Marvin oh Marvin, our dear little Marvin.  He is quite the character.  Marvin was a stray in Buffalo last summer and found his way to the shelter.  He was in ROUGH shape - severely matted with a large painful cyst on his tail.  He was very defensive and would not allow any or very little handling.  Well, we love a good challenge and thought this little guy at least deserved a chance outside of the shelter.  We think he is about 5 or 6 years old and a maltese poodle mix. 

The first thing we had to do was get him groomed.  He hated it and it took several sessions with his foster mom to get him into good shape.  She was not going to let him win that battle! Now he tolerates it but if you cannot groom him yourself, he needs to go to an experienced groomer that is used to crabby little dogs.  Next up was neuter and a much needed dental!  While he was there, the cyst on his tail was lanced and drained.  Although painful at the time, we knew that it was going to make him feel so much better.  And it did.  So little by little, his foster mom worked on gaining his trust by picking him up, walking him and taking him for car rides.  He wasn't happy about strangers trying to make friends with him though.  Well fast forward 6 months and now Marvin is a regular at our events and lets people pick him up and hold him!  It is now time for Marvin to find his own home and his own family.  

So here is a little more information about Marvin.  He has a big bark and isn't afraid to use it!  He barks when his foster mom leaves without him, when she comes home and when he's upset about anything.  Apartments will most likely not be a fit.  He loves to cuddle and likes to sneak into his mom's bed to hide under the covers.  He is working on housetraining and as long as you get him outside often, he knows what he is supposed to do.  He still has accidents in the house though, mainly because he is lazy under the covers and doesn't want to be bothered!  But if you get him outside, he knows what to do.  He has a fully fenced yard in his foster home and enjoys being outside in the nice weather.  His foster mom thinks he will do best with a fenced yard to continue his housetraining.  Other dogs are fine but he is not a player and does not want to be bugged by the dogs that are.  Cats are fine, he may bark but that's it.  Kids - well no.  If older kids visit, that is fine but no young kids.  His ideal home would be a single person or couple, a\ low key without a lot of activity that  has some dog experience, preferably difficult little dog experience!  He is happy with an occasional visitor in his foster home but he does not need or want high energy or a hectic home.  Marvin may need some time to get used to a new home and family too. Once he loves you, he LOVES you.  He definitely wants attention and affection from people.  He loves to lay in your arms and get his belly rubbed.   We don't know anything about his former life but from his physical condition and his then temperament, we know it couldn't be very good.  He now has a chance at the life and home he should have always had. We know his forever home is out there somewhere!  

Now we know he is cute and a lot of what people like in dogs - white and non-shedding!  But Marvin is not for everyone and his foster mom has to be very picky where he goes.  

Marvin is neutered, up to date with vaccines, microchipped, heartworm neg, flea/worm treated.  He has also had a dental while in our rescue.  Marvin's adoption fee is $400.