I've found my furever family!

(5 yrs old) Good with dogs and kids. Not good with cats.Meet Ronin - a large and lovely lad who has SO much love to give!Ronin was found as a stray out in western NC. He had wandered up to an elderly lady's house and had decided to make it his home. He hung around for a few days trying to make friends with her but sadly his size (and probably breed) frightened the old lady and so she insisted he be sent to the local shelter. The elderly lady's caregiver emailed us about this beautiful dog asking if we could help him. She wasn't a huge fan of dogs but she said this boy was different - there was something magical about him that melted her heart. She said despite his size he was very gentle and very friendly. Still she couldn't convince her patient that he should stay put. She took him to the shelter reluctantly and then hounded us until we agreed to go assess him. Even though he was very scared and confused at the shelter the volunteer who met him fell in love. When you see him in person you will understand why.Other than Ronin's considerable size there is nothing to fear from this boy. He is the epitome of a gentle giant - in fact his original name was Goliath but we didn't feel that suited him. When we got him he was extremely underweight at 83lbs! He also had chronic ear infections that the vets believe had gone untreated for a long time. Because of this you will notice in his pictures that his left ear flops over. Not to worry though we've got this boy on the right track now! We've been treating his ears and they're getting better every day and he has started his treatment to get rid of the nasty heartworms that he was infected with. Pretty soon he is going to feel like a new dog! This big boy is a total goof!! He loves to run and play with other dogs and does great with all of them no matter the size sex or breed. He has however decided he wants to take a bite out of the resident kitty so he'll need to go to a home without cats. Ronin loves loves LOVES people and when he meets you he will put his paw up on you to politely ask for love and attention. Beware though - if you try to ignore him or if he really takes a liking to you he will get up on his back legs and give you a bear hug! We know this is not exactly good doggie etiquette but seriously there isn't anything much more satisfying than getting a great big hug from this gorgeous lovable goof!! Because of Ronin's strength and size and due to the fact that he has undoubtedly been an outside dog his whole life Ronin will need to go with his new family to a good obedience class. At the moment he pulls on a leash and as illustrated by the bear hugs he lacks an understanding of basic dog manners. Still he's great in the house is crate and house trained and rides well in a car. Not bad for a lad who was recently roaming the countryside! While he might be a little too much for a family with small children he would pretty much fit into any other kind of home. Ronin is an absolute gem of a dog who will steal your heart with his handsome good looks and sweet personality - so hurry up and put in your application so you can be in the running for a lifetime of hugs from this large and lovely lad!.