Georgie is a 7.5 lb., happy and bouncy, but shy, 1-year-old rat terrier mix.
When he arrived at his foster home in March from a shelter in CA, he was terrified. He could not be handled, and hid for quite a while. He has made great progress since then, coming out of his shell to show his silly side. He still avoids petting or handling when he's up and about, or by those approaching him from above. But he's snuggly in bed, and he will sometimes allow pets and snuggles while resting on the couch. He loves to play with toys, adores other small dogs, and would love to be friends with his cat siblings. He's curious about new people, but does not want them to touch him at first.
Georgie follows his foster mom from room to room. While he can be timid and avoid hands, he also has the joy, energy, and curiosity of a puppy. He will hide your shoes, steal your yarn, shred your papers, bother your plants, chase all of the toys, and generally bring wonderful, joyful chaos into your home.
Georgie adores his foster sister. He follows her everywhere, wishing she would deign to play, but is extremely respectful of her rebukes. He would love to live in a home with another confident small dog, ideally one who will play with him. He's been scared/upset about large (>30 lb) dogs in his space. He desperately wants the cats in his home to play with him as well. His sort of attention may not be for every cat. Georgie has not been tested with children.
Georgie does not yet understand about leash walking, and it's pretty challenging to get one on him. He is working on house-training. He is potty-pad trained to some extent. He will happily go pee and poop outside almost immediately if taken out every few hours, but does not ask to be taken out for that specifically. He will need an extremely securely fenced yard at his new home with no small gaps, as it would be very difficult to get him back should he escape and become frightened.
For a small dog, Georgie is super quiet. He gives an adorable tiny squeak when he really really wants something, and he play growls from time to time. He has only ever barked when large dogs have entered his space, and only for a short time. He is a true gentleman indeed and would make a wonderful addition to your family.
See more photos of him here:
https://hosting.imageevent.com/newrattitude/georgie
