Katie
Hoover, Alanama
Female
Age: 5 (6/13/2018)
16#
Health: Dry eyes, otherwise healthy!
Adoption Donation: $450
*** AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION ***
⏰ Someone w/ her much of day/low alone hours
💜 Gentle children okay
🚘 Driving distance to vet ophthalmologist
🌱 Safe & secure fenced yard, preferred
🛑 If you do not check ALL of the above requirements, your application will not pass the screening process for consideration. We do not compromise on these requirements as we feel they are essential to a successful adoption with Katie.
MEET KATIE 🐶
Katie is a sweet, beautiful 5 year old girl (DOB 6/18/2018) who came to us earlier this year as an owner surrender due to no fault of her own. Her elderly owner was no longer able to meet her needs and continue her care and entrusted us with her care and placement. She has been a joy to have, but is now ready to find her perfect furever family!
MEDICAL 🩺
Darling Katie came into our care already spayed and microchipped, but she received vaccinations, underwent a thorough physical exam, and full labwork in our care. All of her labwork including her fecal test, heartworm and tick borne illness test, urinalysis, and bloodwork came back normal and negative. Additionally, her knees, hips, and heart (no murmur) are clear and congenitally sound at the time. She arrived into our care with a painful corneal ulceration in her right eye which had gone untreated and so she visited with our ophthalmologist. It was determined to be a refractory, or non healing ulcer, meaning it was not going to heal on its own and required a procedure to remove the abnormal layers of the cornea and expose healthy tissue. Katie's procedure went well and she healed beautifully! It was discovered that Katie does not close her eyes all the way when she blinks and her corneas are therefore more susceptible to being dry and ulcerating. To prevent that from happening, she is on a twice a day prescription eye drop that improves the quality of her tear film and also an over the counter eye lubricating ointment to help keep her eyes nice and moisturized and comfortable. Her condition is very well managed with the eye drops, her tear production is normal, and her vision is great, but it is a good idea that Katie remains under the care of an ophthalmologist for an semi-annual to annual recheck to ensure it remains well monitored and managed. Otherwise, Katie is a very healthy girl! While not a medical concern, it is important to note that Katie appears to be hard of hearing which is very common in Cavaliers. You just need to be sure to 'show' her what to do and she does great with hand signals once you have her attention.
FOOD & POTTY HABITS 🥘
Katie is typical in size and at her ideal weight of 16 pounds. She is a beautiful black and tan girl whose coat is growing beautifully with all the excellent care and good groceries she is receiving. Like most Cavalier, Katie LOVES meal time where she really comes to life and is always eager to get to her bowl first. She eats her Fromm meals twice a day and is like 'clock work' reminding her foster mom when it's time for breakfast and dinner, and even putting on a little dance performance while her bowl is being prepared! Between meals, she enjoys small low calorie treats throughout the day and sits like a little lady to take her treat. Her adopting family should be committed to continuing her strictly portioned meals, limited healthy treats, and daily activity/exercise to ensure she remains at her ideal weight, best health, and best self.
Katie has proven to be reliably potty trained as long as she is provided plenty of opportunities outside to be successful. She is taken out first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and every few hours in between including immediately after meals. She doesn't signal or alert that she needs to potty and so it is up to her family to take the initiative to take her out regularly and frequently. She uses the safe and secure fenced yard for pottying and is great about following her Cavalier foster sisters outside to take care of her potty business. Because she is a food motivated gal, a special high value treat immediately following good potty behavior will be excellent reward and reinforcement for her. Please know that even though she has been reliable in her foster home, accidents are always to be expected, especially initially as she transitions and learns a new environment and routine.
PERSONALITY 💕
Katie's foster mom describes her as a sweet, pleasant, reserved/quiet little cuddle bug who wants nothing more in life than to just sit and be with her person. She is all about finding a warm sunny spot, a comfy bed, or an available lap to sit and snuggle into. She enjoys a quiet, leisurely life and is into the chill vibes - she would love a home and family that is all about the chill life too! Other than her love of food and snuggles, she also loves a leashed stroll around the neighborhood and is a social and well adjusted gal who does great outside of the home. She doesn't understand what all the fuss is about toys and play and would rather retreat to the comfiest spot she can find for a little R&R (rest and relaxation) - we are sure it's exhausting being a perfect little princess! 👑
ROUTINE ⏰
Katie starts her day going out for pottying, and then in for breakfast and her morning eye drops. She then spends much of the day with her foster family being leisurely and enjoying both indoors and outdoors. She is the perfect companion and coworker as her foster family works from home and she finds a comfy spot near them. In the afternoon, she enjoys a stroll through the neighborhood and then in the evening, like clockwork, she is in the kitchen at dinner time waiting to be served! After dinner and evening eye drops, she enjoys couch time with her foster family before it's last potty outside and time for bed. While Katie has been encouraged to sleep in the big bed in her foster home, she didn't do so in her former home and is used to sleeping in a comfy dog bed right next to the big bed where she knows her people are close and she is safe and sound. But, she still enjoys time spent in the big bed where she uses pet steps to safely get on and off. We are seeking a family who will continue to invite her up.
Katie spends much of the day with her people and that is very important to her so we are seeking a home where someone is able to be with her most of the time. In her foster home for the times when no one is home, Katie stays in a puppy proofed area of the home where she has plenty of space and comforts. She does seem to be used to a crate and will frequently go in and out of an open one on her own. That said, she is never kept contained/locked in one and does not need to be and don't recommend that she is. She does well left for short periods of time but is certainly happiest being with her people and will do best with low alone time and plenty of family and snuggle time.
SOCIALIZATION 💜
Katie is a well socialized girl who is always happy and eager to meet new people. She will happily receive attention and affection from all willing to give it! Because she is great in the car, wonderful on leash, and well socialized, it makes it easy and enjoyable to include her in outings and adventures which also makes her a very happy girl to spend as much time with you as she can. We haven't found her to be particularly timid or fearful of much at all, and because she is hard of hearing she is not easily startled by noises. She has spent time with children and has been very appropriate, curious, and gentle. We feel she would be happy and do well in an adult only home or a home with well behaved, dog savvy children who know how to engage with her gently and respect her space and boundaries.
Katie shares her foster home with three other Cavaliers who she gets along with very well. She does not engage with them and is not playful, but cohabites very well with them and enjoys their companionship. She also does great meeting new dogs. But, Katie is much more focused on her relationship with her people which is priority to her. We feel she would do well as an only pup in the home but only if she was able to be with her person much of the time. Otherwise, she will also do well with another mild, gentle, laid back, adult Cavalier(s) or other dog of similar size and temperament. Her ideal canine companion would be one who enjoys leisurely leashed walks and plenty of cav-naps. Although we have not seen her with cats, we expect she would do fine with a dog friendly feline friend in the home.
HER IDEAL FAMILY & HOME 🏡
Most importantly, Katie needs a committed, loving family who has the time to devote to her and will shower her with so much love and attention. Nothing would make her happier than being able to spend much of the day with her person enjoying quality time together, which includes plenty of cuddle time. Therefore, we are seeking a home where she will have low alone hours. Because she is comfortable and happy on a leash, we are not requiring a safe and secure fenced yard in her furever home but she would love some sort of outdoor space, like a secured deck or patio where she can leisurely enjoy the sunshine and fresh air on a nice day. That said, if there is no fenced yard in the home, Katie must be kept on leash at ALL times when taken outside, per our agreement - this is important to reinforce given that Katie is hard of hearing.
Katie has no problem with stairs/steps and her family should provide for her pet steps to safely get on and off the couch, as well as a boosted car seat so she can continue to ride comfortably and safely in the car. Lastly, her family must be committed to maintaining her daily eye drop regimen and be within driving distance to a veterinary ophthalmologist for her rechecks - her next recheck is due mid May 2024.
HOW TO APPLY 💻
Katie is such a sweet, pleasant, precious girl who is ready to be your best friend. She is going to make someone really happy! If you feel you are a match with Katie and meet all of her requirements, please fill out an adoption application found on our website (TheCavalierRescue.org) then email us at CavalierRescueAL@gmail.com to express your interest letting us know why you feel you are a match. Katie is located in Hoover, Alabama, and travel there is required. Katie is available for adoption now, so please only apply if you are able and ready to move forward at this time. Her requested adoption donation is $450.