Meet Ringo! This dapper little guy came to us through one of our vet partners after being surrendered by his owner. It was clear he had been neglected and undersocialized. When he arrived, Ringo was emaciated at just 10 lbs, with a severely matted coat. He was so fearful and anxious that he had to be sedated for a medical groom.



His former owner admitted she couldn’t afford vet care and hadn’t realized how underweight he was. She also shared that he would sometimes vomit after eating too fast, so she started feeding him less, only making things worse.



Fast forward three months, and Ringo has made a remarkable transformation! Now a healthy 17 lbs with a gorgeous, fluffy coat, he has adapted to home life thanks to the attentive care of his foster parents, Inge and Allen. Ringo is fully housetrained and can be trusted with free roam in the home, He has never chewed or destroyed anything. He’s become familiar with the crate, rarely barks, and sleeps soundly through the night. He enjoys going for walks but is hesitant and fearful of meeting new people, including visitors to his foster home. 



While Ringo enjoys pets and sharing affection, we’ve also learned that he can nip if physically moved from a place he deems high-value, such as a couch or bed. He once nipped Allen’s finger when being removed from his lap because he wanted to stay put. While these incidents are infrequent, they still need to be addressed.



To support Ringo and his foster parents, we brought in a trainer to assess his behavior and provide guidance. Inge and Allen have been working on setting clear boundaries, keeping a loose leash on him for easier handling, and restricting access to the couch until he learns to share space respectfully. With this structure in place, Ringo has shown improvement, but is still a work in progress. 



FOSTER MOM UPDATE - 3/25/25



"Ringo is very sweet most of the time and has been on good behavior since our training session. I truly believe he was abused in the past. He did leave a mark on Allen’s finger when he tried to move him, but he won’t bite just to bite—even if you take his toy. 



We’ve only seen this behavior when we physically try to remove him from our lap or his favorite couch or chair. Most of the time, you can simply stand up and tell him to come with you, and he will—but physically moving him remains unpredictable.



I tend to be stricter with him (Allen is still learning how to say ‘no’ to him). Ringo listens to me most of the time. He used to put his paws on my lap while I drank my morning coffee, but now, when I tell him ‘no,’ he immediately lies down beside me and stays there. We also now only scratch under his chin instead of the top of his head, which he associates with praise.



Ringo is a quick learner. The biggest challenge has been when Allen heads to the couch—sometimes Ringo beats him there and is reluctant to get down. Since training, we’ve been keeping a leash on him for easier redirection, and for the most part, we’re keeping him off the furniture.



This morning, Allen was watching the news when Ringo jumped up beside him. Allen got up, told him ‘Down,’ and Ringo listened! He hopped off and went to play with his toys. He’s making progress!"



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Ringo will do best in a calm, adult-only home with owners who understand his quirks and are willing to work with him. He would be fine with another calm dog or as an only dog.  He has already made progress with better boundaries established, and needs a patient, experienced owner who can reinforce his training while providing a loving and structured environment. In the right home, Ringo will be given time to trust so he can become an affectionate companion, ready to share his sweet and playful side. 


 


BREED ESTIMATE: Poodle Mix with Shih Tzu (ShiPoo) or Maltese (Maltipoo)
GENDER: Male
APPROXIMATE WEIGHT:  17 lbs 
APPROXIMATE AGE: ~ 6 years old
COAT TYPE:  Medium-long fluffy coat
ADOPTION FEE: $425
OTHER INFO: utd on shots/neutered/microchipped
LOCATION: Rock Hill, SC


 


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.