North Carolina woman takes home shelter shih tzu. Then he starts growling at her night one: ‘They told me he was spicy’
'Maybe he's not a morning dog?'
Black News 
“Spicy Nugget” is what this Charlotte, North Carolina, veteran foster dog mom is calling her latest rescue. This spicy shih tzu won’t stop growling at her. Will her years of expertise win this dog over?
After ten years of rescuing dogs, Jodi (@jodiclt) has learned quite a bit about taking care of fosters. Her TikTok page is filled with success stories about her rescues and their stories from shelter to sanctuary.
“Night one with the dog the shelter told me was very spicy & bitey,” says the text overlay of the latest video about a shih tzu named Deuce. The video has 865,700 views and 47,700 likes.
24 Hours With Deuce the Rescue Shih Tzu
Jodi’s video shows Deuce in her living room behind a fenced area she set up for him. The fenced area features pee pads and several blankets. Deuce is seen growling extensively at Jodi from behind the fence.
“It’s your first night here. I know it’s scary,” Jodi reassures growling Deuce. “I know, honey. You’ve had a hard day.” Eventually, Jodi is able to get up close to the fence and pet Deuce. He surprisingly lets her pet him, and at this point, he has stopped growling. He even seems to be crying. “You’ve been growling at me all night, and suddenly you’re so sweet,” she tells him before letting him go off to bed.
The next morning, Deuce seems even more playful and ready to cuddle than ever. He is seen whimpering for Jodi’s attention and jumping all around his fenced area. Many were quick to judge Jodi in the comments section, telling her to let the dog run free now that he’s clearly friendlier. However, Jodi has other plans.
“Girl , let him out of that cage! He just wants love an affection!” says one comment.
“He wants love and contact, he’s literally begging for it…that tail & the squeaks,” says another person.
“That’s the ‘let’s go outside. I gotta peeeeeeee!’ Dance,” says someone else.
“I have a spicy Shih Tzu at home who growls at us like that as well. She’s never mean to us. She just communicates that way. She’s a diva,” a different person says.
The 3-3-3 Rule for Rescue Dogs
Jodi explains that she won’t let Deuce out of the fenced area yet because she is following the 3-3-3 rule, which is a standard way to transition dogs from a shelter into their new life. According to the Crafty Canine Club, the 3-3-3 rule is a decompression process that involves the following:
- 3 days: The first three days your new dog is in your space, give them space, but set your boundaries early. This will set the pace for the rest of your time with them and will help them get comfortable on their own with slight support from their new owner.
- 3 weeks: After three weeks, the dog should feel more comfortable and start to test the boundaries of being with its new owner. Now is a good time to introduce commands to the dog and give clear demands to the dog.
- 3 months: experts say it takes about three months for dogs to feel fully comfortable in their new space. They will understand their routine, and it’s an optimal time to keep their training up as they start to master older tricks.
Jodi explains that she’s doing what she knows to be best for the dog. “I have to be careful about intros in my house,” Jodie says.
AllHipHop has reached out to Jodi for comment via TikTok direct message and email. We will update this story if she responds.
@jodiclt Night 1 with Deuce. #shihtzu #rescue #foster ♬ original sound – JodiAndThePuppies
