yearly medical checkups and vaccines, and preventative heartworm medication.

• All NMDR dogs will be adopted only as a personal companion and not as a gift, working animal, or guard dog.

• NMDR assumes no responsibility nor shall they be held liable for any damages caused by the adopted animal to property, person or other pets. If any medical problems occur after adoption, NMDR is not liable for any medical bills.

• If you have other pets, they must be spayed/neutered if you adopt from us. Your other pets must be up to date on all vet care (shots and preventatives).

• If you are unsure as to whether you can commit to a dog for the rest of its life (regardless of whether you move, change jobs, or get divorced) then please rethink your decision to adopt a dog. Adoption is for the rest of the dog’s life and our rescued dogs have already had enough turmoil in their lives.

Adoption Fees:

$400 for puppies up to 11 months old
$350 for 1 year old to 7 years old
$250 for dogs older than 8 years old

Our expenses preparing our dogs for adoption are much greater than our fees cover. Donations above the adoption fees will help us continue our efforts to rescue dogs.

Adoption application

https://nmdr.org/our-dogs/adopt/

Go meet their pets

Thank you for your interest! If you have not already done so, please submit the adoption application found at this link: https://nmdr.org/our-dogs/adopt/ if you have already submitted an application-
Within 72 hours of receipt of your application, an Adoptions Team member will respond to you via EMAIL with instructions on next steps in the application process. Be sure to check your junk or spam email as well. Please note that it is best to not have a particular dog in mind as he or she could get adopted before you are approved to adopt. Your application is valid for 11 months and we are always rescuing dogs.
Once you are approved to adopt, you will be able to set up the meet and greet and you will also bring your dog or dogs with you. If you are looking to adopt from outside of Colorado, you do need to follow the above process, and if approved to adopt, you will need to travel to Colorado to meet and pick up your next family member. We do not allow shipping or transportation.

More about this rescue

Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome discarded breeding dogs and to educate the general public about the cruel realities of the commercial dog breeding industry.

National Mill Dog Rescue was established in February 2007, in honor of a forgiving little Italian Greyhound named Lily. Theresa Strader, NMDR’s Founder and Executive Director, rescued Lily from a dog auction in Missouri. Prior to that day, Lily had spent the first seven years of her life as a commercial breeding dog, a puppy mill mom. Determined that her years of living in misery would not be in vain, Strader started NMDR, giving a voice to mill dogs across the country.