King is an absolutely adorable one-ear-up, one-ear-flopped German Shepherd, nearing 4 years old (DOB 10/18/2018), who arrived as a stray and was traced back to a shelter in a different county. Turns out the person who had adopted him did not want him back, as he was not a good fit for them, and the other shelter was full so we got to welcome King into the Forget Me Not family! He weighs about 100 pounds and is a dignified and affectionate guy.

King loves toys, though as you can see in his video he is not really willing to give them back, unless you tempt him with a SECOND toy. He'll get the "drop" end of fetch eventually - it is not uncommon for a dog that has been a stray to take ownership of his shelter toys, as they're pretty much all he has that is HIS.

King is learning to take treats gently (and he enjoys them greatly). He is housetrained, and is a "deep soul" type of dog. King seems a bit depressed at the shelter, and we can tell he is eager to bond with his new humans... you just have to find him and invite him home!

While he was out on his own, he developed a taste for live chicken, and we can confirm he has a strong prey drive, so no poultry or small furries in King's new home, please! He went out for a trial adoption, but turned out to not be a great fit because he objects to having other dogs walking right past his house all day (this is not something we saw in a shelter setting, but it sounds like when he considers it to be HIS house, he would prefer that strange dogs "get offa my lawn!"). He would do best as an only pet, or we think he could possibly live with another dog of similar size if they meet first and like each other. In the video, you can see he is curious and non-aggressive toward the dog in the next exercise yard. If you have another dog, you will need to make an appointment for a meet-and-greet at the shelter in Republic before we can approve your adoption.

King is extremely intelligent and deeply affectionate - he will be a wonderful companion for someone looking for a right-hand-dog as an adventure buddy. His trial adopter says he's just great with people, and all the staff and volunteers at the shelter agree.

Toward the end of his video, those who are unfamiliar with the "blowing coat" part of living with a shepherd will see the massive amount of fur one comes up against once or twice every year. If you want to knit your own dog-fur sweaters, you should be able to spin enough yarn pretty quickly! Seriously, though, King is a champ about being groomed, loves the attention, and by grooming him outside, you give all the songbirds in the area lovely soft nesting materials - win-win!

As is common with German Shepherds from less-than-ideal breeding backgrounds, King comes with some hip and knee issues, currently being managed with Cosequin. As he ages, he will likely develop further arthritis and will probably benefit from the addition of an NSAID to his management plan. He will do best where the family can adapt their hiking/walking to his comfort, going farther on his good days and less far on his stiff days. Just like with humans, moving some every day is important to keep the joints fluid. King seems to love water, he leaps into the little pools and troughs we fill up for the dogs on hot days. That doesn't mean he knows how to swim - we can't test that - but if he DOES (or can learn), that is excellent exercise and physical therapy for any dog with joint challenges.

In King's perfect world, he'd be a best friend to someone who likes to get out and walk and play a little bit, but who also likes to stay in and snuggle by the wood stove. If you've been looking for that wonderful new companion to go on walks through the woods, play a little fetch in the backyard, then hang out in the shade with some lemonade and a good chew-toy, King may be perfect for you!

All pets arrive spayed/neutered, dewormed, microchipped and vaccinated. Adoption fee for King is a suggested minimum of $125 (more gratefully accepted). All pets are placed with a 30-day money-back trial period, to give pet and family enough time to discover any unknown allergies or other conflicts.

Can't come to Republic? Don't let that stop you! We have monthly transports to both the Seattle area and Spokane, delivering adopted pets to their new owners. If you can add a little to your donation to help us cover our volunteer driver's expenses, that would be great!