Marigold

Description

Backstory for Marigold Animal Saints Rescue Society was asked to help with an owner surrender involving several Imperial Shih Tzu. Their former person was having emergency medical issues that were life threatening, and they were not well enough to take care of them. Our nonprofit became the safety net for these incredible Shih Tzu.  Our nonprofit is here to help so the Animal Saints do not end up in overcrowded government animal control facilities that euthanize due to lack of space. Marigold recently arrived to our sanctuary to get all of the medical care she needs. Now that we have gotten to know her personality and she has shown us what she needs in a family, she is ready to be placed in her lifetime home. We look forward to finding out who this will be!  Get to Know Marigold age: 3-4 breed: Shih Tzu weight:  5.5 pounds Vaccines:  Rabies  DHPP Bordetella  Corona/flu  Other Tests and Procedures:  Spayed in June, 2026 Snap 4Dx test (passed and tested negative for heart worm, lyme, ehrlichia, and anaplasmosis)   Dental cleaning in June, 2026  Bloodwork June, 2026 - ALT is slightly higher than normal range and ideally should be checked in six months, but nothing overly concerning. Everything else is in normal ranges. Additional procedures and treatments:  • Microchipped • Fecal test, negative • Flea/tick preventive treatment, heart worm prevention, and dewormer  • First positive reinforcement training sessions  • Several baths and grooms   A good health certificate will be provided with her medical records. Requested adoption donation fee is only $800. This is to partly cover the costs of care that our 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue has incurred. On average, Animal Saints’ cost to save a life through our nonprofit exceeds $2,000 per Saint. We do our best to keep our adoption requests as reasonable as possible to encourage more people to adopt.   Breed and Hair Notes  Marigold has hair and not fur. She is a very rare “Doby” Imperial Shih Tzu. She is full grown and tiny — one of the smallest Shih Tzu we have ever helped.  PLEASE NOTE: Marigold’s hair will grow as it is not fur. She will need professional grooming every 4-6 weeks. Only apply if you understand the additional maintenance and cost these dear hair-not-fur souls need and are willing to commit to life for such care. Marigold is so gentle for baths and grooming. She’s had a few since arriving. She actually just laid down on the grooming table for her last trim. She wagged her tail and loved the attention!  Personality Marigold is a little sprite filled with joy and love. She is shy at first, but she is usually faster to connect with humans than her sister named Clementine. Once she feels at ease, her tail will wag nonstop, and she’ll even do a little dance of excitement. She loves attention from humans, and she’s so excited about connecting with them.   It appears that Marigold has not met very many people in her life. She is under socialized and a bit skittish. Because of it, she is a flight risk. Only very securely fenced-in yards will be accepted for her. Do not plan to take her for a walk safely until you’ve completed all of your training classes. She is just getting comfortable being outside; she’s not yet ready for leashed walking. In time, we can see her potentially enjoying it. But it will take time, patience, and training to allow her to gain confidence.  If you live in the city and fall in love with Marigold, please note that it may take weeks before she is comfortable with the sights and sounds of an urban setting. With a very experienced adopter, this could be possible. Her temperament demands a quiet and steady home.  Marigold gravitates toward hanging out with her sister (from a different litter) named Clementine. It is not imperative to adopt them together if we find extraordinary homes for them separately, but it would be a special gift for them to live together. We also observe Marigold finding a quiet place to nap on her own at times. She can be independent, but she also loves knowing where the humans and her canine friends are located. As we write her profile just now, she’s hanging out with her sister Clementine in a big fluffy bed, giving us love eyes.  Marigold loves hugs and asks to get picked up often. We can see her eventually loving going out to run errands with her person in a shoulder carrier. She is also a great office assistant. She loves napping in the biggest fluffy dog beds in the sanctuary. She makes a beeline for the beds next to the tables where our volunteers do office work. She loves being near, but she’s not demanding of constantly being in a lap.  Marigold is getting familiar with foundational skills training. We are working on “sit,” recall word “here,” and “look.” We expect her new family to continue her training sessions to keep her safe in her new life with them. You can view a short film about her here: https://vimeo.com/1207599987 Ideal Home It is ideal for Marigold to be in a home with people who are around most of the time. Plan on sharing your sofa and bedroom with her. Once she trusts you, she will want to be with you. It’s how she’s wired, and it is important to find a home that will give this to her. Marigold is diminutively small. She needs to be in a home with dogs who are a similar size.  She will especially thrive in a home that can give her companionship day and night. She will be okay if you have to be away for a few hours. It would be ideal if she had canine friends if you need to be away.  No crates for Marigold. She does well in a travel carrier in a car, but not in a crate at home during the day and/or night. If they are a must for your lifestyle, then she is not for you.  Older children are case by case — only those who have experience living with dogs, understand dog behavior, and have great respect and love for them will be considered.    Love and Commitment  At Animal Saints Rescue Society, our goal is to keep dogs out of overcapacity animal control facilities and out of a re-homing cycle. Our goal is to place the dogs we save into lifetime families.  With this in mind, we seek adopters who understand that an adoption is a lifetime commitment. The families who adopt from us believe that love is not a feeling, it is a decision. Some humans still believe it’s okay to try out a dog for a few weeks, a few months, or even a few years — then discard when they get bored or don’t want to deal with emotional or physical needs.  We are looking for the empathetic, kind, and patient humans in this world who view these Animal Saints as family. They don't believe animals are subordinates or view them as mere possessions; they are partners in life. They are committed to giving them the safety and love they need to flourish.  Will that family be you? We look forward to finding out and receiving your application!