Angel #6 Black Labrador Retriever Female 6 Years Old ID#3235

Meet Angel!  Angel is a AKC registered black Labrador that was pulled from a breeding kennel along with Cookie, Raven, and Merilee (also Brookline fosters.)  Angel was both physically and mentally in need of rescue, and is now on her way to recovery in her foster home.  Please read Angel’s blog from the bottom up to learn more about her.

September 18, 2024

Hey Everyone!  I’m back to report on what’s been going on this week.  I had some more firsts and I am starting to get more comfortable with things that aren’t firsts anymore.Last weekend, FM and FD said we were going to take a trip to this place called the cottage.  FM said we were going to have a long drive since it’s in NH.  On this ride, FM said she was going to sit in the backseat with me which is super close to her and I didn’t know if I’d like that.  At first I sat on my side so I wasn’t too close to FM, and went to sleep because we left really early!  After our potty stop, which I didn’t care for because there was lots of trucks and cars whizzing by, FM came back to the car with something that smelled really good.  Sammy said that this is always the best part of the trip because we get BACON.  Sammy was right, that bacon was delicious.  When we started going again, I looked out the window but got bored and went back to sleep.  I even decided that FM wasn’t that scary close up and okay to rest my head on too!  FM was excited with this first….  I didn’t tell her that it was because she gave me some bacon and I was more comfortable with her lap pillow..

When we arrived, Sammy said to follow him to the lake.  I wasn’t sure what a lake was but let me tell you, I loved it.

FM told me that I’m truly a water dog.  I had so much fun in that big water bowl!  Sammy said that it was his favorite place to be especially after a good NH hike and I totally agree.  Any chance I got, I was splashing around on the shore, swimming in the deep part with Sammy and helping FM pull out weeds and look for fish.

I also liked to dry off in the sun on the deck and hang out with Sammy and FM and FD.

We met some of FM and FD’s friends who live in NH.  Sammy told me about this one guy who always brings him a milk bone when he comes over and that they are delicious so I was really brave and took one too!  FM said “Wow, another first! Taking a treat from a stranger”!  I also met Sammy’s favorite friend Molly.  FM said she’s a really sweet Golden and that I’d love her too.  Well she was right,  Molly was really nice to me and we all went for a walk up to the top of the big hill at the cottage.  Boy, did I need a good nap after all the swimming and hiking.  I found a nice cozy spot in the sun on the screened porch. FM said everyone on the lake could probably hear me snoring!

I am getting braver at trying new things but I’m also getting braver getting closer to FM and FD.  Sammy really helps me to feel brave.  I saw him take treats right out of FM’s hand so I’ve started taking a treat too instead of running away and waiting for her to toss it for me.

Even though, I like to follow her around where ever she goes, I get worried when I get ahead of FM and she’s following me so I always try to stay right behind her.  When I want to play chase when we are outside, I just nudge my nose into her leg and that gets her moving…LOL

Sammy is always so happy when he sees FM after she’s been out for a while and I’m starting to feel real happy too when she comes back.  FM gives me yummy food, lets me chase her and follow her around outside, and gives me gentle pets and kisses.

Sometimes when she leaves and I can’t find Sammy because he likes to nap of FM’s bed. I start asking where he went and I keep asking until he comes to see me.  FD says he’s not a fan of my yelling, especially when he’s trying to work, but FM says I have the cutest little smirk and wiggle when I find him.

I really like hanging out with Sammy and I like to do what he does.  We both really like to roll in the grass after lunch and hang out in the yard together.

Sammy says he wants to teach me how to play with toys and balls and play bitey face.  Sammy says I’m getting a little better but I still need more lessons.

Well that’s it for now, it’s just about time for lunch!  Now that FM has found my favorite type of kibble, I always clean my plate.  Stay tuned for more updates!

September 10, 2024

Since my last update, FM says I had a lot of new firsts… and I’m here to tell you about them!

I discovered donuts!!  FM said this one doesn’t taste like anything sweet but I loved chewing on it and making it squeak.

I discovered my voice!  I get excited when FM started asking Sammy to play fetch and I started telling her to hurry up and throw the toy so I can chase Sammy.  One time, I even went and got a toy when FM threw it but can you believe it, she wasn’t ready to video it.

I discovered how to go up a ton of stairs and that they lead up to a whole new place to explore.  I never tried following Sammy, FM and FD when they went up there night and even sometimes during the day but I was happy laying at the bottom of the stairs waiting for them . Now I follow FM and Sammy up there when they go.  The other night, I went up the stairs while everyone was sleeping and found this new bag of stuff that FM had left laying there after she went on a trip to NH.  FM and FD were wondering what the heck I was doing, going up and down, up and down, and up and down from 4am to 5am.  FM said she thought I was moving the dog blanket from upstairs but boy was she surprised when she found all her clothes from that bag piled up on the floor downstairs.  FM said that was another first, being a little mischievous but hoped I didn’t do it again! LOLMy last new discovery is that FM isn’t so scary after all.  When I see her (but more so my friend Sammy) in the morning, I get so happy that FM says she can see me smile!  I get so happy and excited that I just can’t stop wagging my tail.  We all go outside and I love it when FM starts to run and I can chase her, I even bump my nose into her leg to say go faster!

Well that’s all the firsts I’ve got to report on for now!  FM says that on October 10 I’ll have another first, surgery to finally get that annoying thing out of my ear, and to get spay…whatever that is!  Stay tuned!

September 3, 2024

Hi Everyone!  This is Angel checking in.  This is my first time trying out this blog writing business but Sammy has been giving me some pointers.First of all, I’d like to report that I am finally done with that stuff FM kept trying to convince me was “good” for me.  No matter what she tried to hide it in, I always knew that yucky stuff was inside.  FM was right about one thing though…  I do feel much better and my skin and ears aren’t so sore and itchy.  My belly is feeling better now too and it makes FM really happy to see me clean my plate.

FM says that she thinks it’s funny that I like to hang out in all the spots that her other lab, Max used to hang out in.  I think it’s because the spot in the foyer is nice and cool and quiet so I can get in some good naps.

I really like my new friend Sammy.  I love to chase him and give him lots of licks.

He’s showing me how much fun toys can be and even played tug with his blanket with me!

I like to tag along behind foster Mom in the yard and love it when I get to chase her too.

I’m still a little nervous around people but I met a bunch of new people this weekend and they were all really nice to me and gave me pets.  It’s hard to forget about my time alone in the kennel but FM says I’ve got a whole new world to explore and lots of nice people and dogs to meet. One day it won’t all be so scary, at least that’s what Sammy and FM keep telling me!

August 28, 2024

Angel had her vet appointment last Thursday to recheck her ears and feet.  The vet said the cytology on both her ears and feet were significantly better especially her feet but she prescribed her another 8 days of oral antibiotics and antifungals and also some daily ear drops.  Her canals are opening up but there was still some funk, especially in the ear with the growth that needed to still clear before we could proceed with removing the obstruction and getting her spay.  The vet also took a good look at her teeth and felt that they were in pretty good shape.  Angel didn’t have the tartar build up like the other girls and she has been enjoying greenies and chew bones which is helping to get some of her “normal” tartar build up off.

Her eating has been better since we discovered that she prefers to eat off of a plate instead of a dog bowl but she still isn’t chowing down like a typical lab.  She always peaks around the corner of the kitchen when I’m getting her food ready in the morning and at lunch so I know she’s interested.  Angel is also a big fan of ice like her buddy, Sammy!

With all the activity during the day, and not eating a ton, she was down to 72lbs at her vet exam but the vet wasn’t concerned as she does need to still shed some lbs. She is still accident free in the house, and has been going pee more often outside throughout the day so I’m thinking she starting to realize she doesn’t need to hold it like in the kennel. She has been enjoying her morning walks with Sammy and my husband and likes to follow right on the heels of my husband and has a relaxed wagging tail the whole walk.  She is starting to do more investigating of smells which is great to see.  She’s learning there’s a lot to discover while out on a walk.  In the yard, she is still happily trotting along behind me stopping occasionally to take in the smells of the critters that share the yard.

We continue to work on her trust with people, and I try to give her lots of friendly pets and nose kisses through out the day.  Once I don’t have to force feed her medication, I think we will have more of a break through.  Some days, she’ll take a hidden pill, other days not so much.  On Saturday, Angel attended a Meet and Greet at a the Langhorne Rotary Pet Fair.  Though she was nervous, she took all the new sights and sounds, multiple people petting and talking to her, and various new animal sightings (and smells) – kittens, horses, goats, chickens in stride.

I was super proud of her. Two people stopped by the booth to meet her so it was well worth our time there.  She was happiest when other dogs stopped into the booth for a visit.  She did well on the car ride to and from the event and just laid on the back seat the whole time.

She has yet to venture upstairs and is content sleeping on the doormat at the bottom while she waits for us all to come down.  We have a ton of dog beds and I moved one by her favorite resting spot inside but she has yet to venture on one.  She does however like to take the blankets off the beds and move them around but I have yet to see her lay on one.  She’s always super happy to see Sammy in the morning.  Today, they had the cutest play session!

Everyday, I see her opening up bit by bit!  I’m looking forward to watching her grow.

August 21, 2024

Tomorrow will be two weeks that Angel has been in our foster home.Angel’s personality has begun to emerge as she is feeling better and better from the medication to heal her badly infected ears and feet.  In the mornings, we discovered that Angel finds joy in getting a good rub in the early morning dew in the grass.

Angel is really enjoying having Sammy (our resident dog) around for company.  She happily trots behind him to explore the yard and has been watching him interact with us and his toys.  Speaking of toys, many thanks to Brookline for sending out a foster box full of toys for Angel to explore.  They arrived in perfect time because I am happy to report that she has started to play with toys and she likes to chew on rope and stuffy toys and bones of all kinds (and a martingale collar that was laying in reach.) I can’t wait for her to play her first game of fetch or tug with me!

We had a great visit from a former foster, Lila and her previous foster sister, Ruby.  Lila’s former foster parents, Jeff and Kim were dog sitting for Lila’s adopters and were able to come over for a play date.  Angel loved meeting both girls.  It was hot that day so they didn’t do a ton of romping around but Angel got in a bunch of face licks.  We are planning to have another playdate with Ruby and Jeff and Kim’s new foster, Raven when it cools off.

She has been on free roam in the house both when we are home and when we are out and she hasn’t had any accidents or chewed anything she was not supposed to except 2 collars – I think she might be trying to tell us something, LOL.  At night she chooses to sleep downstairs while we (Sammy included) are upstairs.  She has not ventured up the stairs and currently we don’t force her to do anything that she doesn’t want to – except take her medicine.  She always is waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs, very happy to see Sammy and ready to head out for a romp and a roll in the yard.

We are slowly working on gaining her trust, and she will now stop when I approach her instead of trotting off and allow me to give her some loving.  In the yard and the house, she will follow behind us to see where we are going and what everyone is doing.

She is not comfortable with people being behind her and she will circle back to place people in front of her.  She does walk just along side of me but no further past my leg than her nose.  She seems to like to have us in her view at all times.One big advancement over the 2 weeks is that she has been coming in and out of the house on her own now for about a week.  Prior, she would mostly just poke her head in, and take a few steps inside to check out a food bowl placed near the door on the floor.  I would have to leash her up to get her into the house and shut the door.  Now, she follows right behind Sammy and I when we come in the house from outside and goes to lay down in the foyer or get a drink from the water bowl.Food is still a sticking point and what she will take changes day to day.  Some days, she’ll take her meds with cheese, then the next day, it’s liverworst and then the next day she won’t take the pills with anything.  The same holds true for treats, some days she’ll take them from me and other days she’ll take them but then spit them out.  My mom and her little 13yo terrier mix came to visit for 4 days while we were moving her into a new townhome and we discovered that Angel would eat her Hill’s prescription kidney soft food.  Yesterday, when I mixed softened kibble in with the prescription food, she ate all her lunch.  Today, I made yet another trip to Petsmart to get some Hill’s wet food that was chunky and had a gravy like the prescription food but so far she’s only taken a few mouthfuls.  Angel did easily acclimated to my Mom and her little dog, Jessie and had no problem taking treats from my Mom.

She will go for her two week check tomorrow so we will find out if the infection has cleared or if she will need another round of medication.  Since the other girls from the breeding kennel had some tooth decay, I’ll make sure the vet makes more than a cursory look at her teeth to make sure her pickiness is not due to pain.

Overall, I think she has come a really long way from the day that I evaluated her and the other girls at the kennel.  I know with time, she will come to love and trust her people.  I am satisfied knowing that she is now enjoying romping around the yard and in the house with Sammy and playing with toys!  Small steps grow into leaps and bounds!

August 11, 2024

Day 3 pretty much went like day 2.  She slept great overnight, ate some of her breakfast and peed outside. We again spent most of this beautiful day out in the yard.  She alternated between hanging out in the shade on the patio or checking out what we were doing with the weed whacker and lawn mower in the woods.

We took a few strolls around the property. When we were not working and she saw us walking around, she liked to tag along behind me, especially if Sammy is going along too.

I got a chuckle today when Sammy decided he wanted to sit on the back of the cushion and rest his butt on my shoulder.  The look on Angel’s face was priceless. I could just imagine her thinking “what the heck is he doing”?

Now that she is feeling a bit better, she’s not falling for the pills in the cheese trick for her afternoon medication so I’m going to have to get some liverworst and see if she goes for that.  Today, I had to just manually give her the pills but she was a compliant patient.  We are still working on getting her to trust us and not jump in fear if we walk past her when she’s resting and doesn’t see us coming.  I know she wants to like people as she always settles down to rest with us in her view.  We just have to be patient but this sweet girl is worth the wait.

August 10, 2024

Angel has been here and on medication for 48 hours and I can already see improvements in her paws and she just looks like she feels so much better.Yesterday afternoon Angel enjoyed being outside in the breeze that was blowing through from the storm headed our way.  I even got some nice tail wags.

She mostly just chilled in her new favorite shady spot. She also enjoyed a few strolls around the yard following faithfully behind me.

Later, she let me leash her up to move her inside before the rain hit.

She slept soundly again and this morning when I woke up she was still sleeping peacefully with her head on the dog bed next to her heartbeat puppy.  She let me sit down next to her and give her lots of pets and scratches.  She didn’t really want to get up yet so I let her lay in while I let Sammy out and got the coffee going.  Eventually, I leashed her up and led her outside.  Once in the yard, I let her off leash and I finally saw her do all her business!!  Woo Hoo! She came in for breakfast and then went outside with Sammy to enjoy the cool morning air.Today, we spent the morning picking up all the debris off the lawn from the storm.  Angel was more than happy to supervise us and moved around the yard with us from one shady spot to the next. I caught her on video enjoying a good roll in the wet grass!  I think I see her smiling!

Angel always keeps us in view and goes where we go.  I think this girl will acclimate pretty quickly as she starts to feel better and better from the medication and to trust that we mean her no harm.

August 9, 2024

Angel has been with us for her first 24hrs in foster care and she has already experienced a lot of new things and seems to be taking it all in stride.Once we arrived home yesterday, Angel explored the fenced yard for a while taking in all the new sniffs.  Once, she had explored on her own and started taking tossed treats from me, we introduced her to our resident lab mix, Sammy.  Angel lit up and went bounding after Sammy with a happy wagging tail.

Angel absolutely loves the company of other dogs after being isolated alone in her kennel for so long (she was born at the kennel.)  Angel even followed Sammy and I into the woods.  I was really impressed with her bravery.

She ate a few bites of lunch and drank lots of water, relaxed outside while I sat on the steps to inside, and after a while we enticed her into the house.

Although Angel is still cautious of all of the people in the house, she does go where I go and settles on the floor to nap within eyesight of me which is very encouraging.  She wants to be with people but right now is just not quite sure what we are all about.

I was able to get the kennel stink off her around 2pm when she followed me into the bathroom and then our shower stall.  Though I can’t say she loved it, she did willing let me soap her up and rinse her down a couple of times.  After the shower, it was time to head out to her veterinary appointment.  Medically, Angel was in desperate need of help.Due to chronic, untreated ear infections, Angel’s ear canal in her left ear is drastically narrowed and she has a hematoma on her flap from shaking her head.  Her right ear developed a growth which is common in dogs with chronically infected ears and will eventually have to be removed. Both ears were very infected with both bacteria and yeast.  The vet spent a long time trying to clean out the narrow passages as best as possible before inserting Simplera into both ears.  Angel was amazing through out the whole exam and only moved to do an “air’ ear scratch when the vet was cleaning her ears up.Along with an ear infection, all four of her paws were infected with fungus and bacteria so she is also taking oral antibiotics and anti fungal medications which she took wrapped in cheese without issue.  The vet felt that she is probably suffering a great deal of pain so she is also taking some pain meds to ease her discomfort while we wait for the medication to do it’s job.  When we got home, Angel settled in for a much deserved nap after her long day.  She will get a recheck in two weeks.I’m happy to report that Angel slept well overnight on the floor instead of the comfy dog bed that was set up for her.  I stayed in our first floor guest bedroom with her as she has not attempted going up a full flight yet.  She has no problem going up/down the 3 steps to outside and in our family room.

She has not had any accidents inside, but I also have not witnessed her going to the bathroom outside yet either.  I’m hoping she did relieve herself yesterday or this morning when she was outside and out of my view. Her coat finally dried and she has beautiful, thick, wavy fur.This morning she ate all of her breakfast, and walked around the yard with me and Sammy.  I put her in a crate along with a heartbeat puppy while I went to my morning workout.  My husband said she didn’t make a peep.  When I let her out, it seemed she did take comfort with the puppy as it was wet from licking which is a calming activity.  We then went for a leisurely 0.75 mi walk (50min/mi pace instead of my typical 17min/mi pace-LOL!) in the neighborhood.  We met a poodle, and she decided she wanted to go his way and actually got a pep in her step while they walked together.  Several cars and work trucks passed by and she would stop and watch them but wasn’t overly scared which was also really good to see.  Since the walk, she has just been chilling inside.Despite Angel’s harsh living conditions and isolation, she is showing resilience and I know as the days pass, she will gain more confidence and learn to love living in this big wide world!

August 8, 2024

Today was the day that Angel, and fellow breeder Mamas Cookie, Raven, and Merilee were pulled from the breeding facility where they only experienced the 4 corners of their concrete indoor/outdoor kennels with little human contact.Angel wanted to initially hightail it back to the “safety” of her kennel, but once Cookie hopped into my SUV with her, she brightened and started wagging her tail and Cookie and Angel gave each other many happy face licks.  Angel was a dream in the car for her long 3 hour ride to her new life here in our foster home.  The 7 hours of my life that I spent freeing these girls translates into a lifetime for them with a loving family.  This is why I volunteer, and foster…  Happy tails are everything!