Wiley

Adopted
ID# D-20-220

4 year old • Male • 7.7 lbs

All About Me

Wiley dons a silky and short tricolor coat—black, brown, and white—and a stub tail that wiggles ever so slightly when he’s happy.


Boasting pointy bat ears as huge as his face, this adorable boy contains a big dog’s spirit in a little dog’s body! You may find that it will take a while for Wiley’s feisty spirit to shine because he can get nervous in new surroundings. The first day in his foster home Wiley was reluctant to come out of his crate, which he recognizes as his safe space. By the next day, though, Wiley mustered the courage to leave his crate and explore around the house. Therefore it’s essential that his new family goes slowly with him and lets him set the pace. Once he feels comfortable in his environment, this sweet fur nugget will come to you for affection, and he will receive his daily doses of belly rubs and back scratches on your lap with relish!

Since Wiley is so tiny with delicate legs, he should not be in a family with children under 10. Although Wiley hasn’t been particularly friendly toward other dogs during walks, he can be trained to socialize with other dogs, as long as the introduction is done slowly and with another dog whose temperament is gentle (he has successfully made one doggie pal so far--see photo!). Wiley would therefore do best in a home without a dog or possibly one other, similar-sized dog who is friendly and calm.

Wiley is a low/medium-energy dog and requires about a 30-minute daily walk, in addition to his potty breaks every 4 hours or so. Wiley walks relatively well on a leash, although he does pull a little. As with all dogs, but especially tiny dogs, he must have a harness when walking on a leash. He can get startled by loud car noises and is frightened by tunnels and large, shaded buildings. He tends to freeze in front of these places; so it’s important in the beginning to establish a familiar route outdoors where he can walk with ease. Wiley barks at other dogs (regardless of size) and passersby; so he is still in training to be nonresponsive to such outside stimuli. Wiley gets quite anxious during car rides as well; but he finds it reassuring when you hold him in your lap with his favorite towel.

Wiley is housebroken and has had no accidents in his foster home. He is a jumpy boy and displays occasional bursts of hyperactivity (it’s almost as if he has springs on those thin legs!); so it’s crucial not to reward him when he is overexcited. As a small breed, his legs are frail and he should not be allowed to jump so as to protect his joints. When he is overexcited he might slip through the door; so make sure to always block the house entrance.

Aside from his short bouts of silliness, Wiley generally rests peacefully in his crate for most of the day. Once he warms up to you, he is receptive to all touch and doesn’t mind being brushed every day to stay handsome. He likes to play with plush toys, and shows some resource guarding (although not with food); but he has been trained to drop his toy and will give it to you, so long as you reward him.

Always food motivated, Wiley has mastered the Sit and Down commands, and is still practicing Stay. This mini lad is a surprisingly strong chewer, and loves to get busy with his Nylabone (always supervised). He might be overly interested in human food when you’re eating and will try to jump up on the couch and even stick his nose on the table. But he’s a smart boy; so if you’re firm with him when teaching him table manners, he recognizes that he will be rewarded only when he is calm and lying down on the floor or when he goes into his crate.

Wiley is crate-trained; but when you plan to leave him alone, it does take some coaxing (again, a treat always does the trick) for him to enter the crate. He does fine when left alone for a few hours with a peanut butter–topped Kong. At night he knows that it is bedtime when he gets his small Greenie and will go into the crate on his own. After you crate him, he will probably whine; but he settles down quickly–in less than 5 minutes. He sleeps peacefully during the night and never makes a sound.

Adorable beyond measure—those ears!—eager to please and eager to love, this lil’ chap will make a wonderful companion and awaits his loving forever home!

My Details
Likes Cats Unknown
Likes Dogs No
Likes Young Kids No
Health

Wiley is up-to-date on all vaccinations, microchipped, neutered, and heartworm negative.

History

Wiley was found as a stray and taken to a local shelter.


IAR Sponsored Training

IAR subsidizes post-adoption professional training with Jane Marshall (www.cheerydogs.com) to encourage a life-long and successful bond between the dog and the adopter. Group classes for puppies and adult dogs are provided at a substantial discount to IAR adopters.

2021-01-11T09:50:53-05:00