"Poppy" (no. 2)

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Entered care: 25 May 2025

Date of Birth:12/08/2017 

Gender: Female 

Breed: Chihuahua (smooth coat)

De-Sexed: Yes.

Microchipped: Yes. 

Registered with NZCAR: Yes. 

Vaccinated: Yes. 

DogsNZ (NZKC): N/A.

Council Registered: Yes - Christchurch City Council.

Cat Friendly: Yes

Child Friendly: 8 years and older. 

Human Sociable: Yes, following slow introductions (see below)

Dog Sociable: Yes, following slow introductions (see below)

* TBC = "To be confirmed" 

*** NOTE: We hope to have her "adopt me" photoshoot completed by Furtography and uploaded shortly!***

Background & Surrender Reasons:

• A bit of a traveller, Poppy was originally from the UK and arrived in Christchurch from the North Island in May 2025. 

• Poppy came into our care as her owners felt that, after starting their family, Poppy needed owners with free time they were able to dedicate to her as she is a very personable little lapdog and enjoys cuddles with her owner. They also felt that she was overwhelmed around babies/very young children. Although she is well-behaved around them provided they respect her space and understand doggy behaviours.

Personality and general information:

•  Poppy has been described as “a beautiful lapdog, loves cuddles, enjoys playing with her soft toys, hiding under blankets and treats or food.”  Poppy has a great temperament, she is sweet, loyal and enjoys human companionship. 

• In August 2025, when we caught up with her foster family, her foster said, “Poppy is such a sweet, beautiful girl. She’s very much a lapdog and found her fav spot on the couch. Poppy loves to be talked to.  She moans and whines to reply, bit engages.  She has a purple squeaky toy which is her favourite (only one she plays with).  If she is in another room or couch and hears it squeak, she comes running.  Will bite it and trash it around.  Her wee burn of energy.  Otherwise, happy to sit.”

• Poppy is very clever and obedient, She is a well-behaved little dog. Poppy is crate-trained, and toilet-trained. Her foster mum says, "after her nightly toilet, she knows "bed" and wanders down to her crate." 

• Poppy (like many Chihuahuas) prefers being around small dogs. She prefers a calm and predictable environment. Once she’s out of her comfort zone (like on walks at a new location for example) she might bark at dogs approaching. But while in care she has some training with walking. Poppy happily walks to school and back, to drop off her (human) "foster sister".

• Poppy's foster mum says, "Poppy has is she loves her tummy scratched, ;)  She drops her shoulder and rolls over and just lies there when she wants her rummy scratched. And will stay there, tapping your hand until she's done, it's very cute!"

• Poppy is said to be okay being left for a few hours while her owner is out and about or doing errands. But she is not suitable for a full-time worker or someone out of the home 8 hours each day during the week.

• Poppy is said to gravitate towards adults more so than children (although fine with doggy knowledgeable children, 6 years+ who respect her space). Poppy has lived with babies/very young children prior, and her former owner said she finds this a bit too overwhelming.

• Like most dogs, Poppy prefers slow introductions, she needs routine, patience, love and support. But Poppy is very loving to those she knows - bonding deeply once she trusts you. Poppy is her happiest when close to "her" person or people. 

Health:

• Poppy had her initial vet visit and assessment on 18 June 2025 with our vet clinic. During this  visit, her vaccines were updated and microchip verified. Poppy does not      require a dental as yet, but scheduled for her next dental check within 6-12months.

•  As is common in many small breeds, Poppy has luxating patellas. Her case is very low grade and not currently causing her any issues, so surgery is not required. The main consideration for her future family will be maintaining a healthy weight, as keeping Poppy slim is essential for protecting her joints and supporting her long-term mobility. 

• Poppy has a low grade heart murmur. At present, it isn’t causing her any symptoms      or problems, but we recommend yearly veterinary checks to monitor it.

• In the future, she may require medication such as Pimobendan (sold under brand names such as Vetmedin or Cardisure). We cannot confirm the cost, but as a rough estimate, for a small dog on 1.25mg twice daily, the monthly cost is usually in the range of $65–85. Cost also depends on the brand (generic vs. name-brand), dosage, whether it’s purchased in bulk, and whether it’s dispensed directly by a vet or      ordered through an online veterinary pharmacy.

Note: all dogs from NZCR are adopted out once they have been medically signed off by our vet, desexed, vaccinated, microchipped (with the chip registered with the NZ Companion Animal Register and the local Council) and flea/wormed.

How do the dogs receive the care needed to ready them for adoption?

New Zealand Chihuahua Rescue is a registered New Zealand charity run by a small team of passionate volunteers. The funds raised go towards the dogs in our care (and any community dogs we may support). Our modest income is a result of your kind donations, sponsorship, and our fundraising projects. The dogs in care each require medical or behavioural assistance, so we're often short on funds - sadly, this limits how many dogs we can help!

If you can, please consider donating to our cause, either as a one-off or on an ongoing basis. Every donation, big or small, makes a difference! 

As we are a registered charity, please contact us for a receipt to claim back 33.33% of your donation from the IRD.

Donations can be made via: 

The New Zealand Chihuahua Rescue Westpac Trust Account:

03-0823-0074502-000 

Ref: "Poppy2"

By credit or debit card by:
GiveALittle: www.givealittle.co.nz/org/nz-chihuahua-rescue-trust
Paypal: www.nzchihuahuarescue.co.nz/donate-via-paypal
 

For other ideas on how you can support the charity and rescue dogs, please see here: www.nzchihuahuarescue.co.nz/donate

Adopter Requirements: 

• While local Canterbury-based applications are preferable, Poppy is a candidate for an out-of-town adoption, provided the adopter meets all the below requirements and can travel to Christchurch to meet Poppy and her foster family.

• Chihuahuas are companion dogs and require someone who can spend ample time with them during weekdays. Poppy is not suitable for a full-time (out of home)      worker away from the home for 8 hours each day. But she is OK left for periods of time and  would be ok with an owner who works very part-time, is able to take her to work or WFH (often!), or is retired (yet active) 

• As with all of our dogs, Poppy requires an owner who can financially and      emotionally commit to her care for the rest of her life. All dogs require veterinary checks, tests, dentals, procedures, and  quality food to thrive. 

• As with all of our dogs, Poppy will require a safe and secure home. This includes full fencing with NO holes or gaps. Rural properties must at least have a fenced in, safe backyard to ensure there are no escapees.

• Poppy would be OK as a solo dog in the family, provided she has lots of human      companionship. Any dogs in the home would need to be of similar energy level. For example: Poppy is unlikely to be a fit for a young, energetic puppy.

• Any kids in the home must be over 7+ years old and be doggy knowledgeable.      Children must be able to understand Poppy's signals and respect her personal space, as noted above.

Adoption Fee: $400.00 to be paid to the NZCR trust account no. 03-0823-0074502-000 

Our adoption fees consider the dog's age, health, and any ongoing care costs. These fees cover microchipping (including NZCAR registration), vaccinations, desexing, council registration (current year) and any other treatments required. This includes flea and worm treatments, medications, additional surgeries such as a dental, and food. We do not accept payment plans as adopters must demonstrate financial readiness for a pet. Please read more about our adoption process by clicking below.

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!