ralph

Ralph is looking for a family that wants a dog with personality! This little guy is 11 years old and 10 pounds of adorable. Ralph was found as a stray and brought to the Tri-Town Animal Shelter in North Providence last October. When his stray hold was up, we picked him up and brought him to VPR.

At first, Ralph was pretty shy, but in no time at all, we saw his silly personality emerge. He gets along well with most dogs, but we've seen him be hesitant of (and even combative with) unneutered male dogs. Otherwise, he is content to keep to himself and join in on group activities, like barking at us to hurry up with dinner.

He's not always thrilled about being picked up and will growl if he doesn't want to be. Because of this, we recommend using a blanket if he needs to be picked up until the family understands Ralph's behavior and body language. And bonus: Ralph will try to eat his own poop, so it should be picked up immediately.

Medically, Ralph needed quite a bit of care. He has a grade 3 heart murmur but does not currently require any heart medication. He should have another echo 6 months after his last, to recheck his heart health and assess if medication is needed. He also tested positive for Lyme and underwent a course of antibiotics. Most recently, Ralph had surgery to repair 2 perineal hernias, which caused him a lot of discomfort. He was also neutered during the procedure. He is recovering well, but he will have soft, frequent stools until he's fully healed. His adopter will need to understand this and be open to more frequent outings or clean-ups.

Ralph's teeth aren't in too bad shape, but he will need a dental in the future. VPR will cover the cost at the adopter's vet. Ralph is neutered, up-to-date on vaccinations, and recently had full blood work and a urinalysis.

He's a funny little pup who marches to the beat of his own drum. If cute, silly, and a little high-maintenance sound like a match for you, please submit an application at: https://www.vintagepetrescue.org/adopt