Adopt a Rat Terrier / Mixed (short coat)

Bud, or Boudreaux as he's been nicknamed since traveling from Louisiana to his foster home in Tennessee, is a 3-year-old Rat Terrier/Chihuahua mix weighing 13 lbs. Bud is generally sweet and affectionate, and he enjoys being a snuggly lap dog. He is very polite on a leash and loves going on walks. He's also a good listener and house-trained. A couple of times a day, he gets the “zoomies” and races around the house--very cute and quite entertaining! However, Bud occasionally exhibits the temperament of a "ragin' Cajun" when he gets overly tired or feels frightened or defensive, and he can be quite skittish. Some of his skittishness may stem from the fact that he experiences some joint pain, for which he has recently been prescribed a daily anti-inflammatory. The medicine, which averages around 35 dollars per month, greatly improves his attitude and quality of life, but it hasn't totally eliminated his behavioral quirks. For example, if he is snuggled completely under a blanket and cannot see you, he will respond in fear when touched through the blanket. If surprised or frightened, he has snapped at or bitten people. For this reason, he should not go to a home with young children, who would not have the sophistication to recognize Bud's body language or warnings that he's feeling uncomfortable. And while most of the time, he gets along very well with the other dogs in his foster home, he has problems with resource guarding and has bitten dogs if they encroach in his space when he has a possession that he holds near and dear, like a chewy or a toy. He has improved in this area (his foster parents help him by using consistent positive training), and he is a little less aggressively protecting chewies but still very possessive over toys. Nevertheless, Bud longs for love and acceptance as much as any other dog, and if you're an experienced pet parent who is patient and knows how to use positive training methods, you can help Bud grow in confidence and become the dog he wishes to be--your good boy! Bud is looking for a home close enough to his foster home that he can invite you over and show you firsthand the kinds of situations that can trigger his occasional behavioral issues. To see more pics of this challenging but lovable little dog, check out Bud's online photo album at http://imageevent.com/newrattitude/bud.