Maddie

Age:  11 years old 
Weight:  6 lbs.
Location:  Milton, ON.
Adoption Donation:  $450

Meet Ms. Maddie

Maddie is a sweet, affectionate, blind senior girl (around 12 years old). She may take a little longer to trust new people, but once she feels safe, she loves being close to her people. Her favorite place to be is curled up beside you.

Due to her vision loss, Maddie’s foster mom has been working on clear voice commands such as “careful” and “stop,” along with scent training to help her navigate her surroundings. She thrives with a slow, gentle approach and needs verbal cues before being handled, such as saying “up” before picking her up or “down” before placing her on the ground. These simple routines help her feel safe and trusting.

Maddie is a gentle soul who can be comfortably handled, including having her paws, ears, and body touched when approached calmly. While baths aren’t her favorite activity, she tolerates them. She is working hard to gain confidence with new experiences.

Although Maddie currently lives with two senior Chihuahuas, her needs have changed over time. Because she cannot see, she can become startled when other dogs approach and has become increasingly protective of her people and personal space. For this reason, Maddie must be the only dog in a calm, predictable home. She has not been tested with cats.

Maddie has made tremendous progress in foster care. Loud noises, barking dogs, unfamiliar sounds, and unexpected touch can still startle her, but her confidence continues to grow every day. For her safety, she stays in a playpen at night or whenever she cannot be supervised. She loves spending time exploring the backyard and has become much braver since arriving in foster care. A securely fenced yard where she can safely sniff and explore would be her dream. Maddie enjoys short walks and will walk on leash with encouragement, although she prefers to follow her nose!

Her foster family takes Maddie outside for regular potty breaks throughout the day. While she sleeps through the night without accidents, she continues to work on her housetraining, as her blindness makes it difficult for her to locate a pee pad consistently.

Because of her blindness, Maddie cannot safely navigate stairs. She may attempt to use them without realizing the danger, so her future home should limit her access to stairs. She willingly enters and exits her playpen and sleeps happily there each night.

Medical & Care Notes

Maddie has been diagnosed with luxating patellas in both rear legs.

Over the past several weeks, she has lost weight, built muscle through gentle daily exercise, and started a daily joint supplement. These changes have made a noticeable improvement in her mobility and comfort. Her future family should continue helping her maintain a healthy weight and good muscle tone through mild exercise and diet.

Maddie has mature cataracts in both eyes and is completely blind. Because she cannot see, new experiences and unexpected touch can sometimes be frightening. She also requires daily eye gel to manage dry eyes.

Maddie recently underwent dental surgery and had her remaining teeth removed. As a result, she eats only soft food and soft treats.

If you’re looking for a loyal, loving chi who simply wants to be by your side, Ms. Maddie may be the perfect addition to your family.