Until she found herself in need of rescue, Dory lived a very sheltered life. She had never been outside to feel the soft grass beneath her paws, and had not had any socialization with humans or animals. In spite of this, she is truly one of the sweetest, happiest little dogs you could hope to meet. She is gentle and welcoming when meeting other dogs, and we do feel she would benefit from having another older, or lower energy canine companion in her forever home, to help her learn the ropes on how to live her best doggy life.

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Because she has not been exposed to the outdoors in her past, she is still figuring out where she is supposed to go to the bathroom. Her Foster Mom has found using pee pads and a pen while she is not home to take her outside is a helpful way to manage and prevent accidents. Her forever family will need to reinforce her learning with frequent trips outside and lots of patience, countered with positive reinforcement to help her learn this new behaviour. Her FM tells us she has no qualms about being in her pen while she is at work or overnight, and shows no signs of separation anxiety or mischievous behaviour when she is unsupervised.

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When Dory first arrived, we were told she may have some serious heart issues, however our veterinary team have found no evidence of this on examination or X-ray. Like most Yorkies, she has a slightly enlarged heart, but it is not impacting her health at this time, and it is possible it will never be an issue for her. However, there is also a chance that as she ages, she may need medication to keep her heart beating efficiently...but that is truly an uncertainty at this time. She also has luxating patella's on her back legs, another trait typical to her breed. This does make long walks a little uncomfortable for her, but she is more than down for shorter walks during the day.

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As you can see in her photos, Dory has the cutest peekaboo tongue. This is because she has no teeth and as a result will require a soft diet for life. Unfortunately, we are not certain if her teeth were extracted, or if they fell out on their own, but either way, it does not impact her quality of life in any capacity and she enjoys all kinds of soft foods and treats.

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While Dory has not lived with cats to our knowledge, we feel her calm and happy nature would make her well suited to a home with cats. She would also be a great companion to older children, but younger ones may be too energetic for her as she does seem to prefer a calmer, more quiet environment so can relax and enjoy her daytime naps and chill sessions. As a non-shedding breed, she will required regular grooming to keep her coat tidy and mat free.

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​Dory was cuddly and affectionate from the first minute she arrived. She would love nothing more than to find a soft, warm lap to snuggle in. With a little work on the housetraining, she will make a wonderful addition to her forever home.​​