Dobby

My story

Meet Dobby: male, 2 year old, 14 pound dachshund/chihuahua mix. Dobby is not suitable for an apartment or condo or a home with children under 13. We prefer a home for Dobby with a physically fenced in yard and another dog. Dobby would be a better match for someone with dog experience. If you are interested in Dobby, please visit our website and submit an application. This is the most expeditious "next step" if you are interested in adoption. click here to visit our website click here to be send a non-binding application Harry Potter fans know Dobby as the house elf who loved socks and saved Harry Potter. This little Dobby is cute, tiny and loveable, much like Harry Potter’s Dobby, but he prefers his stuffed bunny and is looking for a home where he can be part of the family. Dobby was brought in as a stray and spent 6 weeks in the shelter before being brought into foster care. A complete love bug from the minute he was rescued, he was also initially extremely timid. He could not be put in a crate for transport, had to be fed off of a spoon and didn’t drink any water for the first 24 hours. After a short adjustment period, Dobby settled in and has developed quite the devoted following amongst his foster mother’s friends and family. Dobby is a small Chihuahua/dachshund mix weighing in at a little under 14 pounds. His rust-colored coat is short and soft. His belly is soft, much like a puppy’s, and he loves to lie on his back for a tummy rub. His body in long and thin, and he has typical short dachshund legs. Dobby gets along beautifully with his canine foster siblings. He is not intimidated at all by his canine foster sister’s size (87 pounds of hound) or bark. The two regularly enjoy games of tug with a favorite toy, or chasing each other in the back yard. He is not discouraged by his foster brother’s grumpy demeanor, and has even managed to engage the grump in a game of fetch (much to his foster mom’s delight)! When not engaged in play, he happily follows his human fosters from room to room, napping on his favorite blanket, trying to cuddle with the other canines or chewing on a good marrow bone. In his first days in foster care, Dobby went for walks with his foster family, but soon began to react to the sights and sounds he encountered. Despite his foster mom’s best efforts, he is still quite reactive (not aggressive) on leash and the decision was made to stop the walks. Being a little guy, he gets plenty of exercise running in the backyard and playing fetch or tug indoors. He also reacts to the activity on the playground behind his foster’s house and this is managed by simply closing the blinds to block his view when he begins to react. Dobby’s adopters will need to understand how to manage his reactivity by initially avoiding these triggers and then by working on desensitizing him. Hedgesville Hounds will offer his adopter an educational opportunity to provide them with the skills necessary to help him adapt. He cannot be crated in a small plastic crate, but goes willingly into a large wire crate or open pen when his humans are not home. He recently has been permitted to sleep on his foster’s bed, and he sleeps through the night on his blanket at the foot of the bed. Dobby’s house training skills are very good. He has had two accidents in the house and both occurred when his humans was not watching him. He’s a little guy with a little bladder and needs to be let outdoors frequently. Dobby’s adopters will need to have a securely fenced yard since leash walking is not ideal for him at this point. Due to his size, speed, level of activity, and because we don’t know his history, we do not recommend Dobby for families with children under the age of 10, and we recommend that any children 10-13 be dog-savvy. Dobby is cute and cuddly, but he is a dog and he needs an adoptive family that will provide him with direction and guidance in addition to love. Dobby would also benefit from having at least one canine sibling to bond with in his new home. Dobby’s needs are simple: food, a soft blanket, a few toys, time to run and play, a human lap to snuggle and the guidance to become a confident dog. His foster mom reports that, even though she considers herself a “big dog person”, she is quite smitten with this little guy. He has brought much laughter and love to his foster family in the short time he has been with them. Dobby hopes he can find a forever family who will appreciate the big personality living in this little pup. click here to be send a non-binding application

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Dobby, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.