Meet Winston: The Ultimate Social Butterfly

Introducing Winston:

If you are looking for a sweet, lovable, and incredibly friendly companion, meet Winston! He is a gorgeous 8-year-old male Shih Tzu currently located in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal.

Winston’s owner is looking to rehome him due to a relocation and unsuitable environment for him going forward. This absolute social butterfly is ready to find a wonderful new family to shower with affection. As a home-to-home adoption, Winston will remain safely with his current owner until his perfect forever match is found.

Winston’s Personality: Friendly, Sweet, and Lovable

Winston is the definition of a people-pet! He is extremely friendly, loves company, and genuinely just wants to be friends with everyone—both humans and other dogs alike.

• Temperament: Sweet, social, and deeply lovable.
• With People: Excellent! He thrives on companionship and loves being part of the action.
• With Other Dogs: On the whole, very good. However, he can occasionally show signs of dominance with smaller dogs when treats are involved, so treat time just needs a little supervision.
• With Cats: Winston is not good with cats, so a feline-free home is required.

A Little Quirky Charm: Winston’s Special Smile

When Winston was just a 4-month-old puppy, he survived an attack by a neighbor’s dog. While both sides of his jaw were injured, only one side could be fully corrected. Because of this, Winston has a slightly skew jaw today—but if you ask anyone who meets him, it only adds to his incredible, unique character!

He went through a lot as a pup, but it never changed his loving nature. He doesn’t let his unique smile hold him back at all, and he absolutely loves kisses, endless cuddles, and scratches all over his face, head, and body!

Grooming Tips: A True Parlour Prince

Because of his puppyhood dog attack, Winston has a bit of scissors shyness when it comes to home grooming. If he sees scissors near his face at home, he will politely but firmly let you know he isn’t interested! He doesn’t get aggressive at all—he just prefers to test boundaries with his mom.

• The Parlour Routine: Interestingly, it is a total “mommy-son” quirk! When he goes to a professional doggy parlour, he realizes it’s business time and behaves absolutely beautifully for the groomers.
• The Routine: His new family simply needs to keep up his regular visits to a professional, patient parlour rather than trying to do DIY trims at home.

Storm Care & Comfort

Like many small dogs, Winston is terrified of thunderstorms. When a storm rolls in, he needs an attentive family who will bring him safely inside and give him a cozy spot to feel secure. His current owner successfully manages his storm anxiety with calming medication, so his new family will just need to keep some on hand to help him feel safe and relaxed when the weather acts up.

Health, Size, and Daily Habits

Winston is a healthy, well-behaved senior boy who still has plenty of love and life to give.

• Age: 8 years old
• Weight: Approximately 12 kg
• Leash Manners: Extremely well-behaved on a leash. He absolutely looooves being taken on walks!
• Water Lover: Yes, Winston loves water!
• Outings: He is a seasoned pro at visiting pet-friendly restaurants and behaves perfectly in public settings.

Ideal Home Requirements

While Winston is incredibly adaptable and well-mannered, his new home needs to meet a few specific criteria to keep him safe and happy:

• Secure Fencing: Property must be extremely secure. Winston is a bit of an adventurer and loves to run and escape if given the opportunity.
• No Cats: A home without any cats or small pocket pets.
• Storm-Ready: A family who is home often or can ensure he is safely inside and medicated during bad weather.
• Attention & Walks: A family that will take him on regular walks and include him in daily outings.

Adoption Details

• Current Location: Hillcrest, Winston Park area, KwaZulu-Natal
• Reason for Rehoming: Relocation and unsuitable environment.
• Adoption Status: Available immediately for the right home.