Sugar Maltese Union Grove, WI

Sugar is a 9 year old Maltese and spent her entire life as a breeding machine in a puppy mill. As a result she is fearful of humans, terrified of strangers, frightened by loud noises and quick movements. She has however, come a long way towards socialization. Sugar knows her name. That being said she is still working on coming when she's called.

Sugar is a very smart little girl which might be a reason why she can be stubborn. She'll look at you when you call her name but will only come to you if it suits her. Sugar is very treat motivated. If she knows you have a treat she will come over right away every time you call her.

Sugar is working on her potty training. Again, here's where her stubborn streak shows. She knows she's supposed to potty outside but if it's too cold, too wet, too sunny, too dark, too whatever she will choose to potty inside. She knows what a pee pad is for and will use them if she's in the mood. Otherwise she will either pee right next to the pad or pee wherever the mood strikes her.

Sugar LOVES toys and will hoard them by loading them in her crate. This brings me to another subject. The crate. Because Sugar was a mill dog she is never locked in her crate. Being locked in a crate gives Sugar great anxiety and she will bark incessantly. The door is always open allowing her to come and go as she pleases.

Crate potty training is not an option. Because Sugar lived 24/7 in a cage she has no problem going potty in her crate and then walking, rolling and laying in the mess. Because of anxiety and stress of being kenneled Sugar will shred a pee pad placed in the crate with her. Sugar has tasted freedom and refuses to give it up.

Sugar knows the doggie doors and loves going in and outside as she pleases during the day. She is living with multiple dogs of multiple sizes and gets along well with them all.
I have no idea how she would get along with cats or other pets.

If it seems like I'm showing Sugar in a bad light that is not my intention. I just want anyone interested in adopting Sugar to understand she is not a normal dog with normal responses to normal situations. Sugar is a puppy mill survivor and as such she will need extra patience, extra love and extra time to decompress and open up. She will need someone who is home more often than not. She needs someone who will allow her to remain unkenneled if left alone.

Because of her fear and small size Sugar needs a home with no small children and no medium or large dogs. .

Sugar is a flight risk so she needs a yard with a physical fence. ABSOLUTELY NO ELECTRIC FENCES!

Because I will take Sugar back if the placement doesn't work out only homes within a 100 mile radius of Rockford IL will be considered.
If you can meet all of the requirements above and feel you would like to adopt Sugar go to www.tinypawssmalldogrescue.org and fill out an online adoption application. Sugar's adoption fee is $350.00


Any questions, please contact my foster mom at : kmehalko@att.net