Meet Ripley—a 4-years-young male Shih Tzu with a big personality and an even bigger heart! Ripley came to us when his beloved senior owner could no longer care for him. Since then, he's been showing us just how special he is. This sweet boy is loving, cuddly, playful, and thrives on companionship. He enjoys regular daily walks, zoomies with dog friends, and interactive games, especially if treats are involved as he's very food motivated! Ripley loves other dogs and would do best in a home with a playful canine companion or in a family where he will have the opportunity to socialize often (but not at dog parks). He is housetrained, crate trained, and settles nicely into a routine once he adapts to his new people and environment. While he can be a bit vocal and has some mild separation anxiety, he feels much more secure when crated while left alone. Ripley is truly a "won the dog lottery" kind of pup, full of love, personality, and joy. He’s ready to give his whole heart to the right family.
Ideal Home
Ripley is best suited to a detached home due to his vocal nature, so apartments or attached housing are not ideal. He would thrive in a household where someone is home often to provide the attention, structure, and affection he loves and deserves. He is not suitable for homes with cats or small animals. Due to his life expectancy of 18+ years, he is not a suitable match for seniors over 65. Our goal is to ensure he never has to face rehoming again and can enjoy a stable, lifelong home.
Ongoing Health
Ripley is fully vetted—up to date on vaccinations, neutered, microchipped, and his bloodwork is excellent, including a negative 4Dx test and he is current on flea/tick/heartworm prevention. He was recently groomed and is scheduled for a dental on May 5th. He’ll be ready to head home once he finds his perfect match!
Training & Support
Ripley has good leash manners but would benefit from more training. He is still learning basic commands as he had no prior structure or training in his previous home.
Application Details:
- Applications start by contacting us through Wags.
- Commitment to approved, positive reinforcement training classes is required.
- Inground pools must be fully fenced (no exceptions).
- No dog doors—we believe in fully supervised outdoor time for all dogs.
- Before submitting an application, please thoroughly review the dog's entire profile. Each of our rescues has unique needs, and we prioritize matching them with families that meet the specific criteria outlined for their "ideal forever home."
- An approved adoption application is required prior to scheduling any meetings.
Transportation
Ripley is currently in a foster home in St. Jacobs.
