My name is Chief!

The epitome of a gentle giant, Chief loves nothing better than to hang out with his people. If you're busy, he's content to chillax nearby; if you're up for a walk or a car ride, he's good to go. And if you just want some loves, this boy's beautiful soft coat makes him the ultimate Plushy.

HISTORY
We heard about Chief last December, when a concerned individual told us about a dog living on a chain with no shelter but a hole in the dirt, and a "caregiver" who had told her, "He can die in that hole for all I care." His owner had moved away and left him behind, and he was a matted, flea-ridden, bedraggled, sad mess. We were at last able to find him a foster home in early January, and he spent several weeks just sleeping. and eating. Then he woke up, looked around, and started catching up on loving attention, interesting experiences, and even some laid-back play with his canine foster brother.

Chief is located in Kennewick, Eastern Washington. He is posted as located in other cities to optimize his chances of adoption. This very special gentleman is well worth a road trip, but if necessary we will transport him to an approved adoptive home anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.

SOCIALIZATION
Gentle, respectful and friendly with all the humans he's met, Chief copes well with visits to the groomer and the vet. He has met older children and been comfortable with them, and we'd expect him to be calm and kind with young children. However, because he's an old man with achey bones we will not place him in a home with children under six years of age, since young children can be clumsy.

Chief tends to be reserved but polite when introduced to new dogs. With his young, bouncy foster brother he needed to set boundaries in the beginning, and was occasionally growly. Now that they're used to each other he's relaxed and even occasionally playful. He's friendly and interested in dogs he meets on walks with his foster family.

He met a cat at the vet clinic and showed no interest in chasing. We would expect him to be safe with a calm, confident, dog-savvy cat.

GENERAL TEMPERAMENT AND BEHAVIOR
At eight years old (and possibly older), Chief doesn't have a lot of drive or git-up-'n-go. Most of the time he's content to just kick back and relax - either near his people, or just quietly being by himself outside. He's a low-maintenance kinda guy whose private daily routine includes a careful perimeter check, time spent lying in the middle of his yard, and hanging out inside keeping an eye on things through the glass sliding door.

However, he's not entirely a couch potato! He enjoys his daily walk, and is good for a few miles. He enjoys the occasional game of tag with the other dog in his foster brother, and sometimes he releases his inner puppy and he turns into a galumphing goofball.

Chief hasn't experienced much affection in the past, and now he just soaks it up! He doesn't like to be cuddled, but he loves to be petted and will lean against you, just enjoying the fact that you're there.

He LOVES to be outside, regardless of the weather. We don't ever again want Chief to live as an outdoor dog - he needs and deserves to be a fully integrated member of the family. But he also needs a home with a secure fenced yard, and although a dog door isn't essential it would definitely be a plus.

When we took him in we were told he had a history of wandering, hence the chain. The yard at his foster home has a high wooden fence and he's shown no inclination to escape.

Chief travels well. He loves chewing on raw bones, but is not greatly interested in toys. He has an excellent nose, which he uses to scope out the kitchen counters regularly - but he doesn't steal (well ... maybe if it's ESPECIALLY yummy, and RIGHT on the edge of the counter, where it's clearly meant for him...)

TRAINING
His house manners are excellent. He is calm, quiet, doesn't beg, is not destructive, and doesn't become anxious when left at home. He did dig one hole in the backyard, but this doesn't appear to be a habit - he may simply have been remembering how he used to maintain his bed.

He loves his crate as a place to retreat to, but he doesn't like being shut in and may break out of it. However, he's so good it's not necessary to crate him. He is reliably house-trained, and will ask to be let out.

Chief hasn't had much actual training as far as we can tell, but he's a naturally good boy. He walks well on a leash, and tends to stay close when off-leash. His recall is good provided he sees you - his foster is working on teaching him to look at her when she buzzes a training collar.

HEALTH STATUS
Chief is scheduled to be neutered prior to adoption. He has been vaccinated, microchipped and treated for internal and external parasites.

We received mixed information regarding his age; he could be a young ten, or an old eight. Based on the vet's opinion and the information provided, we've assigned him January 11, 2016 as his birthday. He weighed 86 lbs on intake and has been gaining weight and muscle tone since then. We expect his weight to settle at around 95 lbs.

His teeth are very worn, but he has no gum inflammation or other sign of infection. Has some lumps that may be of concern, but they don't seem to bother him and we're not convinced that surgery is appropriate at his age. He clearly has arthritis - his hips especially are weak - and that is managed by daily anti-inflammatories.

ADOPTION INFORMATION
Chief is in foster care in a private home in Kennewick, and will be available to meet you after your adoption application has been approved. Please email HearthfireART@gmail.com to request an adoption application form.

For more pictures of Chief, please see his Facebook album at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=HearthfireAnimalRescueTeam&set=a.683129863968106