Courtesy Posting Only

*Please contact owners directly*

My Name is:  Wesley

My FDR# is:  This is a courtesy posting

My age is:  Approximately 4-5 years old

I am a: Dachshund

I am:  Male

I weigh:  13lbs

My colors and markings are: Red, Smooth

Vaccinations: Current

Heartworm: Negative

I have been:  Neutered

I am housetrained:   Yes

I am crate trained:  Yes

I am considered special needs:    Yes

I have these Behavioral Issues:   Please see below

I would do well in a home with children under the age of 8 years old:     

I enjoy the company of other dogs:  Yes

I enjoy the company of cats:  Unknown

My Micro-chip number is:   No microchip

My adoption fee is:   Courtesy listing, please contact family directly.

How to contact my current owners:  Alison, Alison.henault@gmail.com, (401) 447-5512

BIO:

We adopted Wesley in February 2013. He was found roaming around South Kingstown and was believed to be abandoned by his previous owners. The first day we met him his tail wagged and he rolled on his back allowing us to rub his belly. He came home with us and interacted fine right away with our other two miniature dachshunds that are around the same age.

He took a while to go outside on his own because of his fear of not being let back in. Over time he gained the confidence to go out in the fenced in yard and enjoy the sun. He is still the first one back at the door when he is done with his business.

He loves his crate and does not mess in it. He stays in the crate when left alone as well as sleeping in it at night. He has slept in the bed as well but tends to go to the foot of the bed where there is more room-at times getting stuck in the duvet cover from burrowing.

He does not chew furniture, loves dog toys especially the yellow Nyla bones and his Kong (when there is peanut butter or a treat inside). He needs to learn to trust you when he is chewing his toys however-he does not like when they are taken from his mouth, therefore is not the best option for a person with small children.

Wesley inhales his food. When fed, he does growl when you are too close for his liking when he eats. We have worked on this with him where we put the food down, then pet him getting closer to the head/ears/nose each time. He has improved a great deal since day 1. Wesley gets fed a heaping ¼ cup of dry food with a teaspoon of wet twice a day. He does not eat at specific times, just once in the morning and once at night. He needs to be kept on a strict diet like this as the breed should not get overweight-this causes health issues.

There should be nothing on the floor for Wes to gain access to that you do not want him to have or that will be harmful to him. He will eat anything and has eaten his share of bizarre things. (Bubble gum, fondant, cupcakes) He was not medically treated for any of these which leads us to believe he has an iron stomach. He will occasionally grab socks and run under the bed barking/growling-the best way to handle these situations we have found is to shut off the lights and shut the door-he does not like to be alone and will come out wondering where you went.

Wesley has had his share of health issues this year but is on the mend. In June he ruptured a disc in his back and was treated with back surgery at Ocean State Vet Hospital. He has full use of his back legs and tail (better than when we first adopted him, which leads us to believe it was a pre-existing issue that just escalated one day causing the rupture). He is currently being treated for a ruptured anal gland. We will be taking care of this prior to the placement/adoption unless responsibility is willing to be taken by the adoptee. He currently seeks Vet care at Washington County Hospital, we would prefer that he continue with this Vet due to his medical records and familiarity with the staff, however as long as you have a trusted Vet we are fine with alternative care. He does need the muzzle when he goes to the vet.

Wesley just wants to be your shadow. He does not like being in the house and not being in the same room as you-he whines when he misses you. He needs companionship and above all, someone to be patient with him. He responds best when you are calm with him, as using loud yelling and physical contact (tapping his bum/nose ect.) gets him riled up and does not stop the behavior. We have been using a small dog beep/low zap collar which he responds well to. We have been using the beep option with the “No” command, if that is ignored we beep with a “No” again, then if still ignored, we use the low zap with the “No” command and he gets the point.

His energy is not over the top-though if you want to rile him up he will bark and play-just know he won’t calm down in a split second. He doesn’t need much space for exercise as he is a tiny little guy with short legs. When brought on walks he is fine with the harness but does like to bark at people passing by-we have not used the correctional collar when walking but I am sure this will help. He will run a lap or two around the back yard then he will be back at the door to come in.

Wesley needs to go to a home preferably with no kids, or at least with older kids who understand patience and how to treat a dog. He needs someone who will be patient, and calm with him. He is fine with other dogs but does need lots of attention. He just likes to be next to you when he is chewing his bone. If you are watching TV, he wants to be by your side with one of his stubby arms on your leg so he knows you’re there. He likes to give kisses but is not overly slobbery with them. He needed to learn to trust us, and will likely need time to learn to trust you. He has come a long, long way since day one and is tuning up to be a sweetheart. With two other dogs who are more independent and a baby on the way-we are unable to provide the attention that Wesley needs, and deserves. It breaks our hearts to even entertain the idea of placing him in another home with everything he’s been through in his short life already. We want to meet you and ensure that you are the right fit for this love bug. He will not be given to just anyone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------