Pierre has been adopted!
Sponsored for the love of all animals in need of a loving home.
Our dear Pierre is such a sweet soul. Pierre is a Bichon mix, approximately 10 years old. He is housetrained, but has had a couple of accidents here in the past 3 months. He did try and hit the pee pad though. Pierre didn’t seem to understand English when he came here from Quebec, so we used a lot of hand signals and he has slowly learned my cues. He is very quiet and laid back in the house, has a few spots he prefers. Outside he is ready and looking for action, folks walking by, another dog, and chases squirrels. He does enjoy to roll around in the grass, having a good scratch. Not a major barker, as he seems to know he doesn’t want to scare anyone off. He would chase cats for sure, so a cat free house is needed. He is good with other dogs, not really interested in play, but no aggression has been seen at all. Pierre was very good at the groomers, he would need grooming about every three months. I do clean his pads from hair every month, as he does get spooked about slippery floors as in hardwood. He doesn’t need a dog bed as he seems to prefer the bare floors. He has only slept in the human bed a few times, as he seems to get too hot. So he seems happier on the floor next to the bed. Pierre does take his time getting to know his humans, so don’t be put off by his aloofness in the beginning. He is a very loving boy once he gets used to you. He does sit next to me in the chair occasionally but he seems to overheat quickly and wants down.
Pierre has his own mind when it comes to listening. You have to use the strong mom voice when trying to get him back indoors, especially in the warmer temps. He has tried to hide to one side and thinks he is invisible, he sure does make me laugh daily with his antics, and I am always smiling to watch him and his personality grow. He does not play with toys much, has no interest, will occasionally play with me and my hands. Pierre does need some work on the leash. He stops about every 30 seconds to sniff and mark. He does need a harness for leash times, to protect his trachea. He is good in the car, quiet and sleeps, but he has barked at the gas station attendant which did surprise me. I don’t allow anyone to put their hands in the car, as we never know what the dog detects or how protective they can be.
When Pierre came into rescue we had no history and he had a thorough check up with our veterinarian including blood work. We were happy to see that overall he is a healthy boy. He did arrive with an eye infection that did take some time to clear up with medication. The vet found that his fur does tend to poke him in the eyes and causes irritation. Using an artificial tears type of medication will help prevent this. Pierre’s mouth was not in good shape and he recently had a dental and a number of extractions.
It was noted that Pierre would cough at times so while under anesthesia for his dental we did have chest X-rays done. Pierre’s heart looks good but like many small breed dogs he does have a narrowing of the trachea and this would account for his coughing. Being intubated for his surgery did irritate the trachea and did cause a temporary worsening of the cough. There was some congestion noted in his lungs at the time of the X-rays as well. Pierre has been on a course of prednisone for this and it has helped. To avoid pressure on his trachea, Pierre should be walked with a harness rather than a collar.
We hope Pierre will find his forever home soon. He deserves the best in care and love to a new family home.
Pierre was lovingly fostered by Brenda
