West Highland White Terrier / Maltese Mixed for adoption, 3yo male

Menlo Park CA

Description

Pele is a 3 year old Westie-Maltese mix who weighs 16 lbs. He was a rescue from the shelter. We were told owners had surrendered him there, but when he came to us, he was in terrible shape. He had been left outdoors and his coat was a mess; he had fleas all over him and they'd eaten him up so badly he couldn't stop itching. Poor dude! As a result of his past, Pele is nervous when meeting new people and new dogs. We sent him off to a foster home to decompress and here is their report! Pele is a very sweet dog! He takes about 10-15 minutes to warm up and learn that you're a safe person for him to interact with, and once he is comfortable, he's a love bug and a lap dog. He likes to stick near you and will bond to you quickly. The big wide world makes Pele a bit nervous. He may be startled easily while walking on leash and will need a confident and calm owner who reassures him and gives him further training and slow exposure to new places and new things. Pele gets along with other dogs, but just like with humans, it takes him a few minutes to warm up. He may growl a bit at first, but give him a few minutes and he'll be happily running around with the crew and socializing. Pele is only an option for a home that has owned a dog in the last 5 years. If there are children, they should be over the age of 10, as the energy of younger ones would likely be too much for him.