Candy

Introducing Candy, the gentle soul with a heart as sweet as her name. At five years old, Candy carries with her a story of resilience and grace. She came to Pound Dog Rescue as a breeding mom from a puppy mill and through the love of foster people and the skillful and caring hands at our vet clinic, this happy little lady is ready to take on the world.

This Shih Tzu cutie is the epitome of tranquility and ease. With a demeanor more closely related to a cat than to a dog, Candy loves nothing more than napping close by to wherever her humans are, or sitting in the yard and watching the chickens.  Both hobbies she could do for hours at a time.

Candy navigates through life with a serene presence that is both comforting and endearing.  Although some things in this human world are still foreign, she is always willing to learn and grow and adapt to her world.  Despite the challenges she may have faced in her earlier years, she approaches each day with a gentle spirit and an unwavering sense of contentment.

Candy is 15 lbs and has a good body composition, however, she could stand to gain a bit more muscle to help prevent injuries as she ages.  She has perfectly toasted marshmallow coloured fur that is soft to the touch and the tiniest ears that beg to be gently scratched.  One of her hobbies is finding shiny surfaces to admire her reflection – even she knows how cute she is.

Her laid-back nature makes her the perfect companion for quiet evenings curled up on the couch or leisurely strolls through the park. We’ve yet to see her run at more than a trot and she’s not one for an active play session with her foster siblings or toys.  She finds joy in the simple pleasures of life, whether it’s basking in the warmth of the sun or receiving gentle pets and belly rubs from her humans.  Candy is not one for big city living as the hustle and bustle of a city center would be too much for her.  She needs a low key, relaxed and quiet home environment in which to thrive; rural, small town, or quiet subdivision living will suit her.  

She is perfectly happy to have her foster siblings nearby, and she’s learned a lot from them and their gentle nature, but she’s not afraid to give a little warning grumble if she’s not in the mood to share her bed.  She says she wouldn’t mind being the only pup in the house, or to have a cat or dog sibling that matches her very laid-back speed.

Somehow, this little lady has been excellent in the car from the moment she left the barn.  Happy to sit and watch the world go by, or to fall asleep in her bed in the back, so she’s always game for a road trip if her new family wanted to have a travel buddy.

If the travels don’t include her for the day, she’s more than happy to stay home and curled up in her crate.  She LOVES her crate and often chooses to nap there during the day and not afraid to jump right in as her foster family gets ready for bed.  Don’t be fooled though, she also ADORES morning bed cuddles after breakfast!

Candy hasn’t had much exposure to children in her foster home, but given her nature, older children, over 10yrs of age,  would be fine around her so long as they respect her gentle nature. She is not a dog that will romp or rough house with children or play games of fetch or tug; she likes calm, gentle pets.  An adult only home or one with teens would be ideal for her. 

Her potential adopters need to be aware that she very likely has environmental and/or food allergies that can make her itchy and prone to yeast infections, but we’ve found that limiting chicken from her diet seems to be helping.  Her spay surgery went well, but she had some leaking blood vessels that proved to be a challenge when it came to her healing up afterwards.  So her future vet should be aware of this in case of any other surgeries she may require.

She appears to have several small white circular opacities on her right cornea. They don’t take up stain, so this could either represent a past healed injury to the cornea (ie. a corneal scar), or possibly deposits (fatty or cholesterol), or could represent abnormal corneal cells. For now, it doesn’t appear to affect her vision and the eye is not inflamed at all. The recommendation is to monitor for now, and her future owners will need to keep an eye on this and report any changes to their vet.  Chances are good that now that she has a healthy life things will stay as is and not get any worse. 

Finally, she has some tartar buildup, and appears to have additional teeth in her upper left quadrant. We’re not sure if these represent actual additional permanent teeth or retained deciduous (puppy) teeth. There are no obvious fractured or mobile teeth. Our vet assessed her teeth and she was not in need of a dental at this time.   Chew toys and her current top quality food will go a long way in lessening the tartar build up, which comes from a lifetime in the mill eating low quality food and scraps.   Her future owners should ideally be prepared to do a dental with x-rays within a year or so of her adoption if the tartar doesn’t lessen.  This is normal though for a small, mature dog to require a dental so this is nothing that wouldn’t be required for a dog of her age anyway.  

Aside from some things to watch for and monitor, she’s a healthy little girl.  We’ve only heard her bark once in a vain attempt to get her foster sister to play with her.

Her perfect family or person would be one that has a quiet home, likes having lots of cuddles, being bumped in the back of their calves as a reminder to pay attention to her, enjoys leisurely strolls around town and can be her for a relaxing life.

With her soft fur and gentle eyes, Candy not only brings comfort but also adds a touch of sweetness to every moment she shares with her human companions. As the epitome of arm candy, she is sure to capture hearts wherever she goes, spreading love and joy to all fortunate enough to welcome her into their lives… could she be the Candy Apple of your eye?