Meet Riggins, the loveliest and lovingest California to Northeast transplant! We adopted Riggs from a high-kill shelter in Los Angeles, where his family had turned him in for escaping his backyard kennel too many times. It was easy to see why...this good boy just LOVES his humans, and can't get enough pets, cuddles, or naps with them. He doesn't want to be stuck outside in a kennel!

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Riggs loves people so much, he doesn't want to share them with other dogs, which is unfortunate because our household has 3 others and Riggs has twice bitten our 7-year old heeler mix when they both tried to sit on my wife's lap at the same time. I am heartbroken that he can't stay with us, but we had to make the tough decision to re-home him to a loving human environment where he can be the sole cuddling pet.

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Riggs is now about 3 years old, and while he can have some pretty good cattle dog energy, he usually prefers to be napping on a couch or dog bed near his humans. He is fully housebroken, knows basic commands (sit, down), has excellent recall off leash, and is good at "leave it." He doesn't really like swimming or car rides, and he tolerates walks but loves running free more.

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Riggs has never displayed aggression toward humans, including little humans (my 3-5 year old nephews), but we don't know how he would be with infants/toddlers or small pets like cats. He doesn't seem to have a high prey drive - when his brother caught a bunny, he left it alone with one "leave it." He loves balls, elk antlers, and Trader Joe's smoked chicken tender treats. He also loves to bury stuffed animals in the woods, and has never been destructive indoors or a chewer of things he shouldn't.

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Riggins has bitten twice. Both times it was directed agains his housemate Mako, who is a 7-year old, 26 lb blue heeler mix. Both incidents occurred when the two dogs were attempting to sit on my wife, Kristen's, lap at the same time, and there was no growling or warning sign before he went after Mako. This behavior started about 6 months after adoption. The first time Mako had some puncture wounds from teeth and needed a course of antibiotics. The second time Kristen intervened and sustained a bite to her left hand and right forearm, in the course of defending Mako. These puncture wounds needed irrigation and a course of antibiotics.

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Riggins has never displayed aggressive behavior outside these two incidents, toward humans or other animals. In other circumstances he gets along incredibly well with my in-laws and their two dogs, who live with us in an in-law suite. He loves to cuddle with humans, and has been fine around my 3-5 year old nephews.

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For this reason, I believe he is displaying resource guarding behavior toward my wife (He has never displayed this type of behavior toward food, chew toys, dog bed, etc.). I think he would be a phenomenal dog for a single-dog household with older children and no other competition for his favorite person/people.

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We'd really like you to consider adopting Riggs, because he needs to find his forever humans. He can thrive in pretty much any environment where he is the only dog, so our requirements for adoption are really that you're ready to open your home to him and give him love. We will transport him for a visit within New England, or invite you to our home in Exeter, RI, if you want to meet him here. He will come with 6 months supply of his flea, tick, and heart worm prevention, his harness, and a Fi collar if you would like it.

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Email joke3md@gmail.com