Howie is an 8 year old male Dachshund mix who weighs in at 19 pounds.  This dog's adoption fee is $225.  If you are still interested, please read more below.

Hi, my name is Howie. For the past 7 years, I lived in a cage, so everything in the world feels new and unfamiliar to me. But recently my life began to change—I met a kind and loving foster mom who showed me what it means to feel safe and cared for.

When I first arrived at my foster home, I was scared of everything. But now, I’ve started to settle in. I eat well, enjoy yummy treats, and I’m even working on my potty training in the backyard! I am doing well with housetraining. I potty in the backyard and go to sleep in my cage at night.

One of my favorite things is following the delicious smells from the kitchen—I’m quite the little food explorer! I’m still getting used to walking on a leash (it feels a bit strange to me), so I prefer short walks for now. But don’t worry—I make up for it by running joyfully around the backyard with the kids, even with my short little legs!

I absolutely love cuddling in warm laps and being held in gentle arms—especially by my foster mom and her children. I still feel a little nervous around adult men, but my foster dad is patiently winning me over. He even carries chicken-flavored treats in his pocket just for me… and honestly, that’s working. 

More than anything, I crave love, gentle hands, and a place to call my forever home. I may be small and shy, but my heart is full of love, just waiting to be shared. Could you be the one to show me what forever feels like? 

Upon arrival, Howie was fixed, had a dental, vaccinated, heartworm tested, dewormed, and given a thorough evaluation by our vets. Howie was given a great bill of health, though it would be ok if he lost a few pounds. During his vet examination, a mass was found on his right hind leg. Initially in-house cytology revealed it was a mass cell tumor. He was given medication to shrink the tumor, and it has gotten smaller (please see his vet records for a more complete report). Sadly, it did not shrink enough to remove it without leaving a large open wound on him as the tissue will not meet to close properly. Without the mass being removed and sent off for testing, we cannot determine if it is a high-grade or low-grade mass cell tumor. Prognostically at its worst, it could be 9-10 months or many years, as the mass cells do vary greatly. Despite all this, Howie is still a very happy and active dog who has so much love to give, and he deserves a loving home. He is not in any pain, and this does not affect his daily life. 

Howie is microchipped, up to date on all vaccinations, and neutered. A meeting will not be scheduled until you have an approved application, so if you are interested in adopting this dog, fill out an Online Application today!  Once your application has been approved, an ARF volunteer will contact you to arrange a meeting.