* Chip and Olive found their forever home together with a lovely person! Yay! *

Chip and Olive came into Hamilton Animal Services as strays and were not claimed.
Olive and Chip were terrified little dogs. When HAS reached out to us for help, we thankfully had the perfect foster family for them who have lots of experience with chihuahuas.

In their foster home, Olive and Chip slowly came out of their shells. Their foster family gave them lots of time to get used to their new surroundings.

At their vet visit, it was noted that both dogs had severe periodontal disease and both need surgery for extractions and cleaning. Chip also needed to be neutered. It was discovered that Olive has a heart murmur, so an ultrasound was performed. Turns out Olive has mild valvular disease, but it’s not affecting her health at this time, and her heart was healthy enough to handle anesthetic.
Both dogs had their surgeries, and everything went great! They recovered well in their foster home, and now they’re ready to find their forever home! We’re asking that Chip and Olive be adopted as a pair.
Chip and Olive will need a very patient forever home where there are no children. They are okay with other pets, but it will take some time for them to get used to them, and proper introductions should be implemented.
Chihuahuas are known for being “one person” dogs. They bond very strongly to their person, and will generally be afraid and sometimes aggressive towards strangers, and even people they see every day. Trust is a long road with these guys. An experienced chihuahua person would be the best for Chip and Olive.
Here’s a note from their foster mom:
“Chip and Olive are an adorable pair of senior Chihuahuas looking for a loving home together!
Chip packs a tonne of character into his tiny 4 lb frame. His tongue is almost constantly hanging out (he doesn’t have any front teeth), which suits him just fine because it makes it easier for him to give lots of kisses! Chip loves naps, snacks, belly rubs, and walks almost as much as he loves his best friend, Olive.
Olive is the larger of the pair but still very small at a mere 8 lb. She is the older of the two as well but you wouldn’t know it as she is so spry and active. Olive is brave, gentle, and a little bit shy, but she is very easily won over with treats. (Both will sit for a treat and it’s so adorable!) Olive can be nervous of loud noises and traffic outdoors, but she gains a lot of confidence from watching Chip take on the world, and he always has her back! Olive is much more relaxed and sociable indoors, and when she isn’t getting her beauty rest, she likes to check out what’s going on around the house, especially if there is food involved!
Olive is an early riser, whereas Chip is happy to sleep the day away. Both are used to living with rabbits and dogs and are fairly low-maintenance beyond needing frequent potty breaks throughout the day (and/or access to a pee pad – they will both hold it overnight). It might take them both a couple of days to begin to feel safe and secure in their new home, but they really do warm up very quickly. Whoever is lucky enough to adopt them will find that giving them a bit of space to adjust will be worth it in the end, as they are a really sweet little duo and are only getting sweeter with time!”