Joined the shelter : 18-04-2023
Life in a city/apartment : OK
Walk on leash : OK
Home without an exterior : NO
Contact with other dogs : ONLY WITH FEMALES
Life with cats : NO**
Contact with children : NOT TOO YOUNG*
Need for daily exercise : AVERAGE
Health : LEISHMANIASIS
Trauma : NO
Special needs : NO

Can a dog be more handsome? We believe not. Allow us to introduce you to Ramón, a three-and-a-half-year-old Andalusian Rat Terrier who stands at just 35 cm in height. His beautiful gaze conceals a very sensitive and fearful dog. Although he lived with two female dogs and humans in his previous home, at the shelter, we’ve noticed that he’s quite fearful and sensitive. Due to these reasons, he might react negatively if people approaching him don’t understand his body language. Poor Ramón is also extremely afraid of storms and wind, and he’s not coping well with being alone in a cage. Because of all this, we hope he finds a foster or adoptive home soon where they can understand him, have patience, and help him reach his full potential.

Ramón always had an owner, but they couldn’t take care of him anymore due to health issues. He had been living freely in the countryside until now, and this lifestyle, combined with his breed, makes him a very active dog. For instance, he’s excellent at chasing away rats and mice! He’s also not bothered by engine sounds like tractors or cars, and he’s accustomed to defending his territory. The funniest thing of all: he’s very jumpy!

However, even though his outdoor life has taught him many things, it has also prevented him from learning others, like walking on a leash or being properly socialized with all kinds of people and animals. Nevertheless, as you can see in the videos, he’s already learning to walk on a leash. He’s making great progress and is eager to learn! Whoever adopts him should continue the training we’ve started, which Ramón enjoys receiving—he’s very intelligent!

Ramón is also scared of cats and male dogs, so, for him, we are looking for a home with no cats and maximum one female dog. Ramón also needs a family without small children because he tends to nibble a bit when he gets excited. It’s not aggressive behavior, but it could be an issue with children. Generally, we’d prefer a low-stress home for Ramón with a family that already has experience with dogs.

Ramón has a low-level case of Leishmaniasis (a parasitic disease in dogs transmitted by mosquito bites), and his treatment is going really well. He’s finished taking Leishguard, and for now, he needs to continue taking Allopurinol, which fights the parasite and can even reverse the disease. This medication is also temporary, not lifelong. The treatment has greatly improved his skin: He hardly scratches anymore, and there’s barely any redness.

We believe an active family with patience, willing to dedicate time to educate him properly, would be ideal for Ramón. An obedience school that can teach him what he hasn’t learned yet would be great for him. The adopting family should commit to regular veterinarian visits to ensure the treatment is progressing well. Ramón is a diamond in the rough. If you’ve decided to be the one to polish him up, please get in touch with us!

* Until complete adaptation, adult supervision with small children is essential.

** This means we have tested the dog with cats in the shelter and has shown no reactive behaviour, but this does not guarantee 100% compatibility with cats. Therefore, we always advise that cats and dogs are together only under surveillance.