Hiro

4/21/07: Hiro has been adopted! Congratulations Leah and family!

UPDATE 4/3/07: Hiro came through his neuter well. The staff at the veterinary clinic seemed quite impressed with him, and said he didn't even cry while he was there overnight! What a brave little guy! He weighed in at 9.1 pounds, and has an appointment for 4/17/07 to get his lyme vaccination booster.

The vet did find a very small umbilical hernia on Hiro. I discussed the options, and we decided to leave it alone. I was assured that it's of no danger to him, that it will not get worse, or cause any problems down the road, as it is very small. The alternative would have been another incision, and more time under anesthesia for a strictly cosmetic flaw. I felt it was in Hiro's best interest to just leave his tummy be.

UPDATE: Hiro's neuter date is 4/2/07. He will be officially available to go to his forever home anytime after 4/3/07. Please email for an application!

UPDATE 3/13/07: Potty training is going great! Hiro is having fewer and fewer accidents! He's even kept his kennel clean a few nights! He still pees on the floor now and then, but when we go out, he does his business right away and then comes back for his pet and praise. As long as he goes out every 2-4 hours, he's nearly completely housebroken. I'm now marking him as "housebroken."

Hiro is a purebred pug puppy (born in October, 2006). He was born with one under developed eye (his right), and developed double eye infections as his eyes were opening. The resulting scars across his eyes have made him completely, and permanently blind.

Because he can not see, his eyes do not focus and tend to look off is different directions. He has no blink reflex. This means he can run full speed into something and he won't blink. He needs close supervision, and a home that has been 100% puppy/blind dog proofed! Previous, or current blind dog experience is a plus!

We did receive Doggles for Hiro (see photo), but he does not like to wear them. They don't rest properly across his nose, because his face is too flat. It makes his nose run, and it makes it hard for him to breathe.

Hiro relies strongly on his hearing to find his way around. Unfortunately, this has also caused a delay in potty training. He understands that when he is outside, he's supposed to go potty, but he does not let you know when he needs to go out. If you watch him, he'll sniff around and start circling, but if you aren't keeping an eye on him to watch for this "sign," he will go potty on the floor. He is kenneled at night and does have frequent (almost nightly) accidents over night. The good side to this is that he bathes well.

Hiro was treated for double ear infections when he first arrived, and is now current on vaccinations, dewormed, neutered, and microchipped. He has been around kids, cats, and dogs, and gets along with all of them.

We are seeking a very special home for this very special boy. He can not go down stairs, nor can he be trusted unattended outside, as he will follow noises he hears, and will run repeatedly into a fence in attempt to follow noises. He needs patience, and constant reassurance. Once he gets used to a floor layout (furniture, etc), he does pretty well, but he still runs in to things if he gets going and loses track of where he is, or if something is moved or changed. - NOTE: Ideally, we're looking for a home without children. While Hiro loves kids, and doesn't mind being picked up, carried, etc, by small kids, their toys do become a problem. Toys left on the floor pose a danger to him, as he can't see them, and he can't possibly know when a child leaves a toy laying out, or if an object has been moved. This, in turn, causes a danger to his eyes, as he could easily run in to a toy that's been left down, and injur himself. A family with children may be considered, but preference will be given to a child-free living environment.

Please E-MAIL for an application! We keep our Petfinder list current! Hiro will be marked as "pending" once we are no longer accepting applications. Hiro's adoption fee is $300, which covers his vaccinations (rabies, distemper/parvo, bordetella, and lymes), neuter, microchip, veterinary exams, treating his ear infections, and heartworm prevention. It also includes his collar, harness, leash, stainless steel ID tag, rabies tag, microchip tag, and some toys that were specifically donated to him. In addition, Hiro will also come with an adoption kit, training DVD, and 30-days of Sheltercare pet health insurance! To donate to help with Hiro's care, please use the Paypal button below!