Matthew

Description

Backstory for Matthew 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. Matthew recently arrived to our sanctuary to get all of the medical care he 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 Matthew  Name: Matthew Cuthbert, named after one of the sweetest characters in the book called “Anne of Green Gables.” Matthew is shy, empathetic, sweet, and especially loyal — just like his namesake character. age: 3 years young with a birthdate of 6/30/2023 breed: Shih Tzu weight: 7 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 - Shows healthy organs with nothing concerning.  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 and certificate of veterinary inspection 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  Matthew has hair and not fur. He is a very rare Imperial Shih Tzu with rare chocolate hues. Matthew is full grown and very small, one of the smallest male Shih Tzu we have helped.  PLEASE NOTE: Matthew’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. Matthew was nervous about baths when he first arrived. Now that he’s trusting us and understands we are taking care of him, he wags his tail on the grooming table and loves to be brushed.  His hair is GORGEOUS. Someone who loves and respects the longer hair of Shih Tzu will love tending to his locks in lieu of a buzz cut. He’ll be cute in any length, but his hair is worthy of enjoying and appreciating!  Personality Matthew was one of the shyest Animal Saints who arrived in this owner surrender. It took him weeks before he felt like he could come and ask to get up in our laps. He’s still hesitant around new people. Once he understands he can trust someone, his hesitation quickly turns into a desire to connect. Once he decides he can trust, he asks to get picked up for hugs.  Matthew gives some of the best hugs we have ever received from an Animal Saint. He was one of many where he used to live. Now, he’s getting lots of attention, and he’s making up for lost time. He leans into hugs so intently and lovingly. He wants to stay there for as long as the human can hold him. He is such a dear, dear boy.  Because of Matthew’s current hesitancies and skittish behavior, his new family needs to be mindful that he will need to be given time to learn to trust and settle in. He is a flight risk, at this point. With this in mind, he will need a very secure fence for going outside, as well as honing his loose leash training skills before taking a successful and safe walk. As his confidence builds, these hesitancies will dissipate.  Please keep in mind that Matthew is very 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.  Matthew is learning foundational skills training. We are working on “sit,” recall word “here,” “bed/place” 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. These classes are a requirement for his adoption. Watch Matthew learn how to sit in one of his training sessions in his short film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YBf89rhmrw Despite being very camera shy, he starts to have fun, and he is so eager to please! Ideal Home Matthew needs to be in a quiet and laidback home with no young children. He has gained so much confidence since coming into our care, given the quietude and stability our sanctuary gives to the Saints so they can recuperate. He needs a calm and stable environment to really allow him to flourish.  Matthew would be happiest in a home where his people are around most of the time. A remote work setup or a very active retiree is ideal. Matthew cannot be left alone by himself for 8-10 hours a day while his humans are away. Some can handle it, but Matthew is not one of them. He is a Shih Tzu and wired to want to be someone’s companion. This is his goal in life.  Matthew is the kind of boy who gains confidence from being around other canines. He follows their cues and is much more outgoing because of them. With this in mind, it is ideal for him to have canine siblings or friends outside the home that he would see every day. His littermate named Marilla Cuthbert is available for adoption as well. They are practically twins and would be great sidekicks for one another. It is not a must, but this built-in companionship makes for a great transition into a lifetime home.  More than anything, Matthew needs his humans to love him because of his initial shyness, not in spite of it. He needs abundant empathy and kindness to meet him where he’s at in his recuperation while he comes out of his shell. With just a bit of patience, his humans are going to have the most loyal and loving Animal Saint, ready to give award worthy hugs.  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!