King

King is a 2-year-old red/blue Heeler whose past experiences have shaped him into a dog who needs patience, understanding, and the right purpose in life. At just one year old, King experienced a traumatic event after his owner passed away at home. During the emergency response and wellness check, King became frightened and reactive as strangers entered the home. In the chaos, he was shot in the face with a rubber bullet. The injury left him with a permanent hole in his nose that causes some breathing issues, as well as a broken tooth. When King first came into rescue, he was deeply traumatized and had very little socialization with people or other dogs. Over the past year, however, King has made tremendous progress thanks to the dedication of his experienced foster, who specializes in working with difficult and misunderstood dogs. Today, King does well with most other dogs and has learned to trust far more than he once did. He is up to date on vaccines and neutered. King is every bit a true Heeler — intelligent, intense, energetic, and mouthy. Like many working herding breeds, he communicates with his mouth. He can be jumpy, nippy, and overly excited at times, especially in stimulating situations. Recently, during one of these moments of over-arousal, King accidentally caught a person's arm with his mouth, causing an injury that required stitches. Because of this, King now has a documented bite record. It is important to understand that King is not a vicious dog. He does not seek out aggression or attack people. He is, however, a high-drive working dog who needs structure, experienced handling, and an environment that understands the nature of the breed. King requires a home with limited visitors and a controlled setting where his behaviors can be safely managed. We believe King's best future would be with an experienced Heeler or working-dog owner, ideally someone familiar with herding breeds and livestock work. With the right person, King has the potential to channel his instincts and intelligence into becoming an excellent working or herding dog. King deserves someone who sees beyond his past trauma and understands the dog he was born to be. He deserves patience, purpose, and the chance to live out the life he was meant to live — running, working, and belonging to someone who truly understands him.

Ideal Home

King requires a home with limited visitors and a controlled setting where his behaviors can be safely managed. He is not recommended for a home with young children. King absolutely cannot live with cats, chickens, or small farm animals. He has a strong prey and herding drive and will chase — and potentially injure or kill — smaller animals if given the opportunity. He thrives with room to run, a job to do, and clear leadership. An experienced Heeler or working-dog owner, ideally someone familiar with herding breeds and livestock work, would be the best fit.

Ongoing Health

King has a permanent hole in his nose from a past injury, which causes some breathing issues. He also has a broken tooth. He is up to date on vaccines and neutered.

Training & Support

King can be jumpy, nippy, and overly excited at times, especially in stimulating situations. He requires structure and experienced handling.

Application Details:

Applications start by contacting us through Wags.

Transporation

King is currently located in Colorado. Transportation may be available to surrounding states for approved adopters.