Meet Charlie! This gorgeous boy with the striking marbled coat came from a breeder in a small town outside Charlotte, NC. Charlie is a double merle, which happens when two merle-patterned dogs are bred together and can result in vision loss. Because of his limited sight, the breeder couldn’t sell him and listed him on a Facebook rehoming page. Thankfully, our volunteer Dina saw the post and stepped in to get Charlie safely into rescue.
He was fostered in North Carolina with five other small dogs before coming north. He’s now living in Reston with an active family that includes three kids (7, 9, and 12) and a playful Labradoodle named Nola. Charlie and Nola became instant best friends, even though she’s more than twice his size. They love to wrestle, play tug, and run around together, with Charlie following Nola’s lead.
Charlie would do best with a playful, confident dog his size or larger to be his buddy and role model. While he is technically blind, he may see some shapes and shadows, and it certainly doesn’t slow him down. It’s the only life he’s ever known, and he navigates the world confidently using his amazing sense of smell and hearing.
His foster mom, Katie, has been amazed at how quickly he adapted to her home and neighborhood walks. Within days, he learned the layout of the house and how to climb the stairs (she usually carries him down for safety). At first, a baby gate kept him in the main living area and blocked the stairs while he got comfortable with the space. After a week, he started barking whenever someone approached the gate. Now, he knows where the stairs are and either steers clear or navigates them confidently on his own.
Charlie is crate-trained and doing well with potty training, though he benefits from regular breaks about every three hours. He doesn’t have accidents in his crate, which his foster family uses when they’re away for longer periods. A home with a flexible schedule is the best fit for him. He enjoys leash walks and exploring the neighborhood with Nola and does best on a short leash for guidance and safety.
Overall, he’s a happy, confident little dog who loves to play, explore, and be part of a loving family.
FOSTER MOM UPDATE - 5/15/26
“It has been a true delight having Charlie in our home. Candidly, we would keep him for ourselves, but some recent medical developments in our family require our attention, and it's just not the right time. He’s great with my kids - sweet, gentle, and never nippy. He’s young, bubbly, curious, and also very food-motivated. He’s fearless and confident, doesn’t let his limited vision hold him back, and definitely doesn’t realize his size compared to larger dogs.
Charlie is 19 pounds of pure personality and a very snuggly dog. Charlie is a very snuggly dog. He loves to bury his nose near your cheek and sleeps well through the night, cuddling in bed with my kids. He’s playful but not overly energetic and loves all kinds of toys, especially ones that make noise when they hit the floor, squeak, rattle, or crunchy plastic bottle sounds, which helps him find them quickly.
He is so easy to please with treats. I’ve put all kinds of toppers on his food: diced apple, steamed lentils, carrot shreds, blueberries, diced broccoli stems...he loves them all.
Charlie was born blind due to ill-informed breeders, but we believe he can see light and dark and maybe basic shapes. When he first moved into our home, he was uncomfortable going down stairs and would not jump down from a bed, and those are the only times we noticed his vision impairment. Now, he navigates stairs with ease, and we haven't had to do a single "special" thing to accommodate him!
When asked what they love most about Charlie, here are the responses our children gave:
âœ3ï ̧"I love it when he army crawls under my bed to retrieve a ball. It is SO CA-YOOT! And holding him like a baby." (Direct quote.)
âœ3ï ̧"When he lies on his back with a ball in his mouth and paws at it with his little feet. He is so funny, Mama!"
âœ3ï ̧"I love watching him give all of our guests a face bath."
And we are pretty sure that Nola, our 60-pound labradoodle, would say, "He is a most agreeable chew toy. He's almost as fast as me. A+ heating pad. Not sure how he manages to hold his own in a wrestling match--I call cheating. But he's cute so I'll forgive him.
He's incredibly soft, and the only place that occasionally threatens to mat between haircuts is right behind his ears. We love him and want him to find the very best home."
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Charlie’s ideal home would include another playful canine companion; larger dogs are fine. Like any dog, he’ll need a gradual introduction to a new home, and with his limited vision, taking things a bit slower is important. Starting with one safe room and gradually expanding his access helps him learn his surroundings.
He’s also best walked on a short leash for added guidance and security.
Charlie is joyful, fearless, and ready for a home that will give him the love, engagement, and structure he needs to be his best self.
Apply today!
BEED ESTIMATE: ShihPoo (Shih Tzu/Poodle Mix)
GENDER: Male
APPROXIMATE WEIGHT: 19 lbs
APPROXIMATE AGE: ~1 year old
COAT TYPE: longer coat that needs regular grooming.
ADOPTION FEE: $425
OTHER INFO: UTD on shots/neutered/microchipped
LOCATION: Reston, VA
FOR MORE INFO OR TO ADOPT: Please go to https://adopt.worthydog.org and complete the application.
You can also help save dogs like this one by becoming a foster, providing a rescue dog with a temporary home and giving them the love and care they need until they are permanently adopted. Every person who fosters is directly responsible for saving the life of a dog, because we can only save as many dogs as we have foster families available to welcome them into their homes. If you think you might be interested in becoming a foster and want to learn more, please go to https://foster.worthydog.org and fill out an application.
Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based rescue that primarily adopts to families in the DC Metro area.
CASSIE
Poodle, Shih Tzu
🇺🇸
Arlington, Virginia
female, small, young
Poodle, Shih Tzu
Arlington, Virginia
