Meet Little Rufus, affectionately known as Tubs ! He’s an adorable 12 yr old, Chihuahua, currently in Oldies Club foster care in Calne, Wiltshire, where he waits for the perfect forever home to be found for him.
He’s a real character, described by his fosterer, as loving, intelligent and a chap who knows his own mind ! It’s clear that Rufus has made his mark on his foster home (in a good way) and it’s not hard to see why.
He settled in well, but took a couple of weeks to get used to not being top dog with the resident doggy. If an only dog, it’s felt that he would settle in more quickly and make himself at home. Rufus is very friendly with other dogs (particularly the ladies !) so could be an only dog or live with other canine chums. It’s believed that he has lived with cats in the past, and doesn’t chase them, but his fosterer currently avoids them
If you want to pop out, Rufus is fine to be left for a while on his own. 3-4 hours is what he’s used to, with the occasional longer period being fine too.
Rufus is good with children of all ages, in and out of the home. He interacts well with them, and has mixed with children from 5 yrs to 12yrs, however, because of his age, younger children should be respectful of his older years.
Exercise isn’t Rufus’ favourite pastime ! But he is getting better, thanks to the patience and determination of his fosterer. If left to his own devices, he would be feet up on the sofa all day ! He was overweight when he arrived in foster, and so needs to have a good routine of daily walks. It’s believed that he was not let off his lead previously, so he has poor recall. He will walk with you for a bit, and then refuse to go on, until persuaded to do so with treats ! He can be stubborn and definitely has a mind of his own. Currently he manages a 1km walk once a day, often twice a day, and has been on 5k hikes. He started off slowly, but is getting quicker, thanks to his weight loss and careful diet. So, if you love your daily walks, or need an excuse to get outside, then Rufus is your boy !
Food is one of Rufus’ weaknesses, and as he has a propensity to put on weight, this needs to be managed carefully. He should be kept on dry food, as wet food doesn’t agree with him. He likes to be let out in the garden before he goes to bed, and will then go all night for a maximum of 10 hrs before he needs to relieve himself in the morning.
Healthwise, Rufus coughs a little, but this is likely to be related to his weight and fitness levels. He sometimes reverse sneezes, which can be common in little, older dogs, but this has improved with his weight loss and fitness regime.
Rufus is great in the car and would love to accompany you on days out. He’s a real star indoors, sleeps downstairs, and is described as the least troublesome dog his fosterer has looked after. He loves a cuddle and its clear from the loving testament from his foster home that he will make some lucky person/family a wonderful companion and so deserves to live out the rest of his years in a loving and kind home.
If you would like to offer Rufus a permanent home, please read our Adoption Procedures for information about the adoption process. You can then contact an Oldies Club Rehoming Coordinator as follows:
Email: rehome@oldies.org.uk
Telephone: 0844 586 8656
Rufus can be rehomed anywhere on the U.K. mainland – the closer to his foster home the better – subject to a satisfactory home visit. Note that you will be required to travel to the foster home to collect him
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