Itsy

This is sweet little Itsy, an adorable 5-year old red Mini Poodle weighing at around 13.5 pounds.   Itsy was rescued from a puppy mill and had little to no socialization prior to being rescued with no chance at enjoying the comfort and safety of a home. She is a calm and timid dog and has been slowly building trust and confidence while in her foster home. 

Itsy is discovering the comfort of a safe space especially her new favourite spot, the sofa! She now quickly gets herself comfy for her snoozes while I work or get busy around the house. She happily just supervises from there. She enjoys getting pet and will give you little Thank-you licks. She also enjoys relaxing while we watch that strange talking box called TV. She loves belly rubs and long naps. She hasn’t play much with toys so far but if any, she likes the squeaky soft ones. She will lick them to soothe herself. Loud noises and fast movements still tend to startle her so a calm and quiet environment will suit her best. If you move around the house, out of her sight, she will either stay calmly on the sofa or very quietly activate her stealth mode and follow you to check what you are doing. Once she knows all is good, she will run back to the beloved sofa to continue her snoozing activities. 

Itsy also discovered the backyard and how wonderful it is to just lie down in the sun, roll in the grass and sniff around. She is her usual calm self and does not bark. She is also a very dedicated yard work partner and will either sit or lie down close by to support you while you do all the manual work. She has met the local wild bunny resident and was very intrigued but quietly just shared her space with him. A house with a fenced backyard would suit her well. 

Itsy was switched to a dry kibble diet and is more comfortable being left alone to eat (either inside or outside her crate). She is a good eater and is slowly learning to also accept treats as she seems to have no prior knowledge of these. She has no possessive issues around food or toys. 

For house training, Itsy is being taken out every few hours as she will not give you signs that she needs to go. She seems to have been used to holding it for a long time so unless she really needs to go, when she is out in the backyard, she likes to smell around and take her time circling a number of times before doing anything. She does happy little run circles once she is done. She is still suspicious of doors for some reasons so it might take her a bit of time to go out and back in. It helps to put her in front of it. 

Itsy has had a bit of a challenging time with being crated and it is still a work in progress. She has adjusted very well to being in it at night and now settles in quietly with the crate in the bedroom. She is quiet all night and will wait for you to get up and let her out in the morning. She is also doing very well in it while going on car rides. She just sits in it quietly, looking around. During the day, she mostly sleeps on the sofa. If she is put in the crate, she will be quiet as long as you are around but might scratch a bit to show her discontent. If leaving the house and she is alone, this is actually the only time she will bark. Because of this, a detached house is needed for her so that noise isn’t an issue for neighbours. She will also require a home where someone is home more than away, she will not be suited to a home where her people are gone for a full word day.

For leashed walks, Itsy was initially quite scared of the outside world but has been getting more confident each day and has made great progress leash-walking outside, pushing her comfort zone. She is now going on short walks and we are expanding the circle further in the neighbourhood each time. She is a smart little lady so will benefit from doggie classes to also help her open up and conquer any fear holding her back from her full potential. She is not treat motivated and instead needs to get a lot of positive reinforcement. 

Itsy is a very sweet and calm dog and has not been showing any sign of aggression towards other dogs. She has been around several other small dogs and was quite curious about them with lots of sniffing around on each side. She might enjoy having a dog companion to follow along. She has not been around cats but seeing her sweet and calm nature, I don’t think it should be a problem. And she has not been around children but a quiet environment with kids 15 or older would be best for her.  An adult only, quiet and calm home is her ideal fit.

She has been great during her vet visits. Itsy is her usual calm self. She is fully vaccinated, was spayed and has recovered really well. She also recently had dental surgery during which she lost quite a few teeth, somehow making her even cuter than before. She has been quite the little trooper.  Itsy being a mini poodle, she will need professional grooming every few months. She has been very good with getting baths and seems to enjoy soft gentle brushing. 

Itsy is a pure joy to have around. She is such a sweet calm little lady who just wants to feel safe and be loved. She deserves to live her best life.