Shorty has a new forever home in Nevada, with two new pug siblings!  Here what his new mom had to say:  Hi Barbara,

Shorty is a beautiful brindle, 18 mos. old, 14 lb. puppy mill dog that was rescued by a kind person and turned over to us to rehabilitate.  He is very unsure of humans because he was beaten by the puppy mill owner he came from.  In spite of that, when he sees his foster mom, he gets all wiggly and happy and comes over for a pet and loves the attention.   We feel he would do best with a woman as his primary caretaker. 

He is very submissive, and even though he can be scared of new situations and people, he would rather roll over on his back than be aggressive.  Once he is there though, he's decided that he really likes belly rubs and is quite content to let you rub as long as you want!  He is to the point now, where if you stop petting him, he'll seek attention and climb in your lap to make sure he gets it!    At home, he loves to lay on the couch and is very mellow.  He has started on his housetraining and does an excellent job as long as he is taken out on a regular basis. 

Shorty has not experienced much of the world beyond his foster home because he has been having his series of 3 distemper shots.  Once that's done, he will be able to get about more.  As it stands though, he has not been leash trained or exposed to any other environment other than the vet.

Shorty will need a kind, patient owner with a quiet home and other small dogs in the home to help him along with his rehabilitation process.  He gets along with all small dogs but big dogs are a bit scary at this point.  No kids under 12 please. 
What can you expect when you adopt a puppy mill dog?
Unconditional love and usually a gentle, quiet temperament.  Normally, puppy mill dogs are not aggressive.  At first, most puppy mill dogs are scared of humans and more shy than a normal socialized dog.  They will probably always be a little more timid in new situations, but with training, socialization and patience and TIME,  they develop self-confidence and are wonderful pets.  They have never seen a toy, a tennis ball, a rawhide, a bone, a brush, a soft bed, stairs, ridden in a car, gone on a walk, swam in a lake.  Many have never been petted, had their tummies rubbed and ears scratched.
The perfect family will have a fenced in yard, another dog and no children under the age of 12.  These dogs cannot go to homes with an invisible fence as the trauma of being shocked could deter them from going outside at all.  They did not have socialization with children as puppies and any mistreatment from children (ear-pulling, hitting, poking, etc.) will send a puppy mill dog scurrying to a corner of the room or under a table.  Having another dog helps the puppy mill dog learn how to adjust to life outside the puppy mill.  Puppy mill dogs tend to take their cues from the resident dog and simple things like drinking water out of a bowl, playing with a ball, learning where the appropriate bathroom areas are, walking on a leash, are all accomplished easier with the help of another dog in the family.
A family that adopts a puppy mill dog must be gentle and patient.  Not housebroken, they learn quickly but cannot be handled with shouting or aversive training (no choke chains, prong collars, etc.).  Positive motivational training and a gentle voice, lots of socialization and visiting new places to desensitize and get over fears of new noises and sights is very important.  Puppy mill dogs tend to bond very strongly with their owners and having a puppy mill dog as a family member is extraordinarily rewarding.

Adoption fees include spay/neuter, vaccinations, flea treatment, heartworm test and preventative, wormings, and all other medical care needed to ensure a healthy dog.  Fees vary, based on the care required, age and needs of the animal.  We rely strictly on our adoption fees since we don't receive any outside funding.

The adoption fees we require do not cover the medical expenses, let alone the daily cost of taking care of the dogs we hope to re-home. Additional expenses are out-of-pocket.

We are ALL volunteers; there are NO paid employees in our rescue. The adoption fee is used to help with veterinary care. All of the dogs in our care are fully vetted, spayed/neutered, are up to date on all vaccines, are heartworm tested and kept on year round heartworm prevention. If they have tested positive for heartworm - they will be treated. Any and all medical issues that our vets find or that arise while in foster care are treated.

WE DO NOT ADOPT OUR DOGS TO HOMES WITH UNALTERED PETS...NO EXCEPTIONS!

In order to adopt one of these wonderful pups you will be required to: Fill out an adoption application, provide a veterinary reference, agree to a telephone/email screening, have one of our representatives conduct a home visit, complete and sign an adoption contract, and pay an adoption fee.

Please read about our detailed adoption policies and procedures (menu on left) before calling or emailing with questions.  Many of your questions can be answered by reading our information.  Keep in mind that the first step toward adoption is to fill out an application.  Also, WE DO NOT SHIP!