Bombur Plopperpaw Doberman Pinscher & Labrador Retriever Mix Mead, WA

Sometimes goofy, sometimes serious, always up for a cuddle - Bombur is everything one looks for in a great family dog. Good-natured, friendly and intelligent, he's just good company.

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. We managed to locate their owner, who told us they were born on March 14, 2023 to a large purebred Doberman. Based on their appearance we believe papa was a large black Labrador.

Bombur was adopted in September by a young couple who proved unable to provide the care he needed, so he came back to us in December.

At present he is living in a foster home in Kennewick, Eastern Washington. He is definitely worth a road trip! We are also available to arrange transport for him to an approved, committed adopter anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.

SOCIALIZATION
Bombur is a confident, friendly pup who loves his special people and is quick to make friends with new humans. He has not been introduced to any young children, but we would expect him to be friendly. Because he is so big and also tends to be clumsy, he may not be a good fit for very young or fragile people.

Since first coming to us he has lived with a variety of other dogs. He is submissive and friendly, as well as gentle with a couple of tiny seniors. If dogs try to bully him, he backs away from trouble ... and then barks LOUDLY from a safe distance.

He lived with cats in his adoptive home and we're told he was generally good with them, although sometimes too interested in getting up in their business. We would expect him to do well with a confident, dog-savvy cat that's able to enforce boundaries, but he would chase a cat that ran.

There are chickens and horses at his foster home. Given an opportunity he will chase the chickens, and he barks through the fence at the horses. Both these issues could probably be solved with patient, consistent training - he doesn't appear to have very high prey drive.

TEMPERAMENT AND BEHAVIOR
Bombur's temperament appears to be more easy-going Labrador than high-drive Doberman. However, he's no couch potato - he's a fairly energetic boy who needs a good workout every day, and would love to share his life with an active family. He will make an excellent hiking or running companion - although until he's fully mature it will be necessary to limit the amount of hard work his joints have to do.

That said, once the tickle is out of his feet he is very good at kicking back and doing nothing while you work or relax. This boy loves to be loved, and will happily join you on the couch for a Netflix binge! Offer him a cuddle and he melts like an ice cream cone on a hot summer day...:)

Bombur loves water. Last summer he spends many happy hours splashing in the tub his foster mom provided, and he loves playing with the sprinklers in his yard. He'll be a fun companion for walks along the beach or next to a river! He also enjoys a good chew - a bone or a hunk of deer antler will keep him occupied for hours.

He wants to be protective and will put himself between you and anything he perceives as scary - but he's just a baby, despite his size, so he needs his human to be a calm, patient leader whom he can trust to keep

This happy-go-lucky, playful, adventurous pup loves to explore. Given a choice he wants to be with his human, but if he's left to be bored or lonely he'll figure out how to entertain himself. We wouldn't call him an escape artist ... but if a gate is open he's going to go through it to see what's out there. He can also scramble over a 5-foot fence if the other side has better company than the side he's on.

TRAINING
Bombur's adopters put him through a basic obedience class, and he knows "sit", "down", "stay", and "go sniff". He responds well to "no" and "off". His recall is excellent, but when on a leash he tends to pull - and he is a strong boy!

He is reliably house trained, and will ask to go out when he needs to, He kennels up on command, and is comfortable in his crate.

Like any young dog, Bombur will push boundaries. Be prepared to deal with issues like teaching him not to help himself to food off the counter (now that he's tall enough, counter tops are a whole new world for him to explore!) He will also sometimes chew things he shouldn't - he especially loves shredding paper, and can completely redecorate a room with just one paper towel. His foster is working on teaching him not to jump up, and to wait before he barrels through a door.

Because he's going to be a big, powerful dog, it's essential that his adopter be fully committed to ongoing training! You will be responsible for ensuring he is fully and reliably obedience-trained. Bombur is a highly intelligent pup who loves praise, is food motivated, and wants to please, but he does get bored and he needs mental stimulation as well as physical exercise to stay out of trouble.

PHYSICAL & HEALTH STATUS
Bombur is a big, sturdy pup, and we expect him to weigh around 90 lbs when full grown at 12-15 months of age. According to the people who own his mother he was born on March 14, 2023. He appears to be in good overall health, and has been neutered, fully vaccinated, treated for intestinal parasites, and microchipped.

ADOPTION INFORMATION
Bombur is in foster care in a private home, 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 Bombur, please see his Facebook album at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.575820574699036&type=3