Maurice has been adopted!
Sponsored in Memory of Bailey, who deserved better.
Maurice is a very special little guy. He’s gentle and sweet and loves to be surrounded by his dog friends and foster family.
He came to us at about 3 1/2 months of age, with a heart condition called Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA). This is a heart defect that occurs when the ductus arteriosus does not close after birth. When Maurice was 6 months old, he had heart surgery at OVC to repair this issue. He has fully recovered from surgery and is expected to live a completely normal life. Maurice also has luxating patella in both hind legs. This means his kneecaps shift in and out of place. It is not an uncommon condition for small dogs and due to his size and body weight, surgery is not suggested. Maurice’s adult teeth are still coming in, so an adopter should continue to monitor this as well.
Maurice will need another friendly well balanced dog in his forever home. During his time in our care, he is constantly with the other dogs. He loves to play with his 10 month old foster sister and follows her around. He’s not a fan of being alone and does much better when he has another dog (or dogs) with him. To keep him well balanced and social, we will be seeking a home with another companion dog for Maurice to spend his time with. Preferably a smaller sized dog as Maurice is so tiny.
This sweet little guy is fairly quiet, but does bark if others are barking or with excitement when we first come home. He is crated at night, beside another dog in the home and happily jumps in and settles. He can be a picky eater and will be a dog that would prefer to graze throughout the day. He has a nervous side in new situations, his reaction is a shaky shyness which he is usually quick to over come. He’s cuddly and would gladly spend all day on your lap if you let him.
Maurice is still young and we are still working on house training. He does know to do his business when he’s taken outside. However, due to his small size, when he’s active in the home, he doesn’t seem to be able to hold it for long periods. Typically his crate is kept clean over night, provided it’s 7 hours or less. Pee-pad training may be an option for his adopters, but as with any puppy, he will need to learn and be given a good routine.
Maurice is ready to find his forever family. We are seeking a family with an existing dog(s), experience with house training small breed dogs and a family that will encourage him to be brave and independent. We expect a large number of applications for Maurice and appreciate your patience as we make our way through them.
