Stitch (#0155) is a fun-loving 6 month old Rat Terrier. He is happy, entertaining and easy to train. Stitch is a smart dog who loves working with people and who learns quickly. He is mostly crate trained and jumps up to his crate, on top of his foster sister's crate with the command "go to your crate".

Stitch knows "sit", "down" and is learning "shake" and "boing" now. He loves to play fetch, but has trouble doing so with other dogs around. If Stitch is alone he will fetch a ball, frisbee or stick all day long and bring it right back to his foster mom. If other dogs get involved in the fetch game Stitch often lets them take the ball and just runs with them. Stitch gets along well with all other dogs and has yet to meet a dog that didn't like him - though I'm sure with his bouncy pestering personality he'll find one someday!

Stitch loves people and dogs and wants someone to play with him ALL the time. He is great in his foster mom's fenced yard; so far he does not bark at people walking by or try to escape. Inside Stitch is also a little peach. Though he is a high energy dog, Stitch is able to settle down and take a nap or two throughout the day.

Stitch sleeps in his crate at night and always sleeps through the night without a problem. The one time Stitch woke his foster mom up barking it was because he had to pee and was letting her know. Stitch is not completely housebroken, but is getting there. He has pooped in the house twice and peed in the house on occasion. Though we don't know Stitch's past because he was a stray, his foster mom wonders if at one point he was trained on potty pads because every accident he's had inside has been on a dog bed.

Stitch needs to go to an active, dog-savvy home. He would absolutely love a home that could take him on bike rides and walks regularly. Stitch goes on bike rides often with his foster mom and is a wonderful bike riding partner. He would also be a great sports dogs for things like agility, frisbee or flyball. Stitch has already been working on flyball training and currently does runbacks and is training on the box. He is a quick little guy and would be a great height dog addition to any flyball team.

Stitch is not a dominant terrier. He is currently living with three other dogs; one female and two males, all of whom he gets along with perfectly. His foster sister is very dominant and Stitch understands this and is incredibly submissive to her. His big lab foster brother picks on him from time to time and Stitch always runs away with his tail between his legs. He is definitely a lover, not a fighter. Stitch loves to snuggle and is a great lap dog. He would be happy to sleep with his foster mom if she would let him.

Here is a little video of Stitch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDY_O-NS0Ys

Stitch is full of curiosity and can sometimes be a mischief maker. He'd do best in an alert home where his family is aware of Stitch's whereabouts and could work on training. Stitch likes to open drawers and dig through human things. He can also easily get on tables and counters, though he's easily kept out of rooms by closing doors or using baby gates. Though Stitch loves to stir things up, he's never ruined anything he's taken out of a drawer. He will find food if it is not put away and can open most containers with ease. His foster mom likes Stitch's "go get 'em" attitude, because it means she has to keep her house clean! His foster mom would love to keep Stitch herself, but she can't at this time.

If you're interested in Stitch please contact Jayne at mcjayne@yahoo.com. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Iowa

Rugby (Protege #0159) is a pint-sized velcro Aussie with a full-sized Aussie heart. A full 8.4 pounds at 1-1/2 years old, he holds his own as long as you're willing to let him snuggle in your lap after a long day. Rugby is getting used to the new routines with his foster family, which includes a toddler, two much larger Aussies and many cats. Slowly he is getting use to the other animals, often trying to make up for his size by showing them who is boss - this is the only time he brings out his voice. He's wonderful with the energetic toddler and with both men or women.

Rugby is also overcoming a bit of skittishness and just flat out jealousy, but is doing nicely. His foster home is working on crate training, basic commands, basic playing and learning that the other animals are no big deal - really! Rugby is comfortable and alert inside or outside the home, loving to playfully help his foster mom in the garden.

Rugby is up to date on shots, neutered, and recovering from a mild case of hookworms. He is beging fostered between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, Iowa. Contact Jayne at mcjayne@yahoo.com with questions and for more information. While we welcome your questions about this dog, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Jo
Iowa