Adopted: Toby

Hello, future family! My name is Toby, and I’m a snuggly, affectionate, sweet companion with so much love to give!

Quick Facts:

  • Breed: Toy Poodle
  • Gender: Male (Neutered)
  • Age: 10 years young (fit as a fiddle! Many more years left in me!)
  • Size: 6 pounds
  • Good with…
    • Dogs? Yes!
    • Cats? Yes!
    • Kids? 8+ years

History

I came from a small shelter in rural Kentucky that was bursting at the seams with down-on-their-luck dogs like me. No one knows anything about me and I’m not sharing my secrets. I was found as a stray, but someone must have loved me once since I am so friendly. Plus, at my size, you don’t get to be 10 years old without a little help. Thing is, I must’ve lost my family a long time ago or they decided to stop taking care of me because when I was found, it was obvious I hadn’t been groomed in a long time. My handsome coat was filthy, matted, and full of fleas, and my nails were overgrown (I was also underweight). I had to be completely shaved, but I feel better now. In fact, everyone who meets me says that I am the happiest little blind dog they’ve ever met. And it’s true. I don’t growl or snap or bite. I just keep on keeping on and Santa’s helpers were kind enough to get me on a transport to New York just before Christmas!

Personality

I’m one of the smallest pups you’ve ever seen, but I have a huge heart and a wise old soul. I am blind, and no one knows how long I’ve been without vision. It’s also unclear whether I see any shadows or light, but it doesn’t matter. I have keen senses and a spunky personality, and from the day I came to my foster family, I’ve been navigating their house like I’ve been here for years! I move cautiously at first and not usually very fast, but watch where you step because where you are is where I want to be. I can hop on and off some couches and chairs by myself, even if it takes me a few tries. I never mind having a little help, but know that I will always first try to do it all by myself! I’ve been small forever and I’m used to it!

What surprises my foster family is how I don’t seem to have what they call “small dog syndrome.” I am not territorial about my beds or my food. I like to be held and carried, but I haven’t gotten territorial with the other dogs or other people about the human attention either. I want to be everyone’s friend! I just take each day as it comes, living and loving to my heart’s desire.

I move beds! Sometimes it’s by accident, but sometimes not. I have a knack for finding comfy, soft places to lie down, but if it feels a little far from where you’re sitting, I’ll pull it with my front legs so that it’s closer to your chair. I’ll share a bed with your other dog friends if they’ll let me. I’m not super playful with the young dogs here because I’m not as fast and spry as they are, but I can’t help myself sometimes and try to get in on the action.

I may not be able to see stuff, but I sure can hear stuff! The dogs a few houses down the street are outside a lot and they are always talking! I’ll try to talk back at them from inside my house. Maybe they’re interested in what I have to say! My bark doesn’t sound much like any bark you’ve ever heard, though. It’s more like a “chhhhhufff” or a quick “gruffff.” In fact, my foster mom thought I was sneezing the first time she heard me bark! When I get REALLY into the bark, it sounds a little like a “honk” or like I’m a small dog who’s been yelling at a concert all night and is losing his voice! My foster brothers bark when the mail carrier comes, sometimes when car doors shut, and always when someone’s about to come home. I’ve decided it’s fun to chime in!

Mostly, I want to sit in your lap or beside you while you type or read or watch TV. I’ll happily lay on a bed on the floor next to you if you can’t have me on you. When I’m up and about wandering, I realize how often I have to pee! My bladder is very, very small and when awake, I’ve been peeing almost every hour. My foster family has pee pads out, and it’s only taken me two weeks to use them about 50 percent of the time — and some days it’s even more! When I’m sleeping, I can hold it – I take long naps and go all night without any trouble, though I do like to go potty as soon as I wake up. When you take me outside, I can always quickly find some pee in me to get rid of. I’m not sure about this leash thing though, and I will not yet walk around the block (too cold, anyway, BRRRR).

Speaking of cold, I have a few sweaters that I wear, but it’s nice to go without clothes, too. I shiver sometimes, but mostly when I’m nervous or really cold (my fur is growing back in so I’m extra sensitive right now). I don’t shiver or shake constantly like some tiny dogs, though. And I am no trouble to dress, so go ahead with the sweaters and coats and shirts!

Cohabitation

I’m living with 3 humans (2 adults, an 8-year-old) and 2 small dogs. We also live with a guinea pig, but I only recently noticed her because she was in her exercise ball while my foster mom cleaned out her cage! I wanted to play, but she wasn’t too interested. There are lots of cats that wander the neighborhood, and some even hang out on the front porch and in the yard here. I like them. They let me smell them, and I let them smell me. They’re pretty fast for me, and since I can’t see them, I will sometimes sniff around wondering if they’re still here!

I live with an 8-year old girl, but she’s only here part of each week. I really like her and I’m always right there at the door to greet her with my foster brothers when she comes in! She has a VERY comfy bed that I nap on sometimes. She pets me on my head and says good morning to me. I feel very special because I don’t hear her talk or pet my foster brothers nearly as much as she talks to and pets me!

I started out sleeping in what my foster family calls “Brown House.” It’s a soft, hexagon-shaped crate with a zippered flap that they keep open. I was a little sad being away from the people and, after a few nights, I was invited to sleep in the big human bed with everyone else. The bed is a little crowded with two people and two other dogs, but I don’t take up any room at all, and I really prefer to sleep with my family!

Favorite Activities

  • Snuggling with people and animal friends
  • Human affection
  • Napping
  • Snacking
  • Following my people around

Ideal Home

What I am looking for is a family who wants a loving, loyal companion who likes to cuddle. I also like to be carried around, but I’m happy to simply follow behind you or plant myself wherever you’ve chosen to sit or lay. I need someone patient while I continue my pee pad training. I don’t think my previous family cared much about where I pottied, and they also didn’t care much about the condition of my teeth, so I would adore a home that paid attention to those things. I need warm laps, warm beds, a full belly, and a lot of love. It won’t be hard to give me those things because I’m so incredibly cute and sweet and lovable!

Medical

I am blind, but I get around really well. So well, in fact, that it is always amazing my foster family. Sometimes, I’ll put my little paws up on a piece of furniture, thinking it’s a person, and I occasionally bump into stuff (especially stuff that wasn’t there earlier that day!), but I can sense my surroundings and have grown accustomed to relying on those senses. No sitting in corners or whining for help from me – I’m very independent.

I’m currently on special food for bladder stones. The doctor says I’m improving though, and doing so well! It hasn’t been determined yet whether this dietary restriction is permanent. I was covered in mats when the nice rescue people found me, so they had to shave me down to practically nothing, but my soft, curly fur is growing back nicely now. My foster mom and dad give me fish oil every day to help my skin and coat recover! It’s helping and I’m so much less itchy than I was when I got here!

I only have a couple of teeth, so it’s soft food for me (which I gobble right down! I have an easier time if you hand-feed me though). When I first arrived, my foster dad noticed I had a lump under my lip and, of course, feared the worst. But the vet was quick to discover that it was not a tumor… it was TARTAR! I had so much tartar build-up on the few teeth I had that it looked like big chunks of smooth rock up at my gum line. The doggie dentist is taking care of that and I feel much better.

As far as long-term issues and problems common in older dogs, I have none! I’m fit as a fiddle. The doc says my heart is strong — it just needs some love!

Summary

I can’t wait to meet you! If you’re gentle, and you like soft, curly fur and small, smiley faces, I’m the friend for you! I’ll sneak up behind you because I like to be near you (and I’m a little nosy), but because I’m so quiet, you’ll have to watch where you step. I am uncommonly healthy and uncommonly sweet. The doctor here is taking good care of my bladder stones, long nails and my tartar, so I’m ready to meet new people who might want to be my forever family. Could that be you?

If you are interested in adopting me, please fill out an online adoption application and live close to Ithaca , Syracuse, Binghamton, Rochester, or Elmira. We do home visits on every applicant, and can’t do home visits where we don’t have local volunteers.

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