Elsa is a 2 year old, 7 lb, white Shih Tzu-terrier mix. She is spayed, heartworm negative, and up to date on her vaccines and monthly preventatives.

Elsa is the last dog from the January 2025 hoarding case. As the least socialized, Elsa proved to be incredibly timid and nervous. She had the hardest time adjusting and trusting that humans wanted to love and care for her. Like many dogs from outdoor hoarding cases, she only wanted to come out at night and barely ate due to her anxiety.

After a lot of love, patience, and hard work from our fosters - Elsa is now medicated and thriving! She is currently taking Prozac and has finally come out of her shell. She always preferred the company of other dogs, she has recently stopped hiding behind her foster siblings and started actively playing and engaging with them. It is truly a joy to see!

Our vet believes that Elsa only needs anxiety medication for a short amount of time. Our hope was that Prozac would get her out of survival mode and it's working beautifully. It is likely that she'll need it to help her transition to her new home to reduce the normal regression that occurs during the first two phases of the 3/3/3 transition.

Like many dogs with her background, Elsa prefers to be a pack dog. Her new home must have at least two (2) or more similarly sized playmates. Elsa will match the energy of the dogs living with her, when she was fostered with older, lower energy, similarly sized small dogs, Elsa became more reserved. This is why it is important that her new fur-siblings be playful, regardless of age, to help continue her success and socialization

Elsa is sweet and shy girl. She requires a compassionate adopter who understand that she needs time and space to adjust and feel safe. Her adopters must be confident in their ability to love and keep her safe, even though she dislikes being handled and picked up. As Elsa has become more comfortable, thanks to her meds, and she is actively choosing to spend time with her humans instead of hiding. This is very terrier behavior, happily hanging out in the same room as her people, enjoying pets, but not necessarily interested in cuddles. We believe that in the right environment Elsa will continue to blossom into the delightful, independent terrier.

Elsa has been doing well with house and potty training. She will follow the other dogs and go potty outside in the yard. She is also doing using potty pads inside. She tolerates a harness and collar but prefers to go without. Her timid nature and initial nervousness around humans means she must have a secure yard. She does best with a routine that she and her doggy pals follow together.

Elsa is continuing to come out of her shell. Her ideal home has patient and loving adopters with a pack of small dog friends. Elsa requires at least two or more dogs in her pack. Her pack should include similarly sized dogs, some of whom around her age, she needs at least two dogs who like play. Elsa must have a securely fenced yard, she needs a tall fence that she can't slip out of or climb over. She needs an adult only home. She does fine with cats, she mostly ignored her prior foster kitty sibling.