Walter

Description

Backstory for Walter 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. Walter recently arrived to our sanctuary to get all of the medical care she needs. Now that we have gotten to know his personality and he has shown us what he needs in a family, he is ready to be placed in his lifetime home. We look forward to finding out who this will be!  Get to Know Walter  Name: Means leader and commander — of our hearts!  age: 7 years young with a birthdate of 7/5/2019 breed: Shih Tzu weight: 10.5 pounds Vaccines:  Rabies  DHPP Bordetella  Corona/flu  Other Tests and Procedures:  Neutered 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 - Slightly low pdw and mpv but nothing significant. Everything else is within normal range and shows healthy organs.  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 his 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  Walter has hair and not fur. He is a very rare Imperial Shih Tzu with dark chocolate liver and white markings. If we could choose an Encyclopedia photograph to exemplify a cute Shih Tzu, Walter would be the top contender.   Walter is full grown and very small, one of the smallest male Shih Tzu we have helped.  PLEASE NOTE: Walter’s hair will grow as it is not fur. He 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. Walter is amazing for baths and haircuts. One look with his soulful eyes, and he’ll make you melt into a puddle while you’re giving him a bath! He’s had a few baths and trims since arriving, and he’s been a gent for all of them.  Personality Walter is outgoing, sweet, and attentive. He is so, SO ready to be with his person and lifetime family. Walter’s loyalty and desire to love is so impressive. His constant wagging tail brings a smile to our faces.  Because of Walter’s outgoing personality, we can see him thriving in an urban or country life. No matter the setting, though, he needs quiet and stability. No young children. No loud and active homes. He’s outgoing, but he also needs a chill life to truly flourish.  Walter could enjoy being the only dog in a home, provided his humans are home all the time. If he is an only dog, he will need to have canine friends outside the home in order to really enjoy life. Walter actually already has a friend, which is Tollie! Tollie is currently available for adoption, too. If you have a heart and home open to adopting two good friends, you’d have a pair of amazing Animal Saints in your life!  Please keep in mind that Walter is small — smaller than a standard size Shih Tzu. Extra care needs to be taken to keep him safe when he is around other canines and out in the world. Walter is the kind of Saint who will eventually love a quiet stroll in the park away from big dogs. He is learning how to walk on a leash. He will need a patient adopter to help show him that the outside world can be enjoyed.   Walter also makes a great workday assistant! He and Tollie like to hang out together in a dog bed by our volunteers while they do office work.  Walter is learning foundational skills training. We are working on “sit,” recall word “here,” and “look.” We expect his new family to continue training sessions with a professional and certified positive reinforcement trainer to keep him safe in his new life.  To learn more about Walter, gaze into his soulful eyes, and take in his cuteness, you can view his short film here: https://vimeo.com/1210308349 Ideal Home It is ideal for Walter to be in a home with people who are around most of the time. Plan on sharing your sofa and bedroom with him. Once he trusts you, he will want to be by your side, no matter where you are or what you are doing.  Walter will especially thrive in a home that can give him companionship day and night. He would be okay if you have to be away for a few hours. But he would be very lonely if he had to be on his own for 8-10 hours a day. If you work away from home that long, a canine companion is a must for Walter.  Ideally, Walter will thrive in a home where humans love being home and want a constant companion. He’s wired to be your sidekick, and he will give you loyalty for life. Walter is INCREDIBLE!     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!