by Lee Juslin

When Col. Potter Cairn Rescue Network sent Muzzle Tuff to Chris to be fostered, she immediately fell in love with him. “With his tiny feet and legs, he was just so cute how could anyone not love him,” said Chris. The problem was that Chris already had four dogs and she knew she could not adopt a fifth. The biggest impediment to adoption for Chris is her alpha female because she attacks Muzzle Tuff. It became immediately clear to Chris that she was jealous of him. Making matters worse, Muzzle Tuff wouldn’t fight back or defend himself. As a result, Chris makes sure they are separated and each gets her attention. When she leaves the house she often takes the alpha female with her or, if she can’t take her, she crates Muzzle Tuff.

Muzzle Tuff

Muzzle Tuff was a turn-in from an elderly couple who could no longer care for him and he came with a number of health issues. He has dry eye in both eyes which has made him blind in one eye and given him limited vision in the other. Treatment includes daily administration of ointment from a prescription plus over the counter eye drops three times per day. He also had mouth ulcers when Chris got him, which have been treated by the vet, and he is showing early signs of kidney failure.

Muzzle Tuff marks in the house and Chris keeps belly bands on him but, clever boy that he is, he has learned to remove the bands, so she wraps an ace bandage around them to keep the bands in place. However, when he stays with Chris’s granddaughter, where there are no other dogs, he never marks and he doesn’t mark in his X-pen.

Despite having only three teeth, the little Cairn has no problem eating kibble and crunchy veggies. Chris says he also seems to be a bit hard of hearing and this, along with his limited sight may account for his barking, which Chris says is funny because he didn’t bark the first few months he was with her. Then, one day, he heard a neighbor’s dog bark and he’s been barking ever since. He has a high pitched bark, which Chris admits may be hard for some people to take.

Muzzle Tuff loves to be outside often helping Chris in the garden. He is closely bonded with her and when she is out of sight he often yips for her.

Although Chris knows at twelve and with his issues, Muzzle Tuff is a difficult adoption and that he may be with her the rest of his life, she remains hopeful that the right forever home will come along. The perfect home for Muzzle Tuff would have a roomy, fenced in yard. He would be okay with a child who knows how to be gentle with dogs as he does well with a little girl in the neighborhood who often visits him, visits that Muzzle Tuff loves. He has lots of little fears as well as his medical and behavioral problems, so he needs a quiet home with an older, experienced single person or couple. “But,” says Chris, “this little cutie still has a lot of love to give.”

If you would like to learn more about Col. Potter Cairn Terrier Rescue to donate, foster, apply to adopt a sweet Cairn like Muzzle Tuff, or volunteer, visit their website: Col. Potter.

Editor’s Note: Muzzle Tuff has found a home!

Check out more animal rescue & therapy animal stories in our Pets section.

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Lee Juslin is a free lance copywriter living in North Carolina with her husband, Scott, and her band of misfits: Tarquin, a Wheaten Scottish Terrier, and three handicapped cats. They can be seen on their website: Hampshire Hooligans. She owns I B Dog Gone, a small embroidery business and is the author of the Nurse Frosty books for children and Frosty’s Story: Tales of a Therapy Dog. She supports a number of national and regional terrier rescue organizations.