Abigail #2 Silver Labrador Retriever Female 5 Years Old ID #3402

January 24, 2023

Abigail’s adventures were a little curtailed by the weather, but she was undaunted.  She is getting better on a leash, but still needs some direction.  The good part is she doesn’t pull but she does zigzag.  Like everything else with Abigail, she’ll get it in time. Abigail thoroughly enjoys her walks, which is obvious as she smiles and soaks in everything.  Of course, the fact that she nudges the door to go says a lot, too.

Abigail is also settling in with the rest of the pack.  She’s come so far in such a short time.  When she thinks FM isn’t looking, she cuddles with the resident dogs.  FM even caught her playing tug with the resident dogs and learning that it’s fun!  Abigail had her first taste of a peanut butter bone and learned that she liked that, too.  But the best was when she had her first bully stick!  She toted it around for an hour and when one of the others picked it up, she looked all over for it until FM got it back to her.  Her joy was absolutely contagious.  She lights up the house with her wags and wiggles.

This sweetheart got her stitches out today and was wonderful at the vet.  She did well with the techs and with every person and dog she met in the waiting room.  Everyone said what a pretty girl she was and she didn’t tell them otherwise. On the ride home, it was clear she wanted to drive but when FM told her she was underage, she nicely settled down in the backseat and enjoyed the scenery.

Abigail has had plenty of adventures in her foster home.  But now, it’s time for Abigail to continue her adventures elsewhere.  Might you take Abigail on her new adventures?

January 19, 2024

The Adventures of Abigail continue….

It’s clear that Abigail likes to be in the warm house, but the snow brought out the puppy in her.  She ventured out an into the yard without even looking back, showing how far she has come.  While she didn’t yet engage with the resident dogs as they romped, she stayed close by them.  She’ll get there.  She enjoyed following FM and licking the flakes as they fell.

In the last few days, Abigail’s list of first continued to grow.  Abigail finally barked!  As a neighbor walked by the yard with his dog, she sounded the alarm just once and quickly found FM as if to say, “Look, I noticed first!”  She also found the couch, but she doesn’t sit on it much.  FM thinks she just wanted to see what the hype was and decide for herself.  Naturally she had to sit in FM’s spot and FM had to find another seat.  Sigh.  Abigail also learned that the toys are kept in the toy bin.  While the others dogs were occupied, she quietly selected the toys she wanted and sought a spot to learn about them.  When she was done investigating them, she slept on them so she knew where they would be when she woke up.  Smart girl, since she knew the resident dogs would be circling to get them back.  Speaking of the resident dogs, although Abigail hasn’t engaged in play, she does nuzzle them occasionally.  She sleeps on a dog bed close to them, rather than closer to FM, so that’s a big step.  For the most part though, she keeps to herself.  Every now and then she finds an unusual spot to sleep and makes funny faces in her sleep.

Abigail is still a polite eater – she waits patiently and takes her time as she dines.  In fact, FM has to stand guard so that the resident canine vortices won’t gobble down her food while she takes a break.  She is really learning how to take turns and that she isn’t always first.  She sits nicely for her treats.  On occasion, she will crawl up/jump when she gets excited that she is getting attention, but is easily corrected and redirected.  Abigail’s favorite is still her belly rubs and her smiles certainly confirm that!

This girl is such a lovebug!  She just wants to be with people and please them.  She is so easy going.  Abigail is always happy and her tail thumps just when someone looks her way.  Every day she is learning more and she will make some lucky family very happy.  Her stitches come out on Monday and if all goes well, she should be ready to find her forever home!

January 16, 2024

Oh, the Adventures of Abigail!  So many firsts since our last post….

Abigail has been with us just one week but she continues to amaze and be the best houseguest.  She goes into her crate without issue and patiently waits for us to let her out.  She really doesn’t complain, and we’ve never heard her bark.  She has now finished her course of pain meds and can’t wait to get her stitches out.  She really wants to run in the yard, but still has a week to go.  She has learned “sit” and knows she needs to do that to get a treat (another word she now knows).  She is completely sold on kibble – she prefers that to almost everything else, except, of course cheese.  Her leash walking skills still need some help, but she is improving every day.  She never touches anything that is not hers and isn’t interested in people things at all.

Last night, Abigail slept on a dog bed on the floor by FM’s bed instead of in the crate. She didn’t make a peep all night and never got up once.  As long as she can see someone, she’s OK.  She hasn’t tried to jump on the bed or a couch, although her foster sibs do it all the time.  Abigail is most content to just lay on the floor with her head on someone’s foot.  She absolutely loves her belly rubs and will drop and roll at a moment’s notice if she thinks she will get one. 

Today we used the time to run errands.  First, we stopped at the home improvement store where EVERYONE told her how beautiful and well-behaved she is.  She got lots of pets and even some treats from people of all ages.  The shopping cart and the automatic doors were a little startling at first, but she quickly adjusted and made sure she sniffed as much as she could.  She even spotted herself in a mirror and had to stop and stare. From there we went to FM & FS’s favorite store where even more people stopped to talk to Abigail.  She was such a good girl.  There were a few children screaming, which she didn’t enjoy, but she let other kids pet her.  FM bought a nice new comfy dog bed so everyone has their own at night.  Finally, it was off to the pet store to get a few more bags of food and some yummy cookies for her foster fur brother’s birthday.  This was clearly Abigail’s favorite store as she sniffed everything and felt most at home.  Even though there were many treats, she didn’t touch a thing.  Such self-control is enviable.  Once home, Abigail helped celebrate his birthday and was most patient wearing her birthday hat.  She ate her yummy cookie and promptly fell asleep from all the excitement of the day.

We are so proud of Abigail.  So many firsts and she never missed a beat.  She made everyone she met today feel special and was so gentle throughout.  Undoubtedly Abigail will have more adventures but so far, she’s proven to be exceptional at taking it all in stride.

January 13, 2024

Abigail is amazing!  She shows no signs of having undergone surgery and is back to her vibrant, wiggly self!  So much of her personality has come through in such a short time!

Although she is still so Velcro and follows her people anywhere, she did venture out the door into the yard with the other dogs before realizing I wasn’t there.

It’s a start!  She and I ventured around the yard, where Abigail thoroughly enjoyed exploring every inch of it.  She even got closer to the resident dogs (who can be a bit much) and still has no issues with them.  In a way, it’s good that she isn’t playing too much since she still has her stitches and needs to stay calm.  Abigail still rings the bell or scratches the door to go out and hasn’t had any accidents!  And, she discovered squeaky toys!!! Probably didn’t have any of those on the farm so another first for her.

We went for a pack walk around the neighborhood and it’s pretty clear, she’s had no leash training.  It didn’t take her long, though, to get the hang of it.  I have no doubt she’ll get there in no time. She loved just having the sun on her face and being on an adventure.  Because she is so Velcro, she really doesn’t pull except to protect us from those pesky squirrels!

Her appetite is back and although she’s still not a fast eater, she does finish her bowl.  We are working on taking our turn as she thinks that she needs to be first for everything.  It’s understandable as she has had no chance to learn anything else.

Last night, Abigail kindly let me sleep in my own bed!  She slept in the crate in my room and awoke at 6:30AM with her tail thumping to greet the new day.  After breakfast and a quick saunter outside, it was time to get to work.  Abigail laid under my desk or right next to it all day without a complaint.  She was the perfect officemate.

Abigail craves affection but loves life and loves her people.  She will make some family so very happy!

January 11, 2024

This pretty girl has moxie!  She is confident, happy, and loving.  So happy she is a Brookline girl!

Abigail’s whirlwind started yesterday when she had her rescue ride.  She got a bath, went to the vet, and then off to our home.  She did great meeting the resident dogs and didn’t really react to them.  We all spent some time outside but it was clear she wanted to go in where it was warm.  Unlike any other farm dog, I have met, she quickly toured the house, racing up to the second floor and then right back down again.  (And I thought it would take her a few weeks to learn how to go up stairs!) When she was satisfied with the house, Abigail was totally Velcro; she’d much rather be with people than the dogs right now.  After five years being love-starved, she’s making up for lost time!  She tried to hog up all the belly rubs and reminded me when I stopped petting her that she was still there.

Abigail settled into the routine pretty quickly.  In only a few hours, Abigail showed just how smart she is.  Not only does she know her name, but she figured out how to ring the bell to go outside and where the treats are kept (and how to wear me down to get one).  She didn’t have any accidents at all.  Interestingly, she ate like a lady rather than do the Lab gobble.  The pack and I slept downstairs with her to keep her company.  She went into the crate with no problem and slept until 6:30 AM.  What a perfect lady!

Her spay was scheduled for today, because her rescue was supposed to be over the holidays but delayed due to Covid here.  Poor baby went right into surgery today.  Luckily, when we learned yesterday that she needed surgery for entropion, the vet graciously agreed to do all of her surgeries today so Abigail didn’t need to go under again.  She was a trooper and came home this afternoon.  Hopefully, her recovery is quick and she is back to her exuberant self soon!