Jax has been adopted!
Sponsored by Toba, in honour of Riley, Toby and Penny. Every furbaby deserves a loving home and happiness.
Jax is all puppy! A lively, black Yorkshire Terrier, he is smaller than his pictures indicate and is a ball of energy. At eight months of age, he has done most of his growing and weighs only 3 kg. Like all puppies, he will need a family who is committed to some initial ‘tough love’.
On January 8, his severely broken leg resulted in an owner surrender to a Laval, Quebec shelter. They subsequently reached out to our rescue in an effort to save his leg. Two days later, Dr. Justin Levy of Thornbury Animal Hospital did a remarkable surgery and Jax has now been medically cleared for all normal activity. Jax is a success story that Save Me is very proud of!
Now that he is feeling better, Jax is showing his true terrier-self and he suffers from severe ‘cuteness”! He is most affectionate and loves to cuddle when made to sit still. He has a number of remaining baby teeth and mouths everything. He loves to gnaw on sticks, bones and toys but thankfully so far has left shoes and furniture alone. He has not shown any signs of aggression. He will need oversight and redirection with reminders of what he can and cannot chew on. A new family will have to be willing to remove and clear items from the floor that are valuable or dangerous for a small dog (including houseplants). Ingesting or choking are always concerns. Jax’s puppy behaviour and energy will have to be channeled in a positive way.
Not completely house trained, he has gone backwards since his injury and is wearing a belly band when not supervised. Jax’s lengthy convalescence required 24/7 attention and his need to be keep completely quiet was a challenge. However, he is a great sleeper and has no trouble when asked to enter his small kennel for the night and sleeps until someone in the house stirs.
Along with his initial medical interventions, Jax was neutered and will not need further vaccines under his first birthday. He is still on puppy chow and eats three small meals a day. He is not food protective. He needs encouragement to drink and warm water is sometimes added to his food. He behaves well for a bath and like most small dogs, is not crazy about having his nails trimmed. Jax will require daily brushing to prevent matting and cleaning of his eyes which is common for his breed. Regular grooming is also necessary since both coat and nails grow rapidly. Scooting could indicate impaction of anal glands and must be addressed as needed.
His breed can tend to be barky but his vocalization can be stopped with direction. Jax is very alert and aware of his surroundings. His excellent hearing can result in barking in reaction to sounds outside. This will need continued work to reduce barking through prevention (distraction before the stressor is noticed) and correction (firm voice ‘no’). Jax responds well to lots of praise.
Jax is learning his commands, especially when treats are involved! He is very smart. ‘Sit’ and ‘down’ are well mastered but he ‘comes’ inconsistently. He loves to play and tosses things into the air. Walks are new for him and he still needs lots of instruction. A harness is used since collars put too much pressure on his throat. He is very strong for such a little dog and does not appear to be afraid of traffic. When loose in the backyard, he will run uncontrollably and given the opportunity could be an excellent escape artist. Jax is not crazy about being confined to his x-pen but is getting better at it. Although not a shadow puppy, he does not like to be left alone.
He travels well by car but should be crated or seat belted when driving alone since he does too much jumping inside a car. He will settle and is calm on a passenger’s lap. Covid has not allowed for many encounters with other dogs but he has done well with those he has met. Jax is overly exuberant when meeting new people and he will need some work on his greeting skills. He is untested with children and cats.
Jax will need training work to help him control his impulses and understand what’s expected of him. A consistent routine and calm household will meet his needs. Being so small, he could prove to be a tripping hazard for older folk. He may be well suited to share a new home with another dog who could be a behaviour role model.
This little one Is going to require a great deal of time and energy but with the right kind of special family who provides structure, consistency and positive reinforcement, he will undoubtedly be a perfect pet!
Lovingly fostered by Jenny and George
Adoption Requirements:
• Previous dog experience, ideally small dog breeds
• Dedicated to physical exercise and mental stimulation
• Commitment to education using positive reinforcement techniques, providing structure, rules and boundaries
• Detached home where barking will not compromise his living arrangement
• Fully fenced, secure yard to run off energy
• Jax may do well with a fur sibling(s)
• Adopter must provide proof of training registration to the rescue within two weeks of adoption
Jax was lovingly fostered by Jenny
