As sweet as her name – allow us to introduce Taffy!

Taffy is a 5 year old breeder surrender shih tzu.  She had some beautiful babies, but that part of her life is behind her.  It is her time now! Taffy is the color of caramelized sugar with a black mask on her face. She was a very timid & skittish girl when she came into rescue but has gained so much confidence in her foster home!

Taffy has learned how to play and is beginning to run and play chase with the other dogs in her foster home outside.  She is not on the sidelines just watching anymore. She loves the small, squeaky soft toys!  If they are small enough, she will carry them around in her mouth & sometimes tosses them into the air. Taffy LOVES to eat!  She dances and will bark with joy.  In fact, eating and getting ready to go outside is really the only time she barks.  She is constantly paying attention to everything that is happening around her – she doesn’t miss a trick! - but she rarely contributes to any of the “group barking”. 

She is doing great with her housebreaking.  Her foster mom works, so potty pads are available for all the dogs.  Sometimes we are 100% on point with potty pads, and then sometimes she pees right next to the pad.  It is a work in progress still.  She knows to go potty outside and will bark in the morning to go outside – there is no hitting the snooze bar if Taffy has to go potty!  She knows she needs to potty outside before she can play outside.  In her previous life, she never had to be bathroom trained, so this is all new to her.  Please be patient with her if she has accidents when she arrives in her new home.  She is a very smart girl and is so proud when she gets something right.  Please give her the grace to learn and the opportunity to be successful.

She is doing super with her leash training!  She will still glance back to make sure her person is right there, but she is catching on quickly.  Once she begins to walk with her forever family and builds her trust & confidence, she will be an expert.

Taffy is not interested in getting up on the furniture or sleeping in the big bed at night.  She may progress to that point, but currently she just wants her dog bed on the floor.  She wants to be part of the family, part of the action.  But she controls her participation in it.  She does a lot of watching and learning.  There is so much going on behind those big brown eyes.  Taffy has started coming forward for pets and treats.  A scratch under the chin is preferable to a pat on the head.  It is all progress.

She will allow herself to be picked up (even though she may back up or “pancake” when you reach for her) and does enjoy being brushed.  She may be stiff at first, but will soon relax into the touching.  This is a huge success – when she first arrived, if she was being held she was completely rigid and her entire body shook until she was released back to the floor.  With patience and bravery, she has learned that human touch can be very enjoyable.

Taffy would not do well in a home with small children.  They move quickly and can be loud – this would be too stressful for her.  Taffy will need another confident dog in the home for companionship and to teach her how to be a house pet, to teach her “how to dog”.  She will follow their lead and learn from their behaviors, allowing her to gain her own confidence and blossom into the gorgeous dog she was meant to be.  Taffy has not been tested with cats.

Taffy is a shih tzu and this breed has hair, not fur.  This breed of dog requires regular grooming to keep her coat healthy & in good condition.  She has been groomed several times since coming into rescue and she does well.  She feels great and looks fabulous afterwards, so she knows the initial nervousness she feels at the start of her groom is worth it.  Please be aware of the grooming costs that will be part of Taffy’s maintenance requirements.

Taffy’s previous life did not afford her many luxuries and she had very limited human contact.  It was not easy, but in spite of this she is a very loving girl – deserving of that same level of love in return.  She is standing on the brink of so much promise and hope, brand new joy and exciting experiences…her forever family will be sitting ringside as all of these magnificent things unfold for her – what an amazing & fulfilling experience that will be! 

Taffy is spayed, up to date with vaccines, microchipped, flea/worm treated and tested neg. for heartworm.  Her adoption fee is $450