June 20, 2017 : Adopted

Hillary found her way to CCRT after being picked up as a stray and spending some time at a shelter.  She has been spayed, had a hernia repaired and a dental cleaning and now feels great!  She is almost hairless, which seems to be simply her genetic make-up and not the result of any underlying illness.  If you love Chihuahuas and don’t love shedding, Hillary is your girl.  This special girl has a unique attribute in addition to her unique look – she has an extra toe on each of her four paws!

It appears that Hillary was accustomed to living in a home as she sleeps in bed with her foster parents and loves to cuddle.  She does not use her doggy bed to rest nor sleep but prefers the human beds and sofas to rest, lounge and sleep.  Hillary is needy in that she requires extensive cuddle time with her foster parents and loves nothing more than following the humans around the house, being close by and simply observing them and the goings on, and curling up and napping on her human’s lap.  Lucky for Hillary, she has unusually long legs and can jump quite high, so jumping up onto sofas, beds, and laps poses no problem for her!  However, she is also able to jump up onto coffee tables, chairs and benches.  This unassuming looking gal has proven herself to be a sneaky devil.  If you leave food out and turn your back for a split second without first remembering to tuck in your chair, just like magic – it disappears.  She is proficient at snatching and running!

As Hillary enjoys the company of humans so very much, if her family leaves her alone at home, she will whimper and cry as she does have some separation anxiety.  Ideally, Hillary’s furever family will have at least one member who is home most of the day.  Barking is not an issue save for loud, sudden noises or the door bell/knocking.

Hillary is house trained to a certain extent.  She will use a pee pad reliably for peeing but unreliably for “number 2”.  She has pooped on carpets and even in her doggy bed so house training is still a work in progress and will require patience and consistency as well as a regular walking schedule.  This is one more reason that her new family should have at least one member who is home most of the day.  Her best shot at house training success will require constant supervision initially, as well as a regular and consistent walking schedule always.  Her foster home has a backyard but at this time, Hillary does not give any indication that she needs to be let out.  When she is successful at pooping outdoors, it is when her foster parents take her for walks.

Hillary is a good leash walker, however, she is fearful of strangers.  When startled, Hillary will react defensively, barking and growling but will settle with a quick correction.  She is protective of her foster parents and will growl and warn humans and dogs alike if she believes them to be in danger.  For this reason, it is recommended that Hillary NOT be exposed to small children or anyone who may be unpredictable in their approach to her.  Fast movements, quick hands, and grabbing must be avoided so this little girl (6 lbs) isn’t startled.  Hillary will ignore other animals but large dogs strike fear in her and she will bark her fiercest bark, growl, and snarl in an attempt to dominate and control when confronted with a large dog.  That being said, Hillary is easily snapped back into calmness with a little, gentle correction.

Car rides are a bit of a challenge as Hillary whimpers and cries if she is left alone, out of arms’ reach of her foster parents.  She is comforted by human touch.  Her foster parents are working on getting Hillary more confident outside of human arms.  They are also working diligently on discouraging negative behaviour while reinforcing her good behaviour.  Her furever family must be dedicated to doing the same for her.  She is a very loving, loyal, cuddle-bug who is also very bright and food-motivated, which certainly helps when it comes to training!

If you would like to adopt this cuddle-bug, please fill out an adoption application for her. You can also purchase a sweater and/or blanket for Hillary, or any of our other foster dogs.  Please consider becoming a CCRT Sponsorship Angel for any of our fosters, by making a donation towards their care.

Age: about 4 yo
Weight:  7lbs
Location: Woodbridge Ontario
Adoption donation: $400