Riley
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Riley Has Been Adopted!
Hi everyone! I'm Riley, and I'm a 3-4 year old, smart, lively, curious, funny, very loving and adorable, neutered, male Shih Tzu! My fur was shaved in some of these pictures, but my hair has grown in now and wow, I am super cute! My foster family says I have so many good features like my lively, vivacious personality, my beautiful long fur, my heart-melting eyes and my big, eager smile!
I would really like to live in a high activity household. I like lots of stuff to be going on, and I like to keep an eye on things and be engaged. I love to follow you around pretty much everywhere you go to see what you're doing. I'm what they call a "velcro dog" but not due to anxiety...due to curiosity and interest!
I have lots of energy, and would get bored in a quiet household. I really love chasing my toys, going for walks and running around, and I think swimming would be great! Especially now that it’s summer – we shih tzus are not huge fans of hot weather. When it gets really hot, I don’t always feel up for much, I just want to find a way to cool down!
Also, I am sooooo smart (really and truly, they don’t say this about all the dogs!). I learn tricks and commands fast, and would be fantastic in agility classes. It would be wonderful if I could go to a home that was really interested in training and agility, as I will thrive when my mind is stimulated, and when the hierarchy (you are the leader, I am not the boss!) is quite clear.
So, on that leadership thing…It turns out that I am the kind of dog who is a perfect gentleman and very loving and courteous and respectful when you let me know that you are in charge, but if you give me the impression that I am the “King” by pampering me and giving me everything I want all the time, then I get seriously pushy, rude and nippy! Can you imagine?? I know, hard to believe, but It's true!
Some dogs are fine being treated like little Kings and Queens--it doesn’t go to their head or make them act badly--but I am not one of them. So, I am sorry to say, you can’t let me sleep in your bed, and you can’t moon all over me granting me my every wish. That will end badly for both of us. For me to be the wonderful dog that I am (and I am an amazig little guy!), I need clear rules. I sleep on a dog bed, I “sit” before being petted, I “wait” for a moment or two before I am allowed to eat my meals, I “wait” so that you can go out the door first, etc. If you do these little things throughout the day, I will understand that you are my leader and I will act beautifully. You can still “pamper” me to a degree, but I will have to earn the pampering, not just get it ‘cause I’m so darned cute. So, for instance, if I come over and ask for your attention, you can pet me, but only AFTER you first have me do a trick or a command successfully for you. Make sense?
But just to be clear…though I can get a bit of an ego, I am a total sweetheart and am an absolute love when I am in a house with good leaders. I love everyone, and I am great with cats (I ignore them) and other dogs! I would love to go to a home that has another dog and it would be best if it was a dog that is confident. Just like with people, if I’m able to be the boss, well, I could get carried away. I live with a 65 pound black lab right now and boy do we have fun! She likes to put me in my place, which is fun for her and good for me!
Despite how active and energetic I can be, I am very quiet at night, and sleep soundly in my dog bed near the other dogs. I’m actually pretty quiet in general. So if you think you can handle a super cutie like me who needs some good structure and rules, I promise I will be an unlimited source of amusement, and a truly great friend!
If you think you might like to adopt me, please fill out an online adoption application and live close to Ithaca, Syracuse, Binghamton, or Elmira. We do home visits on every applicant, and can't do home visits where we don't have local volunteers.
