Rolo is a clown, with a supersized personality and a mischievous sense of humor. But while he does love to have fun, he's a good boy - respectful of other dogs, polite toward people, and pretty much past the destructive puppy stage.
HISTORY
Rolo is a member of the Cocoapup litter - five sweet boys who were very young, sick babies when they were dumped on a country road near Prosser, in Eastern Washington, in September last year. It took a while in their loving foster home to get them healthy and build their confidence, but they've matured into delightful companions and we are heartbroken and puzzled that three of these pups (Reese, Rolo and Heath) are still waiting for their forever families to choose them!
Their breed mix is a well-educated guess. It's pretty obvious that they're at least half Doberman, and this was confirmed by a DNA test done by the person who adopted one of their brothers. The test also indicated that the other half was made up of Alaskan Malamute and Siberian Husky. They have short Dobie-style coats, and their temperament is also typical Dobie.
All three boys get on well (they often meet for playdates) and could be placed together - but they're not tightly bonded and would also do well being placed in different homes.
SOCIALIZATION
This boy tends to be unsure of himself in unfamiliar environments. We're working on that, but he needs a patient caregiver who will continue to expose him to new places and people while building his confidence.
When Rolo meets new people he will cautiously approach for a get-to-know-you sniff of the hand (it helps if you're holding a treat!) He would like to be friends, although he'll warm up faster to a woman than to a man. Once he trusts you he'll follow you around, intensely interested in whatever you're doing. He hasn't had much exposure to young children while in our care, and we believe he'd be happiest in an adult-only home, or with gentle, dog-savvy children aged about 12 and over.
He grew up in a home with a large pack of dogs of all sizes, and he is generally comfortable and submissive with other dogs. He especially enjoys playing with his brothers, although he is not closely bonded to them and will do fine if adopted separately.
In a previous foster home Rolo lived with cats, and he treated them with respect. If a cat were to run he would probably chase, but we believe he would be safe sharing his home with a confident, dog-savvy cat.
Rolo lives with chickens in his foster home, and he has decided that they are very much fun to chase and dismantle. Although he seems to be motivated more by a desire to play than prey drive, we don't believe he would be safe in a home with small prey animals.
TEMPERAMENT AND BEHAVIOR
He's an affectionate boy who will come up to ask for some loving, but he's not needy and he's no velcro dog. He enjoys hanging out and keeping his person company, but he's also very content just to take some alone time outside.
Rolo is very mellow, but playful, with all the energy required for a good game of tag. Given time to build a trusting relationship with you, he'd make a great hiking or jogging companion. He also loves car rides and is interested in following his nose through new places, so as his confidence grows he's developing into an excellent sidekick for adventures.
He will do best in a home with a fenced yard big enough for play, preferably in a quiet neighborhood where walks are pleasurable and interesting but not too scary. He is also a sensitive kinda guy who could become overwhelmed by heavy traffic or crowds. He'd love to share his home with a friendly canine companion who can teach him the ropes and, ideally, play with him. Rolo would also be a good candidate for dog parks.
He loves to play - his new favorite game is frisbee; he'll catch it on the fly and will bring it back. He also enjoys wrestling with the other dogs in his foster home, and he's very gentle when playing with little dogs.
TRAINING
Rolo's house manners are excellent. He's reliably house-trained and crate trained, and while indoors he is calm, quiet and non-destructive. While outside he may bark if someone comes to his gate, but generally he's quiet. He rarely digs.
He is comfortable on the leash but tends to pull, and his recall is generally good. He is learning basic commands, including sit, stay and down. Rolo is highly treat-motivated and loves praise, and is very trainable.
HEALTH STATUS
Based on their teeth and the fact that they could barely lap water, we estimated that the Cocoapups were maybe six weeks old when we took them in. We have assigned them July 23, 2023 as their birthday.
Rolo has been neutered, fully vaccinated, treated for internal and external parasites, and microchipped. His full vet records will be provided to his adopter. He weighs around 75 lbs and appears to be in excellent health.
ADOPTION INFORMATION
Rolo is living 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. Heath's adoption fee is $300.
For more pictures of Rolo, please see his Facebook album at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.633929165554843&type=3
