Steve, a Adoptable mixed breed in Arlington, VA image 1/3

Steve

Young
Male
Large

Golden Retriever
Terrier

About Steve

Arlington, VA

Breed

Golden Retriever&TerrierMix

Physical Traits

Young

(1-3 years)

Male

Large

(61-100 lbs)

Behavior

House-trained: Yes

Health

Spayed/Neutered:

Yes

Vaccinated:

Yes

Steve’s Compatibility

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Steve's Story

Meet Steve! This sweet Retriever Mix boy was found running as a stray with his siblings in Chester, SC, back in June 2025. They were just puppies and were likely abandoned. With patience and kindness, their finders earned their trust and brought them to safety in their backyard. After six months living mostly outdoors, they reached out to our rescue for help finding loving homes for Steve and his sister, Henrietta. The siblings are now in separate foster homes, learning all about life indoors, and both are truly flourishing. Steve has been in his foster home for almost three weeks. At first, he was shy and shut down - home life, everyday noises, collars, and leash walks were all completely new to him. The backyard he lived in for those six months was the only home he had ever known. He is fortunate to be fostered by seasoned foster mom Cindy, who has helped many dogs successfully transition to home life. We are happy to share that Steve already has good house manners, has mastered the doggy door, and has solid leash skills. With practice and exposure, he’s grown more confident on leash and is comfortable walking in neighborhoods as well as on trails. He does well meeting new people and dogs and is a naturally sweet boy. Cindy shared this update: “Steve has really come a long way in a short time. He’s great with our grandkids and lets them pet him when they visit. He doesn’t run from them as he did in the beginning. He’ll come up to me for affection and is still building confidence, but you can tell he wants to connect and really wants to be petted and sit with you on the couch. I think after a few months with a family, he’ll be a completely different dog. He may not be the dog who immediately falls all over you when you first meet him, but once he builds trust, he chooses to be near you. He even waits for me when I come home and gets so excited to see me. For the most part, Steve is a calm, easygoing boy in the home. He truly lights up when he has another dog to play with; outside, he loves to run and play chase. He needs a confident, playful dog to follow and learn from. There isn’t an aggressive bone in his body; you can take away toys, treats, and he’s gentle with the kids.” Steve is a gentle, sweet, submissive soul with a medium energy level. He’s done well with the senior dog in his foster home and visiting family dogs. Because he learns by watching and following other dogs, we believe he would do best in a home with another social, established dog as a role model. Preference will be given to families with another dog in the home. This handsome boy is blossoming more each day and will make a wonderful family dog and loyal companion. Coming to the DC metro area in February, and would prefer he go directly home. Open to foster-to-adopt. Preference will be given to families with another dog in the home. BREED ESTIMATE: Retriever/Terrier mix GENDER: Female APPROXIMATE WEIGHT: 55 lbs APPROXIMATE AGE: ~1 year old COAT TYPE: Scruffy, wiry, medium coat - lower shed ADOPTION FEE: $425 OTHER INFO: UTD on shots/neutered/microchipped LOCATION: Ft. Mill, SC - Coming to the DC metro in mid February FOR MORE INFO OR TO ADOPT: Please go to https://adopt.worthydog.org and complete the application. 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.

Meet Steve!

This sweet Retriever Mix boy was found running as a stray with his siblings in Chester, SC, back in June 2025. They were just puppies and were likely abandoned. With patience and kindness, their finders earned their trust and brought them to safety in their backyard. After six months living mostly outdoors, they reached out to our rescue for help finding loving homes for Steve and his sister, Henrietta. The siblings are now in separate foster homes, learning all about life indoors, and both are truly flourishing.

Steve has been in his foster home for almost three weeks. At first, he was shy and shut down - home life, everyday noises, collars, and leash walks were all completely new to him. The backyard he lived in for those six months was the only home he had ever known.

He is fortunate to be fostered by seasoned foster mom Cindy, who has helped many dogs successfully transition to home life. We are happy to share that Steve already has good house manners, has mastered the doggy door, a

How To Adopt

Steve was listed as Adoptable by Worthy Dog Rescue

How can I adopt Steve?

Click the Start Your Inquiry button, and share some preliminary details with Worthy Dog Rescue. They may then ask for more details or an official application prior to an adoption. If you're a match, they'll reach out with next steps and timing.

How can I find out if Steve is a good fit for me?

Click the "See How You Match" button, answer a few simple questions, and see how you match up! It takes less than a minute to complete. You can also reach out directly to Worthy Dog Rescue for details on the pet.

When can I meet Steve?

If you've submitted an inquiry, Worthy Dog Rescue will review your information and may ask you to fill out an official application. If you're a good fit for Steve, they'll reach out to set up a meeting.

What if I have more questions about the adoption process?

Just reach out directly to Worthy Dog Rescue, and they'll be happy to help!

Worthy Dog Rescue's Adoption Policy

Thank you for considering adoption and choosing to save a dog’s 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

Our Mission

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 these dogs through rescue and rehabilitation, outreach and education in the communitie...