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***We are a foster-based rescue with no shelter or facility to view our dogs, and our address is a mailing address only. Please be patient as we are an all-volunteer rescue, and our rescue dogs are in various loving foster homes throughout West-Central Florida. As a general rule we try to limit our adoptions to within the state of FL. If interested in one of our dogs, please fill out a foster or adopt application at www.4luckydogs.org, and we will contact you by phone/text if we feel your application is the best fit out of the ones received.***

Destiny is a 9-month-old chihuahua and miniature pinscher mix. Standing only 11 inches tall and weighing only 9 pounds she is a dog who is very easy to carry around and likes it. Her eyes stand out as she looks at you with so much love and shows she wants to be with you every minute of every day. Everyone who meets her uses the word “sweet” to describe her.

His foster family gave her the name based on the song “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child. 4 Lucky Dogs felt this was a fitting name to show her strength and determination to survive an awful living situation.

Destiny would be best in a home where she gets a lot of attention. She will paw and paw at someone until she is able to get onto their lap or curl up beside them. Once she picks her person, she bonds to him/her quickly. She likes to follow people around the house and is content to lay next to them, but if they get up to walk around, she is right there by their side. Or if the person relocated too fast for her to notice, she explores each room looking for where she went. The foster family has nicknamed her “shadow” because she constantly wants to stick to her favorite person wherever she goes, and if that person is not available then her next favorite person is her backup. For example, when her person was vacuuming the house Destiny was walking along at her feet. There is a cliché that if you own a dog you are never alone when you go to the bathroom and that is very true of Destiny who will want to be in there with you too. 

Playing with toys is a fun activity for Destiny. She likes throwing them up in the air or shaking them and is happy playing on her own or with a human. Recently Destiny and the other dog were playing tug of war and proudly carrying the long toy around each holding an end in their mouth. Destiny loves getting inside the toy box surrounding herself with all the toy selections. In fact, she will lay in the toy box for 15 minutes playing or chewing on a bone. It is so rewarding for the fosters to watch a dog who never had toys before getting so excited. 

Sunbathing in the yard is something she likes, then really appreciates coming inside to air conditioning because she did not have the opportunity before. She also likes her freedom to walk around the fenced-in yard looking out at the at the big world she never knew existed.

Destiny loves sleeping in dog beds, in human beds, and on sofas. She especially loves a circular dog bed because she can curl up in a ball in it. If someone is home she sleeps near them during the day and throughout the night. And when she takes her short naps she tends to make purring or light snoring showing she is able to sleep soundly.

Since Destiny has always lived with other dogs it would be best if she could go into a permanent home that has another dog. The foster family has seen Destiny rely on their dog for guidance and security such as laying on the same couch as her. And she hangs out or places herself next to the other dog when a family member is not available such as working on the computer or needing to leave the house for a bit (Ring cameras are very helpful!).

Walking on a leash is not something Destiny has had any experience doing and is not something she understands yet. The foster mother has been successful getting her to walk on the leash in the yard but sometimes Destiny will pull or want to head toward the house because this is new to her. She is making progress and her foster mom knows she has potential to be a leash walker - 4LD just wants her permanent family to know leash walking will be something they will need to work on.

Destiny initially had some separation anxiety issues that have gradually been getting better in the foster home. The fosters have experienced Destiny becoming more and more confident each day which is an incredible accomplishment considering how she was raised. The foster family is still using a crate when Destiny is left alone in the house since she is learning to live in a home for the first time and the crate gives her the security.

The foster family has taught Destiny potty training to go outside in the yard and she happily does that. 4LD wants the adopter to know he/she will need to continue with this potty training as Destiny learns a new house layout and routine. The foster family noticed that the only three accidents that occurred in their house were when Destiny was upset that her people left her so wanted to show them she was unhappy. This behavior can be corrected – just want the adopter to be aware that the same scenario may occur initially at their house.

At her very young age Destiny has already had a litter of puppies. She was still a baby suddenly taking care of babies! Destiny came from an unregulated backyard breeder who kept the animals outside in the heat while they made puppies. No A/C, no beds, no vaccines, no flea/tick/ heart worm prevention and often the water that was provided quickly turned green and contaminated. These dogs usually never saw the inside of a house, and worse yet, their human interaction was so limited. Destiny was one of approximately 60 small dogs that were owner surrendered to various rescues. 4LD welcomed her with open arms as we change her life forever. During the past wo weeks in foster care she has really enjoyed living as a dog should.

The average lifespan for this breed of dog is 15 years; therefore, Destiny’s adopter will need to be prepared to care for her for around 14 more years so she will not have to move to a different home again.

Destiny’s adoption fee is $500. This dog comes microchipped, neutered, up to date on all necessary vaccines/rabies shots, heartworm tested, and dewormed. She is currently being fostered in the Plant City/Valrico Florida area.