Red chi peanut with issues needs home! [Los Angeles area]

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CFLA
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 12:56 pm

Red chi peanut with issues needs home! [Los Angeles area]

Post by CFLA »

LOS ANGELES AREA-- This is Squirrel, a small red chihuahua with golden eyes. [*PHOTOS AT THE BOTTOM SCROLL DOWN*]

I pulled him from a shelter on Oct 15 to fix him up and privately foster. 8ish months, 5.5 lbs. He is neutered, microchipped and all shots. Friendly with people and dogs, loves to play. Met a few cats, confused but curious. Loves to be held and sleep in your lap like a baby. He rides quietly in the car as long as his bed is high enough to see out, he walks pretty well on a leash now that he's gotten the concept [he was a stray].

He is very active, but has some issues that walk the line of special needs. Maybe special needs "lite"--

-He has separation anxiety, and when I leave him at home in a pen, he shrieks and cries [loudly] almost the entire time I'm gone. Even with my 2 dogs to keep him company. When I work I take him to a friend's house for dogsitting, or he goes to doggie daycare and does fine. I give him dog Xanax but it doesn't seem to do anything. Just picked up new meds to try from the vet, see if that helps. I fostered a dog before that had the same thing, but that dog settled down and grew out of it. Squirrel isn't there yet, not sure if he'll ever grow out of it. I feel that training might really help.

-He has some penis issues. The end seems to stick out a lot sometimes, particularly in the morning after it's been out all night. I dab some ointment on it from the vet a couple of times a day, no biggie. It's a managed thing that takes 2 seconds. He was prone to infections because of it, but I think we've got it under control with a new ointment.

-He has an adorable overbite. It doesn't seem to bother him at all, and he eats fine, but if it starts cutting into the roof of his mouth as he gets older, he may need some dental work. For now, his teeth fit in little grooves and it's not an issue, just something to keep an eye on.

-He has bad knees [grade 3-4 luxating patellas]. One will need surgery for sure, he hops a lot when we go for walks. He is very active and jumps/runs fine, but it's definitely an issue. The vet said that dogs who don't have the surgery will have serious mobility/arthritis problems when older. Since post-surgery, I think he'd be required to crate rest/being still for a while until he heals, it's likely a thing to do when he's a little older and settles, since he's still puppy frisky and runs about.

Aside from that, he is a very sweet little dog who is quiet but a little chatty when he's playing and barks a few times when someone is at the door. He wakes me up every morning to walk over to my head and try to make a nest in my hair.. he usually crawls under the blankets where it's warm and goes back to sleep. He loves to be bundled in blankets and watch movies with you.

Why don't I keep him? Because I already have 2 others in an apt, and one of those is special needs. 3 is too many, and I can't handle 2 special needs long-term, it's a bit of a circus. I pulled him to foster, to fix him up and find a great home. He has really filled out, and is a normal body weight with shiny fur instead of a little skeleton.

Please email me if you are interested-- clfilson@gmail.com . I get a lot of inquiries from people who want a purse dog they can drag around. Nope. I want a responsible home that understands his needs, and is a good fit for everyone. He will do best in a home with older or no children [not bitey, he will eat/swallow toys on the ground and die] and a small youngish dog friend, big dogs will be too rough for his bird bones and he will annoy senior dogs with his playing.
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critters
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Re: Red chi peanut with issues needs home! [Los Angeles area

Post by critters »

Yes, "wonky light" is probably a good term for him! :D

Old Charlie, an ancient, wonky Pommie I had some years ago, dearly loved being toted all around. He was especially fond of riding around in his baby backpack, which let him go loads of places his wonky old heart just couldn't take him. Charlie is the poster child of the diabetes board.
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