Shih Tzu puppies and dogs in Hamilton, Ontario

YODA is currently being fostered in TEXAS. ***Please note that we would prefer to have YODA and SPARKLES adopted together*** Yoda is apx 8 -9 years old and 12 pounds, a shitzu/chihuahua mix. She was an owner surrender with her “sister” Sparkles. We are hoping they can be adopted together but we do want what is best for them and to find the girls an amazing home. Yoda gets a dental on the 23rd. She is a tripod. Yoda does have some cataracts starting in her eyes, some cloudiness and her teeth are awful so she will most likely lose quite a few toofers. Yoda is a bit more nervous than her sister Sparkles. She is good with cats and dogs but no small children please. Yoda is more shy and needs some time to warm up. She is not an aggressive dog just a bit scared and nervous. This is A LOT of change for her. Yoda is a sweet gentle older girl and she needs her forever home to be a place to rest her head, feel love and security. To get approved please visit our website www.texaschihuahuarescuecanada.org to fill in an application to adopt. If you have recently submitted an application please watch your email and spam folder for your welcome email.

For Adoption: Jane! Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle. We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process. To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/. This sweet, beautiful girl is Jane! She is a Shih Tzu mix with cream and tan colouring. She is believed to be about 5 years old and she currently weighs about 12 lbs. She has soft fur, short wee legs, a long body and a tail that shows all her feelings! Please read her bio carefully to make sure you can offer this lovely girl all she needs to thrive in her forever home. Jane is a puppy mill mama. She arrived in foster care under-weight, with terrible nails and ear infections. She is gaining weight and medication has helped her ears. With good nutrition, her skin and fur are improving too. Everything is new to Jane so she is a cautious dog. She will seek out attention, sweet talk and pats from women. She will allow herself to be picked up and is becoming more comfortable being held but it’s a work in progress; handling was very rough in the mills so she is cautious. She often feels nervous but she has never nipped. Jane was mistreated by men during her time as a papa mill mama. Due to this, she actively avoids men and quickly retreats to her crate. The men in her foster family are feeding her food and the best treats to help her associate men with good things. She is much more relaxed and excited when just the girls are around. We have seen progress and we know that with time and patience, Jane will love all of her family members. We are looking for a forever home for Jane where a woman would be her predominant care giver. If there is a man, or men, in the home they will need to be quiet, calm and gentle natured and be willing to patiently work with Jane to gain her trust. We can assure you it will happen, it just takes time and won’t happen overnight. She had 5yrs of learning that men are cruel so it will take some time to unlearn that and recognize that men can be kind and trusted. Jane will do best in a calm and quiet home. She has been with us for a month and she often scans the room for ‘danger’. She will sometimes hang out in the same room as us but often retreats back to her crate. Her crate is her safe space in the home. She does want to be a part of things and she will peek around corners to see what is happening. We know, given more time, Jane will be right in the middle of the action, its still early days. She absolutely wants to be a part of things, she is just learning still. Jane loves to be outside! The first time we saw her happy tail was in the backyard. We shoveled a loop for her and she does laps around the loop, on her own or chasing her furry foster brother. She would love to have a securely enclosed backyard to explore. She also enjoys her walks. She is surprisingly a speedy walker despite her little legs. She is doing very well on a leash and is not overly nervous about sounds. She walked right past a snowblower today! Despite this, her family will need to use a Martingale collar and securely hold her leash for her safety. If she got spooked, she would run; she is a flight risk, as are all mill dogs. Jane is a good eater. She eats twice a day and she is now taking treats from all of her humans. She has been on a few car rides. It's still a new and scary thing so she is shaky. She doesn’t get car sick and we expect she will become more relaxed with more exposure. Jane was very easy to house train! She doesn’t have accidents in the house. Jane has endeared herself to all of her foster family, humans and canine. A favourite quirk is her big toothy smile when she is happy to see her people. It’s adorable and she gets very excited. She has checked out the dog toys but she is more interested in socks and mittens. It's fun to see her zip by with a mitten in her mouth. Right now, she has a collection of socks in her crate. Jane would do well with a playful dog sibling to show her the ropes of having fun and exploring. She likes other dogs and enjoys the companionship. Another dog in the home is not mandatory, but if there aren’t other dogs in the home she should have a dog friend to regularly socialize with. She will be fine with a cat in the home too . Jane would like a home without children in it. She need quiet and calm in the home and the noise and activity of children would be too much for her. Older teens would be fine as long as they are quieter natured and don’t have a lot of visiting friends. A home where young children visit regularly would not be a good fit either. She is looking for an adult only home without a lot of strangers coming and going. Jane deserves the joys of walks, toys, treats, blankets and cozy dog beds. It has been a delight to see Jane interact in her new world. She is a sweetheart of a dog who has come a long way in a short amount of time. If you think you can help Jane continue to gain confidence and feel safe, we know she will bring smiles and laughter to your home. Name: Jane ID # PDR Age: 1329 Gender: female Spayed: yes UTD vaccines: yes Breed: ShihTzu X Colours: red and white Coat length: med House trained: yes Special needs: no OK with kids: no OK with cats: yes Ok with dogs: yes Status: adoptable Microchip: yes Size: small Location: Waterloo Adoption fee: $700

For Adoption: Miss Marple! Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle. We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process. To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/. It's my pleasure to introduce you to Miss Marple. Named after the famous Agatha Christie detective, Miss Marple is an older gal with lots of curiosity, just like her namesake. She is an 8 year old Shih Tzu with soft caramel and white fur and weighs about 14 lbs. This little lady has soulful eyes that have seen some very bad times. Now, that has all changed. Miss Marple was rescued from a commercial breeding program, kept pregnant or nursing pups for all of her 8 years. She didn't even have a name. Miss Marple hasn't let her past dictate her future. With the help of her curiosity, she has blossomed into a happy lady filled with hope for a long peaceful life with someone to love her. This beautiful girl needs a quiet home without children. She needs to be approached with a slow, gentle touch as she panics when you have a fast approach. Miss Marple loves treats and sometimes will take a treat from your hand, we are working on building trust and confidence. Marple is a fairly quiet dog. She will let out a yip or two when someone comes in the door. She has the greatest little howl when she hears you getting up in the morning and she wants you to hurry to give her some morning affection. I think she also howls if left in the crate during the day. Miss Marple is a bit of a couch potato. She loves to be by your side on the couch. It's definitely her happy place. On walks, she walks easily and happily behind you, no pulling except when she puts her brakes on. Then you have to try and cajole her to start up again. I tend to walk a big circle behind her and just start walking and usually this triggers her to start walking again. She happily does her business during the walk, usually near the beginning of the walk. This little lady loves to snoopervise all the activity around her and her eyes track everyone around her. She does everything in slow motion, moving much like a sloth. Miss Marple's fur was shaved down very short when she was rescued due to severe matting and coat neglect. Her toenails were over an inch long and caused her to walk with her toes splayed. She will need brushing when her coat grows in and professional grooming every 6 to 8 weeks. Miss Marple is really catching on to house training. She doesn’t pee or poop in her crate and I take her out as soon as morning cuddles are done. She pees right away and tends to like a couple more minutes to pee again. She poops fairly quickly after eating and has only pooped outside so far. I also try to let her out every couple of hours when I'm home. She will pee in the house if I fail to let her out often enough. She hasn't yet learned to ask to go out. Miss Marple is crate trained and sleeps in her crate quietly all night. We also put her in her crate when leaving her alone during the day. It is the safest place for her to be. She will make some noise in her crate during the day but I'm unsure if that is only because my 2 dogs carry on when I'm out of the house. They may or may not instigate the noise. She would do well in any home environment as her noise is minimal and although she hasn’t mastered them yet, she could learn to handle stairs without issue. She is not a high energy dog and as such, does not require a yard - just a safe place to do her business. We have taken many car rides together and Miss Marple calmly sits or lays down tethered to her dog car seat. She has been a dream travel companion. Miss Marple lives with my 2 dogs, 8 years and 2 years old. She eats with them and sleeps with them on the couch but other than that, she doesn't interact much with them. She would fine be in a home with a similar energy dog or she would also love to be the only dog, soaking up the love. She is untested with cats but she would likely be fine in a home with a dog savvy cat. Miss Marple would do best in a home with no children, but could be fine with older teens if they are quieter and don’t have a lot of friends over visiting. The fast actions and unpredictable approaches of children would be too much for her to handle. This older girl needs a calm and peaceful home with lots of patience and encouragement. She also doesn't yet know how to play and would probably not be of any interest to a child. There shouldn’t be any regular visiting children either in her forever home. We have been working with Miss Marple on getting used to living in a house. She doesn’t mind the tv anymore but reflections in the glass door are still suspicious and sometimes get barked at. She will need to attend basic obedience training so she can learn better manners and to keep her safe(recall). Miss Marple is up to date on her current vaccines and she checked out well at her recent vet visit. She sailed through recovery following her spay surgery. She has also had dental work where she had a broken tooth removed, and lost some rotted teeth , and got a good cleaning. Miss Marple needs someone to love her and she will spend her life devoted to that person or couple. A quiet and moderately active lifestyle will suit her well. She is a loving, happy girl who just wants a home of her own. Name: Miss Marple ID # PDR1346 Age: 8yrs Gender: female Spayed: yes UTD vaccines: yes Breed: ShihTzu Colours: tan and white Coat length: med House trained: almost Special needs: no OK with kids: no OK with cats: yes Ok with dogs: yes Status: adoptable Microchip: yes Size: small Location: Ayr Adoption fee: $700

Meet Holly a sweet 7 year-old Shih Tzu who is learning how to be a dog for the very first time. Used as a breeding mama in a puppy mill, Holly’s life was confined and limited. Now, she’s on a journey to discover what love, trust, and freedom feel like. Holly is understandably nervous and unsure of the world, but she’s making huge strides every day. She’s looking for a calm and patient family who can offer her the time and space she needs to decompress and feel safe. While a home with another dog to show her the ropes would be ideal, it’s not a must. Holly is starting to play with toys and gives her foster mom a tail wag every time she sees her. Though still shy, Holly is very curious and a longing to connect, which shines through in her softer moments and her tail wags. Holly is ready to find her forever home where she can finally experience the love she’s always deserved. If you feel you could be a good match for Holly, please fill out an application for our review.  January 18, 2025, 7:45 am

Ashe aka Ashley   Initially came to us from a GTA shelter when she was found as a stray.  She needed an immediate cystotomy for bladder stones.  Post surgery she's doing great and her foster mom update is below.  She will need to be on a special urinary diet for life so stones don't form again   5 year old spayed female Shih tzu She's very playful and loves to chew and shake her stuffies while cuddling on your lap or running around with them in her mouth. She sleeps through the night on the bed. She goes for a pee in the backyard as soon as we wake up and before going for a walk because sometimes she just can't wait.  She goes out into the backyard between walks to pee just in case. She's a good eater and is fed her specialty Urinary kibble with some canned food.  She walks well on leash and enjoys her walks. She does get overexcited, barks and pulls to see other people on the sidewalk so I try to give her and people more space to help calm her. Sometimes, it seems like she's warning them away but if they stop to say hi, she's so happy. She is also super excited to see other dogs and will become quite vocal and start pulling to approach them. When she says hello to other dogs she's fine, it's just her initial approach that could use some calming down and may not be appreciated by some dogs She can be vocal when she hears sounds and will bark when people come to the door but she's very friendly and greets anyone who comes to visit. She's great in the car and settles quickly. The groomers said she behaved excellently and she is fine with handling. She is respectful with her foster brother, and will take the hint when he won't play with her, although she tries her best to convince him she's a fun gal. She has to go out to pee more often than most dogs due to the urinary food, so would be best for someone who works from home or is retired  January 4, 2025, 9:48 am

Meet Joy, a sweet 6-year-old Shih Tzu who is learning how to be a dog for the very first time. Used as a breeding mama in a puppy mill, Joy’s life was confined and limited. Now, she’s on a journey to discover what love, trust, and freedom feel like. Joy is understandably nervous and unsure of the world, but she’s making small strides every day. She’s looking for a calm and patient family who can offer her the time and space she needs to decompress and feel safe. With her limited past experiences, she’ll need gentle guidance to navigate the basics of dog life—from building trust to developing confidence in daily routines like walking on a leash and feeling comfortable in a home environment. While a home with another dog to show her the ropes would be ideal, it’s not a must—what Joy needs most is love and understanding. Once she bonds with her people, Joy loves to stay close and will even cuddle on your chest if you hold her. She has a gentle and quiet demeanor and enjoys observing the world around her. Though still shy, Joy has a sweet curiosity and a longing to connect, which shines through in her softer moments. Her foster still getting to know her personality, but one thing is clear: Joy is ready to find her forever home where she can finally experience the love she’s always deserved. Could you be the one to bring Joy into your life—and hers? Apply to adopt today. Visit www.teamdogrescue.ca/adoptables.