Things to know about Gretchen Wieners:

• Needs a home in which someone is available to let her out for potty breaks regularly throughout the day and to keep her company.

Gretchen is a sweet and totally adorable 9-year-old chihuahua mix. She has a short soft brown and tan coat and weighs approximately 6 pounds. She is happy, loving, energetic, and curious. Gretchen has absolutely fabulous ears that stick right up and tune into the slightest sound. Her foster mom believes that she can hear a cheese package being unwrapped from a mile away.

Gretchen is making good progress with house training using positive reinforcement and regular potty breaks. She needs to have a home in which someone can be there to let her outside for every 3 to 4 hours and before and after meals. Gretchen does not use a crate when left at home alone. Her foster mom says that she would rather use pee pads.

Gretchen’s favorite activity is snuggling on the couch. She doesn’t require much exercise but does enjoy walks on her leash around the neighborhood. She would like to  have a backyard in her new home. But, because she is such a tiny girl, she should not  be left outside unsupervised. Gretchen isn’t an enthusiastic car passenger. However,  she’s good so long as she has a lap to sit on.

Gretchen loves her adult people. Young children are a bit overwhelming for her. She would probably be fine with teenagers. When strangers come into the house, she barks to let them know she is there. Once she knows that the new people are kind and can be trusted, she wants to be friends. She gets along and likes to play with other dogs.

Gretchen will likely be fine living in a home with shared walls including townhouses and  duplexes so long as there is a person at home most of the time. When left alone for  extended periods of time, she misses human company and may bark and howl.

When we asked her foster mom what she likes most about Gretchen, she said, “Gretchen is sweet little love bug. Her favorite spot is on my lap. She gets so excited to see me when I walk in the door. The second she hears her person; she begins the song of her people, howling in chorus. At night, she will curl up in a doggie donut, under covers and sleep all night long. We named her Gretchen Wieners from the character on
the movie Mean Girls. She just seems to have that silly personality”.

Gretchen is currently living in Columbia, SC with her foster mom Bethany. For additional information, please contact her at bethanycow@yahoo.com.

If you would like to adopt Gretchen, please complete an adoption application form by clicking on https://  www.littlepawsdr.org/adoption/adoption-applications/ .

The adoption fee for Gretchen is $275.00 If the dog is adopted over a state line, there will be an additional charge for a health certificate (required by law) of anywhere between $45.00 and $100.00. The amount depends upon what the veterinarian charges LPDR.

Transportation Help: If you see a dog that is a match for your family a LPDR volunteer transport may be arranged to bring the dog to you. However, some of our dogs have distance restrictions and need to be adopted within a specific number of miles from their foster homes. We’ll inform you if the dog you’ve applied for is not able to travel long distances by car. A paid transport can also be arranged for any dog that does not have travel restrictions.

Dogs adopted in New England are subject to additional rules and regulations by state departments of agriculture that may include a short stay in quarantine. Complying with these regulations are expensive for our rescue and some dogs going to New England states may be charged an additional $175.00 to cover costs of compliance.