Kiiro loves getting out and going places with his people. He's a little nervous in the car, but calm and polite.

With a guesstimated birthday in Dec. 2019, Kiiro weighs about 63 lb. His mama is American Staffordshire mix and dad is a Carolina Dog / Australian Shepherd mix.

Kiiro is a sweet boy, but will bark initially at strangers when on his territory and views them with suspicion. He doesn't challenge strangers in public, but doesn't prefer to be petted. He prefers other polite, non-confrontational males and most females. He's not keen on puppies & will grouch at them if they get in his space. His preferred playstyle is running with his doggy friends. He presents as a quiet, calm guy.

Kiiro gets along with cats and ignores the 6 cats in his foster home. He loves to sleep on the bed & is happy to share space with the felines. He's house-trained and leash savvy with very gentle manners under most circumstances.

Barking is typical in a new home environment for Kiiro, particularly when crated. His barking is to express anxiety while he adjusts to new sights / sounds, but usually extinguishes within a day or two. Having a predictable routine will help with this.

We recommend his new family crate him when he can't be supervised for his comfort level. He finds security in a properly sized crate. He's most comfortable in a 48" crate so he can sprawl if he chooses. An old (but clean) blanket to lay on is preferred so he isn't laying on a hard surface. He has torn up crate pads in the past, but not in the last few months.

Kiiro is very affectionate with his foster family. He loves to sit quietly nearby while they eat, but isn't noticeable or demanding. He appreciates a tiny tidbit when they finish to thank him for his good manners.

Kiiro was returned to his foster home after 2 months in a new family. He had bonded strongly with the woman, and was generally content with the man, but would bark and growl at him on occasion. When visiting his grandmom, he growled at her cleaning lady. We believe this was a communication that he was nervous since she was new to him. The couple reported that in public with strangers and other dogs, his manners are fabulous - but standoffish initially. He requires his handler to advocate with others to give him personal space during greeting. In the home he seems less tolerant of new humans outside his people pack. With proper introductions and reinforcement, he adjusts to strangers.

We believe Kiiro would be happiest in a home with a calm, secure, female doggy friend to provide confidence. If there is a minimum of company visiting, that might be best unless his family is experienced enough to help him become accustomed to visitors. Strangers dropping treats as they walk past might be encouraging to Kii's attitude toward them.

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April 2020: We are not holding public adoption events at this time. Qualified families are being invited to appointments to meet specific dogs. There are currently no opportunities to view multiple dogs and adoption events aren't being held at Tractor Supply in Lenoir.

Whether dogs / puppies come in as strays or owner surrenders, we usually have to make our best guess as to birthdate and breed.

If adopted into a home with other animals, particularly cats, your new pet should be crated or secured when you're not available to supervise to insure a harmonious relationship.

A vet reference is required to confirm responsible pet ownership. We suggest first time pet owners look for an adult dog for companionship and to gain experience through another rescue or your local government-run animal control..

Adoption fee covers two vaccinations plus spay / neuter if using our local low-cost spay/neuter clinic (overnight stay required) and surgery occurs as agreed upon in the adoption contract. Convenience fee equal to refundable spay/neuter deposit may be added if using our veterinarian. Additional fees for 3rd puppy vaccination, refundable spay/neuter deposit, etc. may apply.

We are an all-volunteer, foster-based rescue. We receive no funding from agencies. Available animals can be seen most Saturdays at Tractor Supply in Lenoir from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We recommend interested parties contact us to pre-qualify for adoption so their new furry family can go home once paperwork is complete. Fees are required in cash. For more information on our organization, our website is www.petpartnersrescue.org.