Adoption Information

Before you fill in your form, remember that all our dogs are looking for a loving home. We will try our best to find one that suits the individual dog and the adoptee.

There is no waiting list as such, it’s what you have asked for and what we feel will fit in with you and you particular circumstances. So the time you wait is dependant on all these criteria being met.

1. COAT
   Needs a great deal of work if kept long. Most pets are clipped down, usually by a professional groomer, who should also cut nails, clean and remove hair from ears and check anal glands.

2. MALE or FEMALE
   There is very little difference in character between the sexes. It usually depends on the individual animal and past history before being rescued.

3. AGE
   As a rule the breed is very long lived and is usually very active well into old age.

4. HEALTH
   No known serious problems. Small hernias are quite common however, but are usually not large and need no medical attention. Eyes are slightly more vulnerable to ulcers because of the size and the position on the face.

5. RESCUES
   When a dog comes into rescue it is not kenneled, but fostered in a field officers home where it is assessed. It is vet checked and any inoculations are brought up to date. If there are no major problems our aim is to home the dog as soon as possible, to bring stability back in its life.
   
   This is the ideal, but not all dog backgrounds are known, some are sketchy to say the least. We rely on the previous owners, if known, to tell us about the dogs. Some will exaggerate the problem & some underplay it. Many dogs have no problems. However, because of a change in the circumstances of their owners or maybe a death in the family, they are forced to part with their dogs.
   
   But for whatever reason they come to the rescue we try our utmost to put the dogs through all the daily activities that they would encounter in your home. However, potential adoptees must understand that it may take some time for a dog to settle into his or her new home and for its Shih Tzu character to come through.
   
   Remember that these little dogs have had a major upheaval in their lives and most will need your love and understanding to adjust to their new home. Adoptees will be given as much information as possible about a particular Shih Tzu including the good points and the not so good points. We will be absolutely honest to an adoptee to the best of our knowledge.

CONCLUSION:
After reading this information we hope that you have thought about your reasons for wishing to take on a rescue Shih Tzu. If you do decide to adopt a rescue animal you will find that the rewards that you will gain far outweigh any incidental problems you may encounter.

If you have any more questions about rescue please ask your home checker when they visit you at a later date. Many thanks for taking the time to read this leaflet and your interest in rescuing Shih Tzu’s.

Please print out & send us your Adoption Form (PDF file 17kb) to register your interest in adopting a rescue Shih Tzu.

You can also see this page in PDF format for printing & reference, perhaps to give to a friend who doesn't have internet access.

Thank you for helping us to help them

Myrette Stokes
for and on behalf of Southern Shih Tzu Rescue