"Honey"

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Overview:

Arrived in NZCR care: 20 June 2025

Date of Birth: Approx. 2023.

Gender: Female

Breed: Chihuahua (Long Coat)

De-Sexed: Yes.

Micro-chipped: Yes.

Registered with NZCAR: Yes.

Vaccinated: Yes.

DogsNZ (NZKC): No.

Council Registered: Yes - Christchurch City Council.

Cat Friendly: Has lived with a cat prior and suitable for dog-confident cats only.

Child Friendly: Suitable for 6 years and older who are doggy knowledgeable. 

Human Sociable: Yes.

Dog Sociable: Yes.

* TBC = "To be confirmed" 

Personality:

• Honey's prior owner says that she enjoys her home comforts and has lived with children, large dogs, and a cat previously.  

• Honey thrives when paired with positive doggy-role models, and this highlights the importance of selecting the right home for her. In her foster home, Honey is living with cats, other small dogs, and chickens without issue. 

• Honey's foster mum says, "Honey is such a sweet little dog…. She  seems to have had little experience of the outside world, which means that she could easily adopt good [or] bad behaviour [from her chosen adopter/household]. During Honey's time with us, she has improved in many ways [and] has more room to improve with ongoing training and a good role model."

• Honey is initially cautious of strangers entering the home. However, if ignored initially, then offered treats, she will quickly begin to warm up, happily accepting chin scratches and head pats!  Her foster mum says, "once she builds up courage to approach you, she's all over you like a rash. Honey will follow you everywhere and can get under your feet."

• Her foster mum says that she feels Honeys needs are "a lot of it is confidence, as in she has very little." They will attend a small dog playgroup weekly with her so that she is given the opportunity, they are working on her getting used to sounds such as opening doors, cupboards or any loud noises. Honey is very clever and food motivated, making her easy to teach. Honey already knows commands such as "sit, up, no and come here"

Health: 

• Honey was fully assessed by our vet on 22 June 2025. She currently weighs 3kg and ideally needs to gain a little more (around 3.5kg). Honey had her vaccinations updated at the same time. The vet noted mild tartar, which does not require a dental at this stage, and a luxating patella on her left side. These are both common in toy breeds, so we encourage adopters to familiarise themselves with these conditions if not already aware. 

• Honey was desexed, vaccinated and microchipped on 29th September 2025 and recovered well. Initially she was booked in June 2025 but unfortunately came into heat so we have waited a period to ensure it is safe to rebook her.

Note: All dogs from NZCR are adopted only after being medically cleared by our vet, desexed, vaccinated, microchipped (registered with the NZ Companion Animal Register and local Council), and treated for fleas and worms.

Adopter Requirements: 

• Honey’s foster mum believes she would do best within a home with another confident, well-adjusted and playful small breed dog in the household. An older, less energetic dog would not be a match for her, as she’s likely to overwhelm them. She is very impressionable and tends to copy the habits of the surrounding dogs. For example, if she lives with a reactive or overly barky dog, she is likely to adopt those behaviours unless they are managed by the owner.

• Honey will need a secure, fully-contained home in future — she's a bit of an adventurer and can’t be trusted off-lead or around open gates at present and without further training. Her foster mum advises that she is "a climber as far as getting out goes." So she will require a well-fenced home to ensure her safety and training in this area.

* Please refrain from applying just yet, as we haven’t listed the adopter requirements. We need time to understand the dog’s personality and needs. If you're interested, please check back for updates and apply when the dog is ready for adoption.

Note: Before applying to adopt, please ensure you meet the adopter requirements listed above. These guidelines are set with the dogs' needs in mind, based on input from foster carers. If you do not meet these requirements, your application will be declined, as there are no exceptions. Please review the criteria carefully. Thank you! 

Adoption Fee: $650.00 to be paid to the NZCR trust account no. 03-0823-0074502-000

 

Note: Our adoption fees reflect the dog’s age, health, and care needs. They cover microchipping (NZCAR registration), vaccinations, de-sexing, current-year council registration, and any necessary treatments, including flea/worm treatments, medications, surgeries (e.g., dental), and food. Payment plans are not available, as adopters must show financial readiness for the expense that comes with pet ownership. Click below for more details on our adoption process.