Annie (aka Tater Tot) in Tennessee– ADOPTED!!

Annie, aka Tater Tot, is approximately 6-8 years old. She was found roaming the streets a little over a year ago by a family in the Memphis area. They kept her for 8 months before they realized they were not able to give her the medical care she needed. Upon assessment at the vet, it was determined that Tater had delivered at least 3 litters in her first home and appeared to have been abandoned once she could no longer have any more puppies. In addition to the numerous c-section scars on her abdomen, Tater's entire body was very red and inflamed due to skin allergies, she had a tumor on her head and mammary gland, had cloudy runny eyes, and was reported to have a problem with her 'innie' screw tail. She was also found to be heartworm positive. Before treating Tater's heartworms, the vet needed to remove and test her tumors for cancer, assess her tail, and treat her painful skin condition. We were thrilled to find out that Tater's tumors were cancer-free, her tail does not require surgery as long as it receives daily cleaning, and her skin condition seems to be due to allergies and is significantly improved with weekly baths, daily wipes downs with anti-micro bacterial wipes, and a fish-based food. Her eyes also improved once her skin started looking better. They are still a little cloudy, but her vision appears to be fine and her eyes are no longer runny. Tater began HW treatment once she was medically cleared and handled it like the trooper she is. She completed her last injection at the beginning of August and will be retested in 6 months to ensure she is HW free.

Tater will probably always have issues with her skin depending on the area where she lives. If she is consistently wiped down, bathed, and fed a fish-based food, her skin problems should not cause her any distress. Her back legs do seem to be a little weak and she has an interesting gait. Her back nails need to be trimmed every week so that they do not grow into her paw pads. Her hind leg strength will need to be monitored as she gets older, and it would be wise to start her on a glucosamine supplement.

Annie’s foster family likes to call her, "Hot Tot,” because she has a fiery personality! Tot loves to be the center of attention regardless of who the attention is coming from and does not care if you approve or not! She is one of the most socially confident dogs her foster mom has ever met. She can take her anywhere, and Tot does not seem to care as long as she knows she is not being abandoned. Once she feels safe with you--which does not take long--she loves going on little walks, visiting friends’ homes and their dogs, riding in cars, vacations, and trips to the office. Tot would do best in a home where she can have a healthy balance of exercise, napping, and socialization.

Tot will happily take advantage of people and adult dogs that she deems submissive. She currently lives with 2 large, confident female dogs who set clear boundaries with fosters and Tot has never had an issue taking their corrections and respecting their boundaries. Tot has no problem eating meals, chewing bones, and getting into mischief alongside them. She has also been great with foster puppies. She LOVES playing with them and is very gentle with her corrections. When Tot has been around dogs with submissive and overbearing personalities, she will happily take the leader of the pack role. As a mischief-maker, this does not always work out…she encouraged 3 large, submissive dogs to help her knock a large box of treats off a counter, and then yelled at them when they tried to join her in eating them. It is probably best she live with more confident, laid back dogs.

Her foster mom has never personally had issues with bone aggression, but a laid-back friend of hers who firmly believes that Tot can do no wrong was bitten over a duck foot. Tot had snapped at her dog when it was just walking by her as she was chewing. My friend went to attempt to correct her and Tot snarled, snapped at her, and ran away with it. The minute her foster mom entered the room, Tot dropped the foot immediately and went right to her bed. She is a master of finding the "suckers" in the room and taking full advantage of them.

Tot is only partially housebroken. She was fully potty trained when she came into rescue but has regressed a bit during her heartworm steroid treatment. This has steadily improved since finishing her medications. In the meantime, she is being crated while she is alone. She has no issues being crated. She knows the following commands: sit, stay, come, and leave it. A fenced yard is preferred but not required. She does not need someone who can be home with her all day or a midday potty break but would love it.

Tater LOVES to chew…cow hooves, pig ears, bully sticks, Kongs filled with pumpkin, duck feet…she will chew them all! She is not really into toys, but she likes to wrestle and play chase with other dogs and humans. Tot also loves exploring the world! She walks well on a leash and has had a great time visiting the massive off-leash dog park and national parks close by on cool days. She also enjoys farmers markets, Lowes, dog-friendly patios, the office, playdates, and just riding in the car.

Tot would love to be in a home where she will be the center of attention for the remainder of her life. Daily cuddles, walks, bones, wipe downs, and adventures are ideal for this little girl, and her social personality makes her the perfect companion. It would be best for her to be in a home with older children since small children might be a little too rough with her. Tot only deserves the best and her foster mom wants her to live in a home that will give her just that.

Here are some silly things that Annie’s foster mom says she does:

“-When I get home, Tots does a full-body wiggle that makes my day. I look forward to it every single day.
-When you stop petting her and she is not ready for you to stop, she will walk on top of you and slap your hand until you start again.
-It took a while to convince Tot to sit and wait for her food, but she has gotten pretty good at it over that past few months. I can tell that it's a hard command for her because regardless of how long I make her wait, she drools all over the floor.
- Tot LOVES to pretend she is a big dog and carry around big dog bones. She and my GSD live to switch pig ears and bully sticks. Since I always cut Tot's in half and give my GSD a full bone, Tot will run around with an ear that is larger than her. She isn't allowed to chew it, but I let her prance around proudly with it for a while. It makes us laugh every time.”

There's just something about Tot. She makes her foster mom laugh even when she is being bad. It is heartbreaking to know that this little spitfire was more than likely not given the care or love for the first half of her life that she so clearly craves and deserves. After being used just for breeding for so long, this is her time to be a puppy and explore all the world has to offer with a family that will consider her a companion and beloved member of their pack.