Meet Choco — 12 Pounds of Sweetness, Snuggles & “Please Approach at My Speed.”
Choco is a 1-year-old Chihuahua mix weighing about 12 pounds, and he has learned that the world can be a pretty overwhelming place. He’s not the guy who will immediately run up to a stranger for a belly rub. Instead, Choco prefers to check you out from a safe distance, gather some data, and decide when you’ve earned the privilege of his friendship.
Once he trusts you, though? Game over. This little guy is an absolute love. He has chosen his foster mom as his safe place and is rarely more than a couple of feet away from her. He follows her everywhere, sleeps with her, snuggles against her all night, gives kisses, and eventually becomes a playful, happy little guy. In other words, once you're officially Choco-approved, you've got yourself a BFF and a very adorable personal shadow.
Choco needs someone who understands that trust is earned, not rushed. He can be scared around new people, particularly men, and takes longer to warm up to them. If he feels cornered or frightened, he may snap, so he needs people who will let him come to them rather than reaching for him. Slow, gentle introductions are important. He also does best with dogs his own size. It took him about a week of short, gradual introductions before he felt comfortable joining his foster dog pack—and once he did, he settled in beautifully.
Choco is also easily startled by loud or unexpected noises and movements: barking dogs, garbage trucks, fireworks, wind, sudden movements, raised voices, loud sighs, or even unusual breathing can send his little alarm system into overdrive. This is a dog who would like his world served with a side of peace and quiet, please. Because of that, he would not be a good fit for children or dogs over about 20–25 pounds, and a noisy city or apartment environment probably wouldn't be his cup of tea. He can bark and cry when left alone, so he’ll need a home where someone can give him time to build confidence and learn that being alone is okay.
Choco is house trained, although he can mark indoors if he isn’t supervised. He’s a good eater and comes when called—once he manages to detach himself from his favorite human, which is sometimes apparently a difficult assignment. He’s still working on leash walking and crate comfort, and he’s understandably unsure about having a collar or harness put on him. These are all areas where patience and positive reinforcement will be important.
Choco isn't looking for just any home. He's looking for his safe place. His adopter will need to be patient, gentle, and willing to let him set the pace. But if you can give him the time and kindness he needs, you’ll get to watch this nervous little guy transform into the sweetest, snuggliest, most playful companion.
He may take a little while to give you his heart—but once he does, he gives you the whole thing.
If you are interested in finding out more about Choco, please fill out an adoption application by copying and pasting the following link into your browser:
https://www.shelterluv.com/matchme/adopt/BRO/Dog
Choco is being fostered in Worcester, MA.
The adoption fee is $500.
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Visual breed identification in dogs is unreliable, so for most of the dogs, we are only guessing at the predominant breed or breed mix. We get to know each dog as an individual and will do our best to describe each of our dogs based on personality, not by breed label.
We expect that all adopted dogs will enroll in a formal dog training class with their new owners. Obedience and training classes are an excellent way to learn more about your newly adopted dog, gain handling and training experience, and improve your relationship with your pet.
COCO
Chihuahua, Mixed Breed
🇺🇸
Worcester, Massachusetts
male, small, adult
Chihuahua, Mixed Breed
Worcester, Massachusetts
