Tobey - Adopted

Tobey – An Eight-Year-Old Shih Tzu<br/><br/>Tobey, who weighs twelve pounds and turned eight-years-old this past May, has been with his current owner since puppy-hood and is very well cared for and extremely loved. Unfortunately, Tobey, in certain circumstances, can be unpredictable and his owner, who now has young grandchildren in his home (one living with him and another whom he babysits for) has made the incredibly difficult decision to locate a new home for Tobey.<br/><br/>Tobey is a fun, loving, and affectionate little dog, but he does need an adopter who is accepting of, and understands, some aspects of his behavior and is willing, and committed, to working slowly with him (as he acclimates to his new home, develops a bond with his new person(s), and throughout his future - providing a loving, consistent approach and ensuring that, although he loves people, that they understand how to interact with him (information would be shared by Italian Greyhound Place regarding this, but dog experience/knowledge would be appreciated). An adopter is needed, as the owner stated so well, “who is not going to rush things, but go slow with him on his own terms.” So, what behavior does an adopter need to be accepting of?<br/><br/>Although Tobey has only bitten twice (not his owner), he will bite if “provoked or startled” and does not like to be picked up (his owner is able to lift him, but, again, this should not be rushed, but be a very gradual, non-threatening process so that if Tobey had to be lifted, he would be fine with his adopter doing so. Although this is certainly behavior to be aware of, knowledge of it should be used to create an environment where Tobey is not provoked or startled, and where he can be enjoyed for the “extremely friendly” dog that he is; he actually likes to greet people. As indicated by Tobey’s owner, “He is an absolute sweetheart with me; I play with him and talk to him constantly.”<br/><br/>Tobey needs a new home with a fenced yard. Following a visit to a groomer, he exhibited a strong dislike for collars - the owner does not know what specifically occurred. Since there is a fenced yard at Tobey’s home, it was used for play and exercise and Tobey had not been reintroduced to a collar/leash. However, this week, Tobey’s owner has been putting Tobey’s collar on him and taking him for walks and Tobey is fine with it. However, given that Tobey has only been recently reintroduced to the collar/leash and given his behavior when “provoked,” it is requested that an adopter be able to take Tobey into a fenced area for potty breaks and gradually, taking cues from Tobey<br/><br/>and using positive reinforcement, have Tobey accept them putting his collar and leash on. Tobey does have a current groomer who he does very well with, but if not local to the current groomer, and adopting Tobey, care will need to be taken when choosing a groomer. This guy does fine with the four steps from the deck to the yard at his current home, but doesn’t do well with full sets of stairs.<br/><br/>Someone is usually home with Tobey, so an adopter who works from home or is primarily home would be ideal. When left alone, Tobey stays in his crate, which he loves. He is house trained to potty outside and does not have accidents in his current home. Although not living with another dog, Tobey has been to dog boarding with other dogs, and gets along fine with them. He is not a big barker, barking primarily when he hears the door open, at car lights shining in his living room window, and at trash bags. He does whine and pant when traveling by car, but less so if in his car carrier.<br/><br/>Tobey has so many positive traits, that an adopter truly committed to accepting and working with him will, in turn, have an affectionate dog (he loves to cuddle and get belly rubs) who loves to play and be with his person.<br/><br/>If you are interested in providing Tobey with his forever home, please contact Italian Greyhound Place.<br/><br/>* Please note that some PetFinder Inquiries have not been delivered - if you receive an email indicating this, you can email Italian Greyhound Place directly through the contact email given when you "click on" Start Your Inquiry.

Tobey – An Eight-Year-Old Shih Tzu

Tobey, who weighs twelve pounds and turned eight-years-old this past May, has been with his current owner since puppy-hood and is very well cared for and extremely loved. Unfortunately, Tobey, in certain circumstances, can be unpredictable and his owner, who now has young grandchildren in his home (one living with him and another whom he babysits for) has made the incredibly difficult decision to locate a new home for Tobey.

Tobey is a fun, loving, and affectionate little dog, but he does need an adopter who is accepting of, and understands, some aspects of his behavior and is willing, and committed, to working slowly with him (as he acclimates to his new home, develops a bond with his new person(s), and throughout his future - providing a loving, consistent approach and ensuring that, although he loves people, that they understand how to interact with him (information would be shared by Italian Greyhound Place regarding this, but dog experience/knowledge would be appreci

Tobey – An Eight-Year-Old Shih Tzu

Tobey, who weighs twelve pounds and turned eight-years-old this past May, has been with his current owner since puppy-hood and is very well cared for and extremely loved. Unfortunately, Tobey, in certain circumstances, can be unpredictable and his owner, who now has young grandchildren in his home (one living with him and another whom he babysits for) has made the incredibly difficult decision to locate a new home for Tobey.

Tobey is a fun, loving, and affectionate little dog, but he does need an adopter who is accepting of, and understands, some aspects of his behavior and is willing, and committed, to working slowly with him (as he acclimates to his new home, develops a bond with his new person(s), and throughout his future - providing a loving, consistent approach and ensuring that, although he loves people, that they understand how to interact with him (information would be shared by Italian Greyhound Place regarding this, but dog experience/knowledge would be appreciated). An adopter is needed, as the owner stated so well, “who is not going to rush things, but go slow with him on his own terms.” So, what behavior does an adopter need to be accepting of?

Although Tobey has only bitten twice (not his owner), he will bite if “provoked or startled” and does not like to be picked up (his owner is able to lift him, but, again, this should not be rushed, bu