Michael Douglas

My story

THIS POST WILL BE REMOVED WHEN THE DOG IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. INQUIRIES ABOUT THE ADOPTION STATUS WILL NOT BE RETURNED. 5 years. That's 1,825 days. A dark dank shed. Stifling in the summer, freezing in the winter. Filthy and matted, loaded with fleas, ear infection and parasites. Nails so overgrown that he walked on the sides of his feet. Rotten teeth. Poor quality food (and probably not enough.) No vet care. Very little human contact. One other dog for companionship (his dad.) He wasn't even given a name. 5 whole years. His whole life. Then one day, the door to that shed opened and he will NEVER have go into it again. This boy now has a name and somehow, even through all of this, he is one of the happiest dogs you'll ever meet. Michael and his dad, Kirk Douglas (see what we did there?) were surrendered from a breeder recently. They spent their whole lives in a shed with very little interaction with people. But dogs, being truly amazing creatures, are so very forgiving. And these boys are 2 of the most affectionate, loving boys you'll ever meet. Michael is a very handsome 5 yr old, 14 lb, long hair black and tan dachshund. He is such a joyful boy that his tail never stops wagging. Velcro dog is an understatement. He will follow you EVERYWHERE and loves to give kisses. He likes to stick that long dachshund nose in whatever you're doing to try to "help." He'll help you with lawn work, laundry, watching TV, whatever you're doing, he's there. He will do best in a home where someone is home more than not as he gets attached to his person quickly. Michael does well with other small dogs. He loves to run and play with another dog his size, so would love a young active sibling to play with. He can be a bit possessive with food, so he is fed in his kennel. But he seems to do fine otherwise. He requires a confident, small resident dog to continue to "show him the ropes" and to help him gain some independence and confidence of his own. He enjoys spending time outside as long as you are outside with him. He gets a little nervous by himself, even if the other dogs are outside with him. A securely fenced yard is a must as he hasn't learned to walk on a leash yet. Michael does great in a kennel. He'll jump in for a treat. He's working on potty training. Spending 5 years in a shed, he never had any rules about where and when he could potty. He's quickly learning to potty outside, but as mentioned, he always wants to be with you, so you do need to go outside with him. He wears a belly band well, so that helps prevent potties in the house. Michael is a barker. (He had to have something to do in that shed for 5 years.) He has a deep, strong bark. He will alert you to any perceived danger. And that pesky squirrel running up the tree. And that neighbor kid riding by on his scooter. And....well, you get the picture. He wouldn't do well in an apartment. We don't think he would do well with small kids as they tend to be unpredictable and make a lot of noise. While Michael loves to follow his foster everywhere and be with her all the time, he can be nervous around new people. It seems he gets more nervous with people that are standing. And it seems possibly men, but we're not sure if it is men in general, or certain men. Honestly, we just don't know yet what it is that makes him nervous about some people, but go straight up to others for loves and pets. I guess spending the first 5 years of your life in a shed will do that to a guy. He will definitely need someone patient, calm and willing to work with him on building trust. Your efforts will be rewarded with lots of snuggles and kisses. If you would like to give this joyful boy a life that makes him forget his first 5 years in a shed, apply to adopt Michael at: at https://www.wagntrainterrierrescue.com/adoption-information The suggested adoption donation for Michael is a minimum of $300 and goes toward the high cost of veterinary care for our rescue dogs.Wag N Train Terrier Rescue adopts to an extended geographical area as long as we can locate a local volunteer to perform the required home visit. Approved adopters are required to travel to Omaha, NE to pick up their newly adopted dog. We do not arrange transport, or fly our rescue dogs without a "pet nanny". All of our dogs that come from a commercial breeding facility require a securely fenced yard AND a resident companion dog, unless the dog's bio states otherwise. Please note, invisible or underground fencing is not considered secure or appropriate containment. Adoption applications can be found at www.wagntrainterrierrescue.com/adoption-information

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