***PLEASE READ HIS BIO CAREFULLY TO BE SURE YOU CAN MEET HIS NEEDS River came to us 3 weeks ago as an extremely underweight young Dalmatian after spending his life chained outside without enough food or socialization. Since then, this sweet boy has gained 10 lbs on a careful refeeding schedule and is finally feeling well enough to start looking for his forever family. 🖤🤍 River is not officially adoptable yet, but we ARE looking for a foster-to-adopt home for him while he finishes his medical care and gains a few more pounds. He still needs to complete Lyme treatment and be neutered before adoption is finalized. 🐾 About River: * Young male Dalmatian * Medium size, expected around 45 lbs once fully filled out * Sweet, people-loving boy despite his rough past * Crate trained in foster care * Learning house training * Does well on a cable or in a fenced yard * Knows "sit" and is learning patience * Loves dog beds * Has not really learned how to play with toys yet because survival and food were always his focus River is Lyme positive, which is being treated and is NOT contagious. He is heartworm negative, vaccinated, on monthly preventatives, and will be neutered and microchipped before adoption. Because Dalmatians are prone to urinary stones, River is currently on a prescription urinary care food. At this time we do not know if this will be lifelong or temporary. A 27 lb bag costs approximately $140, so we want adopters to carefully consider this financial commitment before applying. We will send his current open bag and a brand new bag home with him, but it will likely only last 4-6 weeks. 🍽️ Food behaviors: River came to us starving, and while his body is healing, his mind still believes food may disappear at any moment. He currently: * Needs slow feeder bowls or feeder balls * Searches counters and trash cans for food * Should be fed separately from other pets initially * May need lifelong feeding management Because of this, we do not feel a home with toddlers or very young children is the best fit, as food in little hands could be too tempting for him. He has seen young children through a gate in foster care and otherwise seemed perfectly fine with them. We do not yet know how River feels about cats. River lived in a foster home for 2 weeks where he learned: 🏡 Crates are safe 🏡 Bedrooms can be relaxing 🏡 People can be kind 🏡 Dog beds are amazing He occasionally had accidents when left loose, but overall did very well. He also rode in the car crated, which he wasn't thrilled about, but handled appropriately. After a lifetime of neglect, River still loves people and wants connection. He simply needs a patient family willing to teach him how to be a dog and continue showing him that he never has to worry about food or safety again. With reward-based training, patience, and consistency, we believe River has the potential to become an incredible companion. ❤️ We are requiring applications for River. Please apply here: https://service.sheltermanager.com/asmservice?account=sr2794&method=online_form_html&formid=21 💲 Adoption fee: $250 IMPORTANT: River's neuter appointment is Friday, June 5. Anyone doing foster-to-adopt MUST agree to bring him back for his neuter appointment in order to finalize adoption.We're open Monday through Friday 12-5 pm and Saturday 11-3 pm. We're located at 9331 State Route 124 Hillsboro, OH. Our adoption is open and easy, please come to the shelter to meet the animals in person to adopt.