Color: Tricolor

Cricket is a 10-12 year-old Tricolor Cavalier weighing about 24 pounds. This Golden Girl is on the road to a better physique with a measured good diet plan and more physical activity. Let’s let her tell her story…

Hi! My name is Cricket. Very little is known about me. After the sudden passing of my mom several months ago, I was passed around to different family members and friends. By the time I made it into rescue, no one even knew exactly how old I was. My foster family is delighted to see some curls coming in now that my fur is growing back after being shorn very short.

Cricket is not my original name. People used to call me Blanket. Could it be that my first mom was a Michael Jackson fan? It doesn’t really matter what people call me. I cannot hear much of anything due to having infections in both ears for a long time. After several weeks of treatment, some of my hearing has been restored. Will I always respond when called? Probably not, but I will give it my best. 

Along with being treated for the ear infections after arriving in my foster home, I needed to have an assessment on my heart with a Cardiologist before I could undergo a dental procedure for my bad teeth. The Cardiologist determined that I have a grade 4/6 systolic murmur with moderate left atrial enlargement. My ACVIM is stage B2 which means that I have some heart enlargement but will benefit a lot with medicine and regular monitoring. I am now taking a heart medication, twice a day and got the clearance for the dental procedure. I had 14 extractions, but I can have no problem devouring a bowl of food. I do feel much so better now and even perkier. I’m grateful to CR-USA for ensuring I got this medical stuff done. 

I am a very sweet, tail-wagging, cautious, senior lady. It does take me awhile to warm up to new people. Foster mom says I’m slowly coming out of my shell and will need my new family to be patient with me. I love food and am very food motivated. Treats work well in gaining my trust. My new home will have to watch my waistline. According to the vet and my foster mom, I should weigh between 19-21 lbs. I’ve already lost over a pound. I would do well as an only dog but wouldn’t mind a companion of any size. I would like my forever home to include someone home most of the time. A fenced yard to explore and bask in the sun are a definite plus. Respectful children are fine, but it will take time before I will approach them. I’ve not been a yippy dog while at my foster home but have recently found various reasons to bark while outside exploring the backyard. I’ve even learned that sometimes the squirrels and opossums will talk back to me. 

While I prefer not to be picked up, I’m slowly learning that it might be worth the ear scratches and belly rubs that I get in return. During the day, I am one of three office assistants helping foster mom get her work done. Our main job is to sleep in the home office thereby creating the white background noise aka snoring that helps mom get her work done. We are allowed breaks, which usually means snack time. Evenings find us all in the family room watching TV. While dogs are allowed on the furniture, I find myself preferring the dog blanket on the floor near my foster mom. Something tells me that in my previous life I wasn’t allowed on the couch. I did surprise all of us one night when I jumped up on the couch all by myself and settled in next to mom.

If you are interested in providing Cricket a loving home and live within a reasonable drive of West Hills, CA please complete our online application if you haven’t already and then email Donna Beirne at d_beirne@yahoo.com so she knows of your interest.

Online Application 

Zellie, or Zelle Belle as we call her, is a happy, sweet, affectionate 7-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She came into rescue due to her owner’s declining health. She can be a little shy and hesitant at first but she warms up quickly and shows her outgoing, loving self in no time. She is even more outgoing once she is comfortable in her environment and confident in her human. She loves spending time with “her person” and will become your little shadow. Getting pets is her favorite and she loves to give all the kisses.

She can be very playful and will find a favorite toy to entertain herself. She enjoys walks around the block, and when she knows a walk is coming, she can barely contain her excitement. She walks so well on a leash! She is always right alongside you without any pulling or tugging. While she has spurts of energy, she truly enjoys a good nap on the couch. When it comes to car rides, she does well and sits quietly in her car seat. She’s a curious one, searching high and low for new opportunities without disturbing much in her path.

Zellie occasionally interacts with her foster dog siblings, but she is definitely more of a people dog. She also has cats in her foster home, and since they ignore her, she ignores them. Zellie will do well with dogs of all sizes but may be timid at first when meeting very large dogs. Though she has not spent time around children we believe she would do great with respectful older kids. She is nothing but gentle.

Zellie does not have a good recall and should not be off leash in a non-secured area. When out in a fenced area, she enjoys putting her nose to work sniffing every inch for full inspection! Zellie has had some training for commands such as sit and go potty. However, the commands lay down, stay, and come could use some additional training. Being a Cavalier, of course Zellie loves food. If in the kitchen she can be quick to grab anything you drop on the floor, and her new family should be attentive to this.

Zellie’s morning starts out with going out to the backyard to potty but sometimes she’s so excited for breakfast that she will want to eat first. She’ll meet you at your feet and wait patiently for her food, and then will run to her kennel and wait inside or she’ll give you a hindleg stand trick waiting in excitement. She is starting to learn how to use a bell that hangs on the back door handle to let you know when she needs to go out. 

While at home, Zellie has free roam of the house except the blocked-off kitty room. She is okay home alone for short periods of time but can become anxious, and so we believe she would do best with an owner who works from home or can take her with them. At night Zellie enjoys sleeping cozy in her kennel. This is her safe place and she will sometimes take a mid-day nap in there. 

Zellie has a history of severe dental disease and was missing many teeth upon coming into rescue. Unfortunately, the disease progressed since her last dental and she ended up needing to have the remainder of her teeth removed. Now she’s a cute little “gummy bear” as we like to call her. Since then, she’s been only eating softened dry food or wet food. Zellie has had a sensitive stomach in the past and currently eats an easily-digestible food and takes a probiotic. She also had a cherry eye upon coming into rescue and it was corrected while under anesthesia for the dental.

Zellie has been started on a trial of the medication fluoxetine due to some odd behaviors that the veterinarian thinks could be from a compulsive disorder. She occasionally growls and bites at her back legs and obsessively licks surfaces and objects. Her foster parents are starting to see improvements on this medication. She has also been diagnosed with cataracts and a grade-2 heart murmur. 

If you are interested in welcoming Zellie to your family, please complete the online application (if you haven’t previously) and then email the local coordinator Melissa Cincotta at happycavaliers04@gmail.com so she knows of your interest. Please take a moment to read about our adoption process at the following links: Process & FAQ.

Online Application