Gio is a fluffy 3yearold cream and white Shih Tzu with a big, stubborn, curious, and irresistibly charming personality packed into his light 13pound frame. He knows exactly who he is, and he brings equal parts sass, sweetness, and fun to daily life. Gio is fully vaccinated, heartworm negative, microchipped, and neutered. He seems to be house trained, and he’s doing well with a consistent routine in his foster home. Structure helps him settle into predictable potty and feeding times. He does not like being shut inside a kennel, but he does enjoy having an open kennel space with his blanket where he can come and go as he pleases. It’s his cozy little den—as long as the door stays open. Along with his blanket, he also enjoys chewing and nuzzling on stuffed toys which also seems to be a source of calming for him. Gio enjoys going for walks and he has sudden bursts of energy throughout the day where he loves chasing tiny balls and playing fetch. When he’s in play mode, he’s all in! This little guy can run and he is quick and determined. Because he is speedy, curious, and always ready for a quick adventure, Gio will do best in a home with a secure, fully fenced yard or a family committed to keeping him in a harness and on a leash at all times outdoors. He’s fast enough that an open door or unfenced area could be tempting for a spontaneous sprint and he is fast! After running around or playing, he’s all about taking time to chill out. He does enjoy lounging on the couch with his foster family & relaxing. He also enjoys sleeping in bed all night with his foster and snuggling and burrowing under the covers! He is a smart and funny little guy and his stubborn side comes out with his selective hearing! Gio absolutely knows his name, but he tends to respond on his terms. He’s working on recall in his foster home and improving with consistency. Ask him to sit, and he’ll proudly show off his best manners. He gets along well with the resident dog and enjoys playing, but he tends to act like the boss. He can be a little vocal when asserting himself, and he can show some resource guarding around food. With clear boundaries and separate feeding spaces, he does well. Gio has not interacted with children or cats at his foster home, so his behavior around them is currently unknown. Gio will thrive with someone who appreciates a dog with personality—someone who enjoys a playful pup, cozy couch time, and a little bit of sass. A family that can offer structure, affection, and mindful management around food will bring out his very best. Adoption Fee: $500 ( cash or card) Foster to contact: Judy at petsitter6562@yahoo.com Our fosters do the best they can to provide all information about the animal's background and temperament while in foster care in their home. An adopters routine and home environment is likely going to be different than that in their foster home. Sometimes there is more that comes out about a dog's personality once they have been able to settle in a home & truly become comfortable. There are great articles out there written about the different stages a pet goes through after adoption; discussing transitions that happen at 3 days, 3 weeks, & 3 months. We highly recommend reading about this - it will help you understand the transition your new pet goes through. Last Hope, Inc. is an all volunteer, foster based, no kill rescue! You can see almost all of our dogs on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month from 11 am - 2 pm at Apple Valley Petco (7590 150th St W, Apple Valley, MN 55124) Policies: You do not have to have a fence to adopt a dog from us, but some dogs will require a fence or acres to play, or an active family who will make sure the dog gets the exercise it needs to be happy. Some dogs do not have the temperament that will do well with young children. The Adoption Fee is not enough to cover the vet bills. Sales tax of almost 7.25% is also included in the adoption fee that you see. Please consider donating to Last Hope to help us save these animals! CAN YOU FOSTER? By taking a dog or puppies temporarily into your home and then coming to our adoption days to help find them homes, we can save more! If you’re interested, please email our office @ mail@last-hope.org and give us your contact information and what you would like to foster and someone will get back to you! You can also apply to be a foster home on our webpage! In the upper left hand corner there’s a drop down tab with the link for canine foster home. Just fill it out online & submit! We will get back to you as quick as we can.