Statler
Statler and Waldorf ended up at Hamilton Animal Services when their owner was hospitalized. Unfortunately, shelter staff were not able to reach the owner, nor any friends or family to get info on the dogs, so we don’t know their real names, or exact ages.
When a foster home stepped up, we were happy to get Statler and Waldorf out of the shelter and into a loving foster home. Statler and Waldorf are seniors and have some of the typical senior chihuahuas issues, such as luxating patellas, bad teeth, and heart murmurs. But they’re both very sweet.
At their rescue day vet visit, their blood work came back fairly normal for dogs their age. A good sign! They were given long-lasting pain medication to help with arthritis. We are going to give them some time to decompress, and their foster mom will monitor their health over the next few weeks before we make any decisions about getting them the dental surgery they need.
For now, Statler and Waldorf are happy to be out of the shelter and they’re enjoying all the soft beds, treats, and love their foster mom is providing.
Welcome to Ladybird, Statler and Waldorf! We’re so happy you’re here!
* November 21/24 UPDATE *
Please send your love and well wishes to Waldorf for his dental and bladder stone removal surgeries today.
Unfortunately, Statler’s advanced age and physical frailty won’t allow for him to have dental surgery, but Statler will go with Waldorf to the vet clinic for moral support. These two are very bonded and hopefully Statler’s presence will help comfort Waldorf after his procedure.
Fingers crossed everything goes well, and these sweet dogs can start the search for their forever home when Waldorf is all healed.
Go Waldorf! You got this!
* November 22/24 UPDATE *
Waldorf did great for his surgery. Six teeth and three bladder stones removed. He and Statler are very happy to be back in their foster home, and we hope Waldorf will heal without issue. Thank you for the well wishes!
December 3/24 UPDATE
Waldorf is healed from his surgery, and he and Statler are ready for their forever home!
It will take some time for them to settle and bond with their new people, and they both have “quirks” that may not be desirable to some, but they will be wonderful companions for the right home.
Things to know about Statler:
He is in his twilight years. He’s thin and wobbly on his feet. His teeth are bad, but he’s not able to have dental surgery because of his advanced age. He’s currently on daily pain meds to help, but he’s not on any other medication at this time. He eats canned food, and he eats very well. He is an expert napper. He enjoys spending time in the back yard, and will explore until he tells you he’s done by sitting at your feet. He never barks. He’s a sweet, sweet little guy.
Things to know about Waldorf:
He’s tiny and adorable. Since healing from surgery, Waldorf has been more energetic and playful. His adopters should take him to regular vet visits to be sure the bladder stones don’t return. Waldorf has been diagnosed with tracheal collapse, which is a common condition for small dogs. Most days he has a bit of a cough, and other days he doesn’t cough at all.
Sometimes he’ll walk by cats without issue, and other times he will chase after cats. Because he can be unpredictable in this sense, it would be best for him to be in a home without cats. He’s not an overly barky dog, and mostly only barks when he goes after the cats or when he hears a noise that isn’t familiar to him. Waldorf prefers to eat his canned food directly on a mat, as opposed to in a bowl or even a plate. He will sit by the bowl and whine until you take some of the food out of the bowl and place it on the mat. (his foster family will pass the mats onto his new home). He loves walks and spending time in the backyard where he gets bursts of energy and zooms all over.
Though they’re getting better every day, neither dog is fully housetrained. They will use puppy pads for times when their foster family aren’t home when they need to go. When their foster family are out of the home, Statler and Waldorf are in a puppy pen where they have water and their soft beds and blankets. They feel safe in their space, and being able to go into the pen when they wanted helped ease their nervousness tremendously when they first arrived to their foster home.
Both dogs will need regular grooming to keep their coats from becoming tangled and matted. Both dogs have luxating patellas, but it doesn’t cause them any pain or slow down their mobility.
They haven’t been around any other dogs since coming into our care, so we can’t speak to whether or not they’d be okay with another dog in the home. A home without small children would be best for them. Statler and Waldorf love and depend on each other, so they need to be adopted as a pair.
If you can find it in your heart to give two sweet senior dogs a loving forever home, please apply to adopt Waldorf and Statler today!