Wiser

My story

For Adoption: Wiser! Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle. We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process. To apply for adoption and for more information on our process and requirements, visit our website at https://pounddog.ca/adoption-info/. This sweet, adorable bundle of ears and puppy dog eyes is Wiser, a 3.5 month old Beagle who just couldn’t be more affectionate or fun, I really can’t say enough great things about him. Wiser is still just a little guy at about 10 lbs and will likely be somewhere between 20 and 30 lbs when fully grown. He is obviously a very handsome pup with gorgeous auburn and black markings on his white coat. His big beagle ears are the softest but it’s his huge, deep, amber eyes are clearly one of his best features, and he knows it because he uses his heart melting stare whenever he wants something. Wiser is a goofy, very happy, and extremely affectionate pup who is equally happy being cuddled in your lap as he is exploring his surroundings with his exceptional beagle nose. Wiser is in all ways an adorable, loveable and happy Beagle pup but he does have specific needs for his forever home due to a medical condition so it is very important that anyone interested in him read his bio carefully. Wiser’s first few months of life were unfortunately with a backyard breeder who surrendered him to a shelter when it was determined that he had a medical condition and they wouldn’t be able to sell him. It was observed that Wiser tired faster than the other pups and had some troubles breathing at times. X-rays determined that Wiser has a narrow trachea and when he gets worked up or excited the trachea can collapse and cause him to struggle to breathe. The shelter knew that this puppy would be best in a rescue that could delve further into his medical needs and that is where we came into the picture. One look at his adorable little face and we were all in! Wiser’s condition is as a result of bad breeding and is genetically based. We have to thank our vet team for fighting hard to get his case in front of specialists who sadly have advised us that there is no cure or fix for Wiser’s condition. Because his whole trachea is narrow, not just a section of it, there is no surgical fix. So what does this mean for Wiser? Well, it means that on the whole, he has a great life and can play and run a bit and have fun just like normal puppies can. BUT, he has his limitations. Wiser needs to play and run in short bursts only. He is good at regulating himself and when he is struggling to catch his breath he will find somewhere that he can elevate his front legs as this elevated position helps with his breathing. We have learned to carry him in this elevated position too as it is best for his breathing. Wiser struggles on the hot and humid days and on those days he needs to be inside, in the air conditioning and have calmer days. Food puzzles, lick mats and snuffle mats are good distractions for indoor days to keep a puppy busy. On the days that aren’t as humid Wiser enjoys a lot of yard time where he gets zoomies and has wrestle play times with his Frenchie foster brother. We monitor him carefully but on the less humid days he fares much better and almost seems like a normal puppy. Wiser is on a trial of an elixir that he gets daily to help open his airway and every second day he gets Cerenia which has made a good difference in his breathing ability. The Cerenia will need to be kept up for his life as this does have a positive effect on him. At this time it is still undecided if the elixir is going to be a continued or not. We just don’t see that it has much of an effect on him but time will tell. Wiser can go for short walks by himself at a slower pace, but we find that taking him out on a walk with his foster dog siblings gets him too excited as he tries to run to keep up and he struggles to breathe quickly. Keeping Wiser from getting all excited and amped up is key to keeping him breathing well. When Wiser has a breathing episode it sounds like he is wheezing, it is very similar to someone who is asthmatic having an episode. On a bad episode his gums will go pale as he is not getting enough oxygen. Mostly tho its just the wheezing and raspy breathing until he calms down and his airway opens up again and he can get more air in. It is hard to witness as it really tugs at your heart, especially as he is a wee baby and there is little that we can do other than keep him calm and cuddle him until it passes. Wiser needs to be walked on a body harness. He cannot have any restrictions around his neck. He wears a collar but that is for ID tag only and we do not affix his leash to the collar. Wiser’s must haves for his forever home are the following: • Central air conditioning • Non-smoking home • Detached home with a large, secure fenced yard • Caring, empathetic people who won’t get emotional when he is having a breathing episode. Getting emotional will only make him worry and he needs his people to be calm and encourage calmness in him His forever person or people need to understand that Wiser doesn’t know that he is different from other pups. He has been this way all his life and will be this way for his whole life. As we said, he is normally just like any other puppy. Right now as I write this he is happily chewing away on his toys and pestering his foster brother. The hot and humid days are tough tho and those days he needs to be inside in the AC. He will never be a dog that can go to dog parks or go running in fields or long treks in the woods…but he does have a great life. He LOVES time out in the yard with his people or his dog buddies. He loves wrestling with his foster brother. He loves his visits to the vet clinic and other places. He is getting better at car travel and right now will cry for about 10min then falls asleep in his crate in the car for the ride. He will absolutely be able to attend dog school like any other puppy and this will be good for him. He loves food so will do anything for a treat and classes in an air conditioned facility will be a great way to tire out his body and mind and he might just learn a thing or two. All puppies are a lot of work and some require more repetition and manners training than others, however Wiser picks up on cues quite fast and is surprisingly gentle and calm for a puppy. He still has his typical puppy moments of course. He loves zoomies around the yard and house, tries to grab anything in sight that he can and oops I forgot to put my slippers up again and he got em! Most of the time however he’s just happy to interact with you while playing with his toys or fetching. Wiser absolutely loves to cuddle in your lap or on the couch with you at the end of the day. He gets along super well with his foster siblings and loves to play with them or just follow them around with his nose to the ground while he looks for any interesting scents. He’s genuinely hilarious. He still has those puppy legs and even ears that he sometimes trips over while running and playing, and when you call him over he eagerly bounds towards you with a big smile on his face. Wiser is ready to explore the world, sniff all the smells, and play with all the toys he can get his little beagle snoot on. Each morning when Wiser wakes up he rolls over in his crate to get belly rubs and gives you these cute little puppy whimpers and kisses before he heads out into the yard to do his business. He is very good in his crate at night and only cries for a few minutes, a mini going-to-bed protest, which sleepiness easily overcomes in a matter of minutes. He is a very early riser and is up with the sun so his family needs to be ready for that. He often sleeps through the whole night without having to be let outside, but does sometimes need to be let out once per night while he’s still little, and will let you know by vocalizing. He is still getting used to his crate and will be vocal for the first bit then will settle in and sleep. He has his breakfast in his crate and sometimes we do a bit of training with some of his kibble. He then enjoys having a morning play session with his foster brother while we get ready for the day. This is super entertaining to watch, he’s so silly. He’s also content to play with toys by himself. Wiser absolutely loves his cushy dog bed and likes to gather any toys left out from the day before and bring one into his bed to play and chew, eventually falling out of his bed, leaving the toy on the floor and going for another. This repeats until he’s tired himself out and is ready for his first nap of the day. At this age Wiser still gets lunch so his family needs to have a schedule that will accommodate a puppies need for 3 feedings a day and bathroom breaks every 3 to 4 hours. He will be reduced to 2 feedings a day in about a month but still, can’t be crated for a full workday. His usual daily routine consists of playtime, meal times, bathroom breaks, and naps in his crate or just in his bed on the days we can closely monitor him. Wiser is not housetrained yet, this is a work in progress. We believe Wiser was kept in a cage with little access to outside before arriving in our care. He had learned to mess in his crate as his only option so this is something that we are retraining and he is learning that his crate is to be kept clean. Anyone who has ever housetrained a Beagle puppy knows that they are challenging to housebreak. All puppies can get distracted when you take them outside to do their business but hound puppies take distraction to a whole new level. He is nose to the ground immediately and often forgets what he is out there to do. This is where a good amount of patience is needed for this puppy. If you aren’t a patient person, a Beagle puppy isn’t for you. They are slow to house break but this doesn’t mean that they can’t be trained. They can, and he will be housetrained! It just takes longer with the hound puppies than other pups. He won’t be suited for a first time dog owner, but for someone who has trained a puppy, even better a hound puppy, he will be great! His evening routine consists dinner in his crate, zoomies and playing in the yard and a good session of fetch or tug. Wiser likes to chew sticks and he adores little bouncy balls and will chase them around for as long as you’ll play with him. He also loves to jump onto the couch with you in the evening for some couch zoomies and then cuddles while we watch TV. Straight into your lap with a toy to chew until he stretches out his little legs and drifts off to sleepy land. He then has one last yard break before bed and it’s off to his crate for the night. Wiser loves to chew (he is a puppy after all) and so will need a safe home with good chew toys and nothing left out that could hurt him. He will try everything at least once including blankets, shoes, slippers, plants, furniture corners, etc. He is super easy to redirect though and once given a good toy he’s happy to chew something more appropriate. It will be important for his new family to teach him what is and isn't ok to chew, and equally important to stay strong (and avoid laughing) even when Wiser thinks stealing your slippers is a great game, and remember he will use those big puppy dog eyes to manipulate so be firm and don’t give in! 😉 Wiser is sweet in every way and he’s actually rather quiet for a Beagle. Other than when initially put in his crate he rarely makes any noises besides his happy whimpers or the occasional Beagle howl when he’s outdoors playing with his foster brother. That being said he is still a Beagle and this means that he has some solid vocal cords. When he first gets to his new home he may be nervous and unsure of the new routine and may be more vocal, so it’s best he not go to a home where a direct neighbour could get annoyed by his fussing. Once Wiser learns that his new home is fun and safe and that his family will always come back to him after being left alone or crated, I can easily see him having wonderful naps while you’re away and warm greetings full of kisses, wiggles, and cuddles when you return. Another wonderful thing about Wiser is that he is easy to handle. He gets oral medication with no problem, not to mention his nails clipped and a good bath, and he was excellent for all of it. Wiser has met a bunch of people in a variety of locations and he loves them all, and be prepared because he’s a big cuddle magnet. You’ll likely have people coming over to ask you if they can pet your adorable dog. Wiser has also met some kids and he played great with them. However he does have puppy teeth and can scratch if he jumps and so should only go to a home with older kids, over 10yrs of age. The children in the home need to be of an age and maturity where they can recognize the signs of Wiser getting overstimulated and struggling to breath and get him calmed down and inside. He can absolutely play in the yard with kids, it just needs to be at a calmer level, and not on the hot and humid days. Our vets feel that he will handle the other seasons of the year much better, but a hot summer will always be a struggle for him. Wiser would do well in a home with another happy, friendly dog who doesn’t mind puppy clumsiness or typical puppy behaviour. He loves to play with his dog siblings and this is a great way to tire him out. We will consider a home without another dog but there will need to be a plan in place to tire out a busy puppy as going for long walks aren’t in the cards for this special pup. Wiser hasn’t shown any interest in chasing small animals, but he is a Beagle meaning he may one day want to chase, so we wouldn’t recommend he go to a house with a cat that isn’t dog savvy. Wiser is an outgoing, social puppy who loves everyone he meets and doesn’t seem too bothered by strange noises or sights. He really is a great puppy! Wiser is the type of dog that will form a very strong bond with his family, and he will want to go everywhere with you. He will happily greet the people you meet along the way and will attract a lot of attention from other dog lovers, which is precisely what he’s angling for. With the proper training, exercise, and mental stimulation Wiser will grow up to be an excellent companion. He’s so much fun, endlessly entertaining, impossibly sweet, and will make you laugh. He honestly makes us laugh every day, constantly. His bold attitude means he tries to explore the world head first, sometimes with a great leap of faith, as in right into your arms with full trust you will catch him even though you were in no way expecting it. It has been so much fun fostering Wiser and now that he’s been given a chance at a great life he is ready to dive in head first! Wiser deserves to live a great life full of exploration, playtime, love, laughter and lots of cuddles! We think Wiser was made extra cute and extra friendly as he is a special needs boy, and needs an extra special person or family. We know he isn’t going to be the right fit for many people, but we also know that there is a kind, caring hound lover out there who will give this pup the very best life. He needs someone to watch out for him and ensure he isn’t over doing it, and to be his protector. In return he will give you a ton of love, a lot of laughs and his adorable companionship. Does this sound like the perfect companion for you? Name: Wiser ID # PDR1408 Age: 3.5mths Gender: male Neutered: yes UTD vaccines: yes Breed: Beagle Colours: tri Coat length: short House trained: in progress Special needs: yes, see bio OK with kids: older OK with cats: yes Ok with dogs: yes Status: adoptable Microchip: yes Size: medium Location: Drumbo Adoption fee: $900

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