Rio celebrated his one-year anniversary at HHS on March 6, 2024. While we love him deeply, a shelter is not a permanent home. He deserves a family to call his own and this 6-year-old good boy with soulful brown eyes truly desires a loyal friend, stability, and structure to bring out the best in him.
Rio exudes a zest for life that is simply contagious. His lively antics are guaranteed to keep you entertained and on your toes. Rio can spring over 3 feet high from a standing position so he would benefit greatly from a securely fenced yard. He will play fetch, and return the ball each time. He loves squeaky toys but doesn’t usually destroy them. Eager to please, and quick to learn, Rio has learned quite a bit in his time at HHS. He knows ‘sit,’ ‘stay,’ ‘come,’ and has recently mastered ‘roll over.’ Most importantly he is an excellent walking companion. He walks well on a leash, eagerly exploring his surroundings. Rio would prefer to be the only pet in the home and would do best with older respectful children. He is completely housebroken. If you’re searching for a dog that brings an abundance of energy, playfulness, and a zest for life, look no further than Rio. His future adopter will need to stock up on squeaky toys and soft blankets because although he may be a big boy, inside he’s just a big baby!
Swing by the HHS today to meet this bouncy bundle of joy and find out why he’s the perfect match for your home and heart. Our pet viewing and adoption hours are noon to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday – Sunday. Visit heritagehumane.org/dogs to learn more about Rio and our other available dogs. Even those who are unable to adopt can still help Rio find a home by sharing his story far and wide.
Rio has had many supporters along his journey with us, one of which has sponsored his adoption fee. Read more about Rio below from his champions here at HHS.
Rio was excited to be in a house. At first, he ran around but then that was over. He was curious without being intrusive. The first day he followed us around, but the next day he was more relaxed and would lay alone. His favorite in-house activity was snuggling on the couch and getting back scratches or brushings, and sneak kisses. Rio was gentle with toys and did no damage to the house, and had no accidents in the house. He liked to play tug on the rope and push an empty peanut butter jar around the back porch. The only time he barked was when he wanted us to play with him. At night he slept in a kennel. The first night he whined 5 minutes after going in, then slept peacefully. The second night he walked in and settled down for the night and was quiet all night. We enjoyed having Rio and will have him over again.
– HHS Foster
I love when Rio rips around the HHS classroom chasing toys. I love when he gazes into my eyes. It is such a sincere, searching gaze. I love his beautiful rich colored coat, especially in the sunshine. He loves butt scratches and he’s a real couch potato.
– HHS Volunteer
Rio is a big boy that has the capability to show affection and respond relatively quickly to training. He is a smart dog that enjoys interacting with his handler and is eager to please in exchange for reward treats. He loves to get treats and sometimes seems to demand them without aggression. Rio walks very well on a leash. He stands patiently to allow the placement and removal of his harness. He acknowledges the presence of other dogs without be reactive. Some of the tricks he likes to do in exchange for a treat are; sit, lay down, roll over and give a paw. I am still working on getting him to stay. Even though Rio is a very large dog, he is not clumsy or forceful with his motions. He would be most happy in a large home with a backyard. He’s not a runner or dasher. He loves to just sniff around and be free from a leash at times.
– HHS Volunteer
He is a very snuggly, low-key kind of guy. He won’t require much exercise and will likely take up residence at his person’s feet quickly. He’s been working with a few HHS Dog Handler Volunteers to teach him household skills like kenneling up and polite car rides to hikes. Rio has been learning to “kennel up” when asked and has enjoyed crate training. He also knows so many tricks, walks like a dream on the leash, and is pretty low-energy. He is also non-reactive to other dogs on leash. Plus he’s super cute!
– Amy Willoughby, Dog Training, Shared Joy Dog Training
