Stevie

Mental Abuse and Neglect: We need a home for this silky. No charge for adoption but a home visit is required to make sure he ends up in safe hands with an experienced owner. Our foster has done all she can and she is starting to have health issues relating to the constant lifting of Stevie. From the foster: I was told Stevie was 10 years old and had lived outside on a chain for 9 years. The original owner was taking him to be euthanized because he was blind and since he was a breeder, this dog wasn't worth his time anymore. I don’t think he has had a lot of human interaction. He is very fearful; however, I have never seen him show any aggression, in any way, to me or my dog (my dog, Riley, is a schnauzer mix who weighs 18lbs). Here are his needs: 1.) He is not house-trained and does not know how to walk on a leash. He sits or lays down when a leash is put on him. I carry outside in the morning or back outside when he comes into the house during the day. I have attempted leash training several times. 2.) He gets carsick. 3.) He stays outside some of the day under a covered patio inside a fenced yard. He uses the bathroom within a 2-3 foot area around where he lays. I have only seen him go out of the covered area once. He did learn where he is fed and loves to eat. 4.) At bedtime, Stevie is kept in a pen in the living room that is larger than the crate. I use the pad on one side and put a blanket for him on the other side. He still misses the pad and poops/pees on the blanket, so I still have to bathe Stevie and wash the blanket daily. 5.)Whether inside or outside Stevie sleeps most of the time. He is still fearful when I try to pet him outside, not as much inside. I have never seen him wag his tail or display any kind of emotion except fear. He does not interact with Riley and will not engage with any toy I have tried (soft, rubber, squeaky, balls etc.) 6.) Stevie has had so little human interaction that he is just not used to being loved. I have fostered 14 dogs besides Stevie. Stevie is very different than any other dog I have interacted with, not just because he is blind. His vision is only one of the issues. I believe the lack of human interaction may be the main issue. If Stevie had an adopter who did not work and really spent a lot of consistent time with him on potty training, walking on a leash, and interacting with people and other animals that might help. He has been alone for so long that is all that is familiar to him. ? Friends of Felines