Getting to know Chile

While we love all our foster dogs, it's always a wonderful thing when we get a dog with such a sweet and easy temperament as Chile has. He wants to play but won't be pushy about it. He wants to snuggle but won't try to wedge other dogs out of the primo spots. Just an all around great little guy. 

With his handsome ticking and dark eyeliner, he's a striking little dog

I don't think he's probably ever lived in a house before so we are starting out having him wear belly bands to counter any attempts at leg lifting. He's only been here two full days and is already getting the lesson that potty time happens outside. He does get to be inside without his belly band sometimes but that is only when I know that I won't be distracted and am spending time down on the floor playing with the dogs. 

LOVE his underbite - he perpetually looks like he's pouting a little bit

We don't know much about his history beyond what the shelter noted on his intake history. He was picked up by the county animal control officers in the middle of a busy highway that runs through Hanford, California. The intake officer noted that he was thin and dehydrated on arrival at the shelter. After that the little guy spent a month in the shelter but there are so many dogs there that without rescue groups helping, it's tough for them to make it out. Luckily this shelter has a director who's pretty dedicated to working with rescue groups to get more of the dogs in her care moving on to a better life. Her hard work and dedication has greatly reduced the euthanasia rate at her shelter. New Rattitude's Lynn Bonham was told about Chile and some other Rat Terriers there at the shelter and together they were able to find rescue spots for most of those dogs. 

He loves to play, but if very focused on people too and regularly checks in

As a new arrival to our house he's had to endure some pretty invasive sniff downs by Chima and a little snarking from Sal when he wanted to lie right next to her on the couch but he's taken it all in stride. Frodo is so impressed with him that he's even lowered himself to acknowledge a foster dog and took some time to play chase. That's high praise from the Frodster.

Chima giving poor Chile yet another sniff down

Frodo and Chile

The only thing I've noticed Chile needs work with (other than just perfecting the basics of being a house dog) is to build his confidence. He cowers a little if someone leans over him and is quite nervous about being picked up. So he will need a family who understands that positive based training is the only way to work with him. Set a dog up to succeed and they go far and Chile's a smart boy so this definitely holds true for him. In a gentle family dedicated to helping Chile grow, he is going to exceed anyone's expectations for him because he's such a great little dog. The sky's the limit for this little one!