Otis

Meet Otis – our wonderful 6-year-old miniature teckel looking for a loving new home.

We welcomed Otis into our family at the start of the Covid lockdowns while living in London. Because he missed out on some early socialization during that unusual time, he can be a little anxious in new situations. About four years ago, our vet started him on fluoxetine to help with his anxiety, and he continues to do very well on a daily dose with his evening meal. Total cost for his medication is around 5€ per month.

Otis is incredibly affectionate and forms strong bonds with his people. He may bark when meeting someone new (very typical for a teckel!), but it’s simply his way of expressing himself. Once he feels comfortable, he quickly becomes loving, loyal, and enjoys nothing more than cuddling up with the people he trusts.

He would be happiest in an adult-only home or one with older, teenage children, as young children and unpredictable movements can make him feel uneasy.

Otis is crate trained and is happy to relax in his crate for up to 4–5 hours when needed. He’s a very smart little dog who knows commands including sit, stay, paw, and down, and he’ll patiently wait for his food until he’s told it’s okay. He responds to English commands for now but would have no trouble learning Dutch!

Last year, Otis underwent surgery for IVDD (intervertebral disc disease) after a slipped disc. Thankfully, he made an excellent recovery and now walks well, although he occasionally has a slightly unusual gait. As his scans showed some degeneration in his spine, his new family will need to continue taking sensible precautions to protect his back, such as carrying him up and down stairs, preventing him from jumping on and off furniture, and keeping him on a lead during walks. He doesn’t mind this at all—he’s much more interested in sniffing everything around him and staying close to his person than running around off lead.

Otis doesn’t need lots of exercise, but he does need plenty of love, companionship, and a family who understands his physical needs and is happy to help keep him safe.

He is such a special little dog. In fact, he charmed our former dog sitter so much that they ended up getting a teckel of their own! While he’s not the right dog for someone looking for a companion to take into busy, constantly changing environments, he will be an amazing match for someone looking for a devoted best friend who offers endless cuddles, loyalty, and love.

Finding Otis a new home is one of the hardest decisions we’ve ever had to make after the birth of our baby. Our priority is finding the right home where he’ll be happy, safe, and loved for the rest of his life.

If you have any questions, we’d be happy to answer them. If you think Otis might be the right fit for you, we’d love to hear a little about yourself and the home and lifestyle you could offer him.