Buddy and Julie have been adopted!
Sponsored in celebration of our new granddaughter, Sophie Mae.
Buddy and Julie are an adorable duo of bonded seniors who are in need of a loving home to spend the rest of their years in happiness and comfort! Both are former puppy mill rescues who have had far too many changes of late. It is thought that Buddy was adopted in 2015 and Julie joined him in 2017. Sadly, their mama recently passed away and their papa doesn’t remember them anymore. Surrendered by a loving family, the hope is that these pups stay together.
Like all Shitzus, they are friendly and affectionate. Julie’s only wish is a warm lap and Buddy lives for lots of pets and cuddles. Both are enthusiastic tail waggers! Of course, grooming will be part of their routine, with daily brushing required as their coats grow longer. With practice, they have become much better at walking together. From photos, it appears they are of similar size and colouring, but Buddy is almost twice Julie’s size and the “little sausage” has been on a diet to no avail. Julie is a “pirate princess” because her right eye was removed at some time in the past. She seems to have adapted well but is somewhat afraid when picked up.
Both Julie and Buddy have been vetted, received updated vaccines and preventatives (heartworm, flea, tick). They are spayed and neutered. They have never been crated and are house trained, pee pads having been used sometimes in the past. Both are not interested in treats or toys but can be quite playful together, running and chasing in the yard. Buddy and Julie don’t bark very often and are fine to be left alone at home in a confined space. They are good sleepers. Neither are cooperative with mouth care. They are agile on stairs but Julie’s energy level is lower than Buddy’s.
Shortly after joining Save Me, eleven-year-old, Julie was found to have a mammary tumour and had surgery. The tumour was successfully removed and the margins were clear. This was found to be a very low-grade type of malignancy and the report states that there is a 7% chance of recurrence and as we like to look at it – a 93% chance that the surgery was curative. The histology report is available to potential adopters.
Julie also needed a dental and it was discovered she had a number of retained roots that had made her jaw unstable. During the extraction of a very diseased tooth, her jaw did sustain a fracture. She recently saw the veterinarian for a re-check and had x-rays to assess how her jaw is healing. Dr. Montgomery was thrilled with her progress and her mandible is now stable. She is presently eating softened kibble and can transition to semi-dry however soft food will always be best. Julie is now allowed to play with stuffies if she wants. Julie should never be given any hard toys (such as antlers, bone-like toys) or very hard treats. This shouldn’t be a problem since she shows no interest in either toys or treats.
The pups are fed at the same time, twice daily but in separate areas since Julie will devour whatever Buddy refuses to eat. She is the one that should be the sausage! Initially, Julie was scratching a great deal but a prescription for Apoquel has solved that problem completely. This medication will likely be required during the warm months for seasonal allergies.
Buddy loves to be outdoors, whereas his sister would rather nap in the sunroom. He acts like a dog much younger than his thirteen years. His hearing is excellent and is foster mom’s first dog to actually “come” when called. He appears very healthy. While in the puppy mill, he had a leg injury that was not properly addressed. It did heal and does not appear to cause him any issues. You would never know it, but Buddy is an extremely picky eater and is not crazy about hard kibble. His “doe eyes” during mealtime gives away the fact that he was likely served “people food” for a long time (thus his tummy)!
This sweet pair would pull at anyone’s heart strings. A quiet home with at-home folks would perhaps best suit their future needs. A fenced yard is not a requirement but regular exercise is. Like their breed, they will need several professional groomings per year.
