My name is Kili Plopperpaw!

Extremely intelligent, highly trainable, and very focused on his human - Kili is all that PLUS a major-league snuggler! He's not needy, but he likes to stay close to his special human and he very much desires to bond.

HISTORY
The Plopperpaws' rescuer found them on the side of a country road near the Tri-Cities, in Eastern Washington, on a hot day in early June. They were scared, skinny and very thirsty. She cared for them and fed them up while searching for their owner, who denied dumping them but didn't want them back. He agreed to release them to HART in return for having his dog, a large purebred Doberman, spayed.

All three pups are thriving in foster homes in Kennewick, Eastern Washington, where they have been since mid-June.

SOCIALIZATION
Kili tends to be a little aloof with strangers, but consistent kindness has helped him develop into a confident, happy pup who loves the people he has learned to trust. He may get a little barky and protective when strangers come onto his property, but when introduced to new humans and given time to suss them out, he's willing to be friends.

He has not been introduced to any young children, but we would expect him to be friendly. However he is a pretty big pup, and can be clumsy. That, together with normal puppy mouthiness and poor manners, means he might not be a great fit for very young or fragile humans.

Kili gets on well with the other dogs in his foster home, and especially loves following the older German Shepherd around, just seeing what's what and generally learning how to be a dog. He shares his foster home with his brother, Bombur (also available for adoption), and LOVES to wrestle and play tag with him. He would enjoy a home with a playful canine companion.

He hasn't been introduced to any cats, but we believe he's young enough to learn how to be polite to a confident, dog-savvy cat. His foster family includes a flock of free-range ducks and chickens, and he has learned to ignore them.

TEMPERAMENT AND BEHAVIOR
Although Kili loves to play hard with other dogs, he's generally a pretty laid-back pup. That said, he's no couch potato! He needs a good workout every day, and would love to become part of an active family that enjoys adventures. Of course, while he is young his activity should focus on training, brain games, free play and controlled walks, because working him too hard while his bones are soft and growing could cause lasting and painful damage. But once he's past 15 months or so, we'd expect him to keep up with you even on strenuous hikes.

Kili loves to play in water, and he's learning to enjoy toys, He likes to keep his special human in view, but he's not a needy pup and will happily entertain himself for hours. He especially loves to chew! His foster mom has a large rack of deer antlers, and he will chew on it for hours.

TRAINING
Kili is reliably house trained, and will go to the door to let you know he needs out. He is crate trained and regards his crate as a safe place to hang out - but his house manners are good, and he can be trusted loose outside his crate.

It's important to remember that the Plopperpaws are PUPPIES, and still have a lot to learn. But Kili is exceptionally smart, alert, and very attuned to his human. He wants to please, and is easily trained using a soft voice. He rarely needs to be told a thing more than once. He walks well on a leash, comes promptly when called, and is learning manners and basic commands.

Because he's going to be a big, powerful dog, it's essential that Kili's adopter be fully committed to serious training! You will be responsible for ensuring he is fully and reliably obedience-trained - and Kili would LOVE the stimulation of advanced training! Please don't apply to adopt a Plopperpaw unless you are sure you have the time, energy and desire to put work into ensuring your pup grows into their very best self.

PHYSICAL & HEALTH STATUS
Kili looks set to be a pretty big boy. We expect him to weigh around 100 lbs by the time he's full-grown. According to his mother's owner, he was born on March 14, 2023. He appears to be in good overall health, and has been vaccinated, treated for intestinal parasites, and microchipped.

HART does not support pediatric spay and neuter. We believe, based on current research, that pups develop best when they have an uninterrupted supply of sex hormones for at least the first five months of their lives - and in the case of large breed dogs they should be allowed to mature even longer. The Plopperpaws adopters will be contractually obligated to ensure that their pup is sterilized between seven months and one year. HART will refund $100 - equivalent to the cost of sterilization by our usual veterinary clinic - when you provide proof that your pup has been sterilized.

ADOPTION INFORMATION
The Plopperpaws are in foster care in private homes, 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.

Please note that the Plopperpaws are living in Kennewick, Eastern Washington, not in Woodinville. We use a Woodinville address when posting on Petfinder to optimize our dogs' chances of adoption by wonderful families. We do not ship our dogs or allow third parties to transport them, and we prefer adopters to come to the Tri-Cities to meet them. However, we are willing to transport our dogs to committed, approved adopters throughout the Pacific Northwest. (We may require the adopter to cover the cost of gas, and, if the home is more than five hours from the Tri-Cities, to contribute toward other travel costs as needed.)

For more pictures of Kili, please see his Facebook album at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.575808874700206&type=3