Abigail Shih Tzu & Lhasa Apso Mix Fort Montgomery, NY

Abigail’s Backstory:

Abigail was labeled “stray” and taken into an overcrowded animal control facility where they euthanize due to lack of space. Animal Saints Rescue Society was asked to get her out safely to give her a second chance at life.

Abigail was very shy and frightened there — and understandably so! She arrived there dirty and covered in mats. Her swollen stomach made it clear she had just had a litter of puppies. It appears she was a “breeder dump.” This is when a puppy mill or backyard breeder no longer wants their “stock,” they leave them in a field or side street.

She also looks very similar to Rey (also available for adoption) who we helped around the same time from the same animal control facility. We are not certain there is a familial connection, but they have similar Shih Tzu markings and builds.

Thankfully, Abigail’s sweetest disposition and desire to trust humans again is allowing her to overcome the past wrongs inflicted upon her.


Breed and Hair Notes:

Abigail has has hair and not fur. She is Shih Tzu perfection to all of us here at Animal Saints Rescue Society. She is an ideal example of why we started our focus on helping Shih Tzu and other hair-not-fur breeds.

PLEASE NOTE: Abigail’s hair will grow indefinitely, and she will need professional grooming every 4-6 weeks. Only apply if you understand the additional maintenance and cost that these dear hair-not-fur souls need and are willing to commit to life for such care.

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Get to Know Abigail:

Age: 5
Weight: 14 pounds
Spayed: Yes. October, 2024.

Current Vaccines and Tests:
Rabies vaccine: yes
Distemper vaccine: yes
Bordetella vaccine: yes
Flea and tick prevention: yes
Heartworm test: yes, negative
Anaplasma test: yes, negative
Ehrlichia test: yes, negative
Lyme disease test: yes, negative
De-wormer treatment: yes

Potty training: working on it
Abigail can hold it until she goes outside. She goes potty on indoor potty pads, too. It will take her some time to catch onto a new routine, but she’s smart and will catch on quickly.

Additional Medical Care:
Bloodwork: October, 2024. Normal ranges with nothing concerning.
Dental: October, 2024 dental cleaning with multiple tooth extractions.
Grooming: Abigail was just de-matted and groomed. She was patient and sweet for the baths and haircut.


Special Medical Notes:
Based on the condition of Abigail’s teeth, she was kept in a metal crate 24/7 as a breeding dog. She fractured several of her teeth by chewing on metal crate bars longterm. She has deep grooves in her back teeth from chewing on round bars from the hard metal mesh on crates. Some of her teeth were shattered from the constant chewing. Our veterinarian took out as many as she could safely.

Please note that Abigail will need special dental attention moving forward. She will need to have a dental at least once a year as her teeth issues are resolved. Please only apply if you understand the importance of annual dentals for Shih Tzu like Abigail and are able to see this through for her. We have X-rays and notes about the initial dental if you’d like more information about her needs and continued care.

If you are up for brushing your dog’s teeth, Abigail is certainly a candidate for it!

The great news is that Abigail is comfortable and doing well after the dental Animal Saints provided her. Her appetite is incredible, and she does not have issues eating. She will just need to eat only soft food, moving forward. She should also never chew on hard chew toys or rawhide.




Personality:

Abigail is observant and watches our every move. She doesn’t miss a beat as she wants to know where the humans are at all times.

Abigail is shy at first when meeting new people — especially men. Once she realizes they can be trusted, she will start walking up to them to garner their attention.

Once she knows she can trust you, she will want to be your best friend. She just learned how to give gentle kisses to the human nose, and she loves bestowing us with such love. To have her soulful eyes look at us with such love and gratitude blows us away. She reminds us of why we make the effort to save the lives of these Saints.

Abigail is currently housemates with four other fosters. One is young while the others are senior gems. She tolerates young dog energy but tends to prefer the quieter, laidback Saints. She likes to sleep next to them on the main bed but does not cuddle — at least not yet. She would prefer cuddling next to the human.

When it comes to mealtime, Abigail needs her own space. She has food insecurities from her past. For the time being, she needs to be in a quiet and safe place with no other competition around for her plate.

Abigail is smart and quick to learn. We have been working on some manners, and she just learned sit and the recall word “here.”



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What Abigail needs in her lifetime family. Is it you?

To say we adore Abigail is an understatement. She is a gem in every sense of the word. As her advocates, this is what we know she needs:


Patience and Training

Abigail is learning, most likely for the first time in her life, that people can be trusted. Kind people are wonderful to be around — so much so that she would prefer having them by her side 24/7. Now that she realizes what love feels like from them, she craves it. Abigail is in need of having her people around most of the time. If you mostly work from home or are retired, this is ideal.

Abigail is also a terrific traveler in the car. Expect a sidekick to come with you, no matter where you go.

At night, plan on sharing your sofa with Abigail as you relax. She will want to sleep near you through the night, too. This keeps her calm and content. Being near her people is VERY important to her healing. If she has to be separated in another room, especially at night, this will be incredibly stressful for her and everyone else in the home.

Based on her past, crating is an absolute NO. She spent the first few years of her life crated far too much to the point she almost destroyed her jaw from chewing on one. She doesn’t need to be in one ever again unless it’s for safe travel or a medical emergency.

Foundational skills training sessions with a certified professional trainer are required for Abigail’s adoption. Abigail is very observant and eager to please. She will gain such confidence from the classes, and they will ensure a successful transition into her lifetime family and home.

Even though Abigail has a newfound love of people, she can still question her safety around them at times. Because of her past experience with neglect and humans being unkind to her, it is best for Abigail to be in a home that has adults and older children who have experience around dogs.

A quieter home with patient people who still have good mobility and like to get outside with their dogs is an ideal placement for Abigail. Abigail might be okay as an only dog in a home, provided she could meet dog friends nearby often. This is important for her to gain confidence and flourish in her second chance at life. Abigail does not play with other dogs at present, but she does follow their lead and learns positive things from them. In time, we can see her coming out of her shell more and engaging in play with gentler dogs. Dogs are usually happier with a friend. With this in mind, she will be happier in a home with at least one other gentler dog around her size.


Love and Commitment

At Animal Saints Rescue Society, our goal is to keep dogs out of overcapacity animal control facilities and out of a re-homing cycle. We place the dogs we save into lifetime families. With this in mind, we seek families who understand that an adoption is a lifetime commitment. The families who adopt from us believe that love is not a feeling, it is a decision. Some humans still believe it’s okay to try out a dog for a few weeks, a few months, or even a few years — then discard when they get bored or don’t want to deal with emotional or physical ailments. We are looking for the empathetic, kind, and patient humans in this world who view these Animal Saints as family, and they will do whatever it takes to give them what they need. Will that family be you? We look forward to finding out and receiving your application!


Requested adoption donation fee is a minimum of $700. This is to partly cover her medical expenses that our 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue incurred to give her a second chance at life.