Bandit #3 Black Labrador Retriever 3 Years Old ID #3126

November 28, 2023

The time is flying by and Bandit is enjoying the cooler weather.  He likes running around the yard and stopping after each lap to see if we have a treat for him.  He’s such a gentleman and takes his treats very gently.  He’s great with the “sit” command but he hasn’t mastered “shake” or “paw” yet, but we’re working on it.

Bandit was about 2-3 years old when he was found as stray but we jokingly call him the perpetual puppy because he looks so young in all his pictures.  He often sits in front of us and tilts his head, making him look very young,  because he’s still very curious about everything that’s going on around him.

He’s a very social dog and enjoys having his foster brother (chocolate lab) and foster sister (kitten) as playmates.  He knows to be gentle with the kitten but we have to keep an eye on him or he’ll grab the kitty’s treats before she can.  He loves having company stop by and he gets so excited to meet new people.   Everyone remarks that he’s so well behaved and such a sweet soul.

It’s hard to believe Christmas is coming so soon.  Bandit has his list ready for Santa and finding a forever home is at the top of his list.  He’s such a sweet boy and we know without a doubt that he’s on Santa’s nice list!

September 24, 2023

Bandit had a great summer and he wants to spend even more time outside now that fall weather is coming. He loves walking around the yard with us but when we get to the garden we have to keep an eye on him because he loves stealing tomatoes off the vine.  Sometimes we let him have a bite or two before we take it away then we stand him up straight so he can swallow it with no issues.

We went on vacation for a week in mid-September and our niece & her family stayed at our house to pet sit, or as I jokingly say… be our zookeeper.  Like most labs, Bandit is a creature of habit and enjoys his routine immensely.  He was a little anxious at first but within a day or two he was back on track and settled into his usual routine.   He loves being around the kids and playing with them non-stop so that wears him out and helps reduce his anxiety.

His Megaesophagus continues to be well managed through his diet, upright feedings & medications.  We showed our niece how to feed him before we left and she had no problems feeding him while we were gone.   His care is very easy, it just takes a few extra minutes at each feeding since he’s hand fed to control the pace.

He continues to impress us with how quickly he acclimated to having a kitten in the house.  He knows to be gentle with her since she’s so tiny and she enjoys sitting in the chair with him while he eats.  They’re quickly becoming fast friends.

Bandit is still looking for his forever home and he would be a great addition to any family!

August 19, 2023

July & August brought lot of new adventures for Bandit and he’s doing really well.

Earlier this month we had family visiting for a weekend and they brought their dog that they adopted so we could all meet her.  She’s a sweet, laid-back young dog and after a few tentative sniffs she & Bandit got along great.  It was fun watching both dogs and our young nephews run around the yard together.  Bandit really impressed us with how quickly he acclimated to having a new dog around.  I’m not sure who Bandit had more fun playing with the new dog or our nephews.  He really enjoys having company and the attention they give him.

Bandit is also getting more exposure to cats, or should I say kitten.  Late July a stray kitten showed up in our yard.  She was very young and in need of help. Our local cat rescues are full so we took her in temporarily as we try to find her a forever home.  She was about 7 weeks old and 1.9 pounds at her first vet appointment so I worried how she would handle living with 2 big dogs. (Bandit weight is 62 pounds now!!)   Once the kitten had all her shots and was out of quarantine we started to slowly introduce her to the dogs.   At first Bandit didn’t know what to make of her and he was a little anxious around her, but that didn’t last long.  

She roams freely around the house now and this morning she jumped up in the chair next to Bandit while he was eating breakfast.  It was so cute how he looked at her then went right back to eating like it was nothing new.  One of the things everyone loves about Bandit is that he just goes with the flow.  He’s such a sweet mellow fellow!

June 28, 2023

Bandit is having a great summer!   He loves spending as much time as possible outside.  His favorite activities include zooming around the yard fetching tennis balls, chasing his foster brother to try to get his stick or just laying in the grass soaking up the sun.

He’s not a fan of the summer rain storms lately and prefers to stay inside with all his toys until it’s dry again.

Bandit  loves being around people and stays by our side whenever we’re working in the garden or doing yard work. We often walk laps around the yard and he enjoys running ahead of us then coming back and sitting in front of us to see it he can earn a treat. He’s a smart boy!

We bought a fake butterfly decoration to put in our garden and Bandit looked so cute checking it out that we had to share the pictures.

He’s such a sweet boy and he’s so inquisitive.  He’s a lab so he likes to see what he can find in the yard to eat, but he listens well and if we tell him to ‘drop it’ he immediately drops whatever he picked up.

Bandit is doing really well with his Megaesophagus.  He’s now down to 2 meals a day with a small snack around lunchtime and he’s tolerating it really well.   We went on vacation for a week in early June and it was the first time our dog sitter watched both him & our resident dog together for more than an overnight trip.  We showed her how to feed Bandit and she was surprised at how easy his routine is.  She loved watching him and said he was the best boy while we were gone.

We’re hoping to get him to more Meet & Greets and Brookline events this summer so you can all meet him and see for yourselves what a wonderful dog he is!

May 11, 2023

Bandit attended the WGMK DeBella Dog Walk in Green Lane, PA on Saturday May 6th. There was a lot of people and dogs walking around and he was so excited to meet new friends.

He also got to meet Lexi, another BLRR foster who’s a very sweet, mellow girl and he enjoyed sharing the spotlight with her. He was pretty worked up because of the large crowd but he was very calm when people petted him and other dogs sniffed him. He needs more work on his leash manners so he learns not to pull so hard when he’s over excited.

Before heading home, we checked out the food trucks and got Italian Ices from Rita’s then found a picnic table in a nice shady spot to take a break. Bandit got a sweet surprise when we let him have a small spoonful of root beer Italian ice which he loved. He took a long nap on the ride home which he definitely earned.

Bandit bought a tug toy from the BLRR booth for his foster brother, our resident dog Reggie, who is a BLRR alumni. They both love the BLRR tug toys and this one was by far their favorite because it has a tennis ball attached to it. They played non-stop for quite a while before crashing on the sofa.

We gave Bandit a bath tonight and he did really well in the tub. I usually put a licky mat with some peanut butter on the tub wall to keep my dog’s attention on something other than the bath. For Bandit I put less than a teaspoonful of PB on the mat but that was enough to get him in the tub.  After that he was too preoccupied with the water pouring over him to care about the licky mat but he was a trooper and sat still so I could give him a good scrub.  He let me towel dry him and brush him a little then he had enough. He ran away with a towel wrapped around him and he looked too cute!

Bandit will be at the Meet and Greet this coming Saturday, May 16th at Alpha Veterinary Hospital, 1430 Old Route 309 (Bethlehem Pike), Sellersville PA starting at 1pm EST. We hope you come out and say hi and get a chance to meet him in person to see what a great dog he is.

April 20, 2023

Bandit attended the Pet Fest Event at Congregation Beth Or in Maple Glen, PA on Sunday.   He was shy at first but he quickly relaxed and enjoyed hanging out with his foster friends Gracie, Tucker & Seamus.

He especially liked when people came up to him and gave him attention, especially the kids. Bandit was very calm and didn’t jump on anyone he just enjoyed the back scratches, ear rubs and hugs.  All the attention wore him out and he slept soundly on the 90 minute ride home.

The past few nights we had a lot of deer in our yard so when Bandit and his foster brother go out for last potty break they will sometimes come across the deer and go crazy, barking and running around.  We really proud of Bandit because he’s aware of boundaries and never runs out of the yard to keep chasing the deer.  He has learned a lot from his foster brother and staying in the yard is one of the most important things he learned.  Both dogs wear flashing lights on their collars since our flood lights can’t reach all areas of our yard.  We crack up watching their flashing lights zoom all over the yard as they run around  catching the scent of the deer.

Now that the weather is getting warmer we’re going to introduce Bandit to our local state park with lots of great hiking trails & swimming holes. More adventures to come as he hangs out with us while he waits for his forever home.

April 3, 2023

Bandit is fully recovered from being neutered and he’s doing really well.  Post surgery we’re noticing some great improvements including the fact that he seems more comfortable and relaxed overall.   He’s sleeping more consistently throughout the night and sleeping longer.  Before surgery he would go out frequently and pee small amounts in a few different spots each time he was out.  Now he pees less frequently and only pees once and seems to empty his bladder fully. We still put a belly band on him at night to be safe but most mornings it’s dry and he rarely has accidents in the house.

Bandit is loving the warmer weather and wants to be outside as much as possible. He works up a great appetite running around chasing a ball or a stick so I wanted to focus on his feeding routine. Bandit is lucky because he has a mild case of Megaesophagus (MegaE) which is easily managed through diet and a few inexpensive meds.  He eats 3 meals a day (7:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM) and usually has a snack before bed.  We also use small amounts of his dry food mixed with water to give him his meds before breakfast & dinner. Sometimes his routine is a little off because we go out and get back later than expected or work late, etc. but he adapts to everything with no issues at all.

Bandit cannot eat regular dry dog food so we grind it in a Magic Bullet (blender) until it becomes a fine powder. Once a week it takes about 10-15 min to grind all his food for the week then we store it in a big container on our countertop. Bandit cannot drink regular water, it’s too thin and he can’t swallow it without gagging and potentially aspirating it into his lungs.  He gets all of his water through his meals so we make sure he gets 2 cups of water per meal to keep him hydrated. We keep a full water bowl out at all times for our other dog and Bandit knows instinctively not to drink form it. On occasion he will sneak a few sips but he’s fine as long as it’s a small amount.  If we see him doing it we stand him up quickly for a few seconds to help the water slide down.

When it’s meal time we mix the ground dog food powder with water and hand feed him. If you watch videos of MegaE dogs eating you will see some gobbling their food mixture from a bowl and others will be hand fed.  We chose to hand feed Bandit because it cuts back on him ingesting his food too quickly along with a lot of unwanted air. Some MegaE dogs will regurgitate quite frequently but Bandit rarely does and we feel that’s due to him having a mild case along with hand feeding meals.

Bandit eats on our living room chair and it works really well.   He stands on the arm of the chair or the back of the chair so he’s upright the whole time he’s eating.  We purchased an inexpensive slipcover from Amazon that can easily be washed if  he’s too messy when eating. We put a bib on him to catch the mess.   I buy a vinyl tablecloth from our local Dollar General when they are on sale for $3 and I cut it into 4 bibs which last a long time. When it’s meal time we tell Bandit “chair” and he jumps right up and gets ready to eat.  Once we’re done feeding him we pat his back to burp him then he relaxes in his chair for 15-20 minutes to give his food time to reach his tummy.

Bailey chairs are popular with MegaE dogs.  They look like high chairs that keep the dogs standing upright while they eat so gravity can help move their food to their stomach.  We were going to try one with Bandit but then decided to find a way to feed him that would work for anyone who wants to adopt him, plus now he used to standing upright on his own so he can eat anywhere. If we’re out for a drive or hike and it’s time for him to be fed we just have him sit up straight until he has finished all of this food.

Bandit is a typical lab and loves treats!  Since MegaE dogs have trouble swallowing he can’t eat a milk bone or basically any of the usual treats sold at stores.  Luckily baby snacks work because they dissolve in his mouth and there’s nothing much left to swallow. He’s in love with Gerber’s Lil Crunchies which look like little cheese puffs. His favorite flavors are Apple Sweet Potato and Maple Vanilla.  His foster brother loves them too so now both dogs can get the same treats. The are less than $3 per can which makes them a very affordable treat.

Overall, Bandit’s feeding routine is pretty easy. It takes a few extra minutes to prep his food hand feed him but we love the extra time & attention we can give him and he soaks it right up.

February 24, 2023

Bandit was neutered last week and his surgery went well thanks to the amazing Doctors & staff at VRC Malvern.

He was able to wear his donut collar during the day when we could keep an eye on him but at night the dreaded plastic cone came out.  Bandit is not a fan of the cone but he learned to tolerate it and was able to sleep through the night without issues.

He wasn’t happy about having his activity restricted for 2 weeks but his recovery is going smoothly since he’s following all the rules.  He gets his staples removed next Thursday and he’s looking forward to getting back to running around the yard playing with his foster brother.

February 11, 2023

Bandit loves the cooler weather and enjoys being outside, especially if the whole family is outside playing. Some of his favorite outdoor activities are chasing a tennis ball, fetching a stick and running back & forth between his foster parents to get some exercise and see if he can score a few treats.

Bandit is a typical lab and will do just about anything for a treat.

He doesn’t let having megaesophagus slow him down when it comes to treats. He loves the Gerber Lil Crunchies.  They are baby snacks that look like Cheetos puffs and we buy them at the grocery store in the baby food aisle. The puffs melt in his mouth so there isn’t anything for him to swallow which is perfect for him.  Our resident dog loves them too, so Bandit never feels left out when it’s treat time, they both get the same treats now.

Bandit continues to put on weight and he’s up to 55 pounds which is really exciting.  He gets feed 3x a day and he does really well eating.  He has a mild case of megaesophagus and hasn’t had any episodes of regurgitating in over a month which is a big win.  In his next blog we’ll share some videos of how we prepare his meals and how he eats upright in his chair.

He’s getting neutered this week so send some extra love his way.  He’s going to miss running around and playing with his brother for a few days as he recovers but we’re hoping his recovery goes quickly.

He’s looking forward to finding his forever home and showing his new family how much fun, he can have with them.

January 2, 2023

Happy New Year!

We had family and friends coming & going during the holidays and Bandit behaved so well.  He met everyone from 6 years old to 96 and they all fell in love with him saying he’s very sweet and gentle. He would run to the door to greet our company but he didn’t jump or bark.

During meals he would either sleep under the dining room table or curl up on the floor near the table.  He knows he can’t have any table scraps so he doesn’t even try to beg.

Bandit wasn’t sure how to open his presents but after seeing his foster brother tear the paper off, he got the hang of it.   His favorite present was crinkly bags filled with stuffed gum drops & candies. He loved getting the candies out of the bag then having us put them back in so he could pull them out again.

He’s learning to navigate our yard on his own with us close by to correct him if he goes too far out of bounds.  We’re thrilled with how quickly he’s learning the boundaries and new commands. If we walk away and call him to us, he comes running on the first command.  With the weather turning colder he loves to be outside.  He enjoys when foster Mom & Dad stand at opposite ends of the yard and call him back & forth to reinforce the “come” command.   He gets a little treat every few runs which keeps him coming back for more.

Bandit gained a few pounds over the holidays, but for him that’s a positive thing. He weighs 54 lbs. now and is so close to his goal weight of 55!  He was 44 lbs. when Brookline rescued him and we’re thrilled with his progress in a few short months.

Bandit really enjoyed the holidays and is hoping he’ll find his forever home in 2023!

December 7, 2022

Bandit, the cute little black lab with megaesophagus, came back to Delaware this week. Resident labs Pepper and Colin were happy to see him again and the feeling was mutual.  Bandit really likes other dogs!   He quickly settled into our routine here and is doing very well.  He is sleeping in his crate at night and enjoying hanging and playing with the other dogs during the day.

He happily eats his meals 3 times a day. His kibble is ground up in a powder and rehydrated with water to make a loaf consistency.  Then he eats chunks of it off a spoon.  He is so gentle taking food.  My two should take lessons!

Bandit still thinks my kitchen floor is “lava” and really prefers not to walk on it.  He put his two front paws on it today and contemplated coming into the kitchen.  His friends were all in there and he kind of wanted to be part of it.

Also, that’s where the good smells were coming from!  He got most of his body in, but those two back paws stayed solidly on the carpet in the family room.  Baby steps!

November 18, 2022

Bandit is a playful 2–3-year-old black lab who was found as a stray. He weighs 52 pounds. We believe he may have come from a farm since he wasn’t used to living in a house. Being petted and getting positive attention seemed to be new to him but he soaks up all the love and attention he can get and he enjoys every minute of it!

He is very comfortable in carpeted areas in the house but still learning how to be more at ease with hardwood and tiled floors. He shows improvement every week and will continue to get more confident every day.

He is a sweet, gentle boy who is the happiest when he’s with people so he would do best in a home where someone is home most of the day. He would also do well with another dog so he has a pal to play with and curl up next to when napping.

He is house trained but still has some accidents if he’s not taken out frequently for potty breaks. He loves to play in the backyard with a tennis ball or a stick or take a walk in the park.

He’s quick to initiate a rousing game of tug of war with his foster dog brother and he has a very gentle mouth when you take a toy away from him.

Bandit was diagnosed with Megaesophagus soon after entering foster care but it doesn’t seem to slow him down. He has a mild case which is successfully being managed through a special diet, upright feedings, and daily medication. You can learn more about his condition in his blog.

Bandit is looking for a loving family who can give him the attention and care he needs to give him a chance of having a happy full life. He does need a little extra help with feeding than your average lab, but he will repay you with love, devotion and snuggles! Are you ready to open your home and heart to sweet, snuggly Bandit?!

October 31, 2022

Bandit’s foster parents had their previous vacation cut short due to a storm.  They were able to reschedule their vacation and Bandit came back to his vacation foster home in DE.  Both resident labs, Pepper and Colin, were happy to see him.  He’s such a sweet and playful little guy!

Bandit has had a good couple of days here.  His meals have been cut down to three times a day and he’s still gaining weight, so that’s great news.  He absolutely LOVES to be outside and that’s where his personality shines.  He leaps and runs and plays.  He was even barking at and chasing the leaves as they fell the other day.  He made me laugh!

Bandit still prefers the carpeted floors in the house.  When he found himself in the kitchen with the “scary” tile, he preferred to jump from dog bed to dog bed to not touch the floor.  He would be fantastic at the floor is lava game with kids, or adults!

He and Pepper had a lot of fun running and playing and wrestling the past few days.  The weather has been beautiful, so we all took advantage of it and spent a good amount of time outside.  Pepper even tried to teach Bandit how to play bitey face.  He opened his mouth and just placed it on her head.  They both looked confused and I laughed.  It’s a start, Bandit!

We took some walks through the neighborhood and Bandit and Colin enjoyed leaving their “pee-mail” for the next dog to sniff.  We also walked to the local stream.  Bandit seemed surprised by the water, but had a good time running through it!

Bandit will be looking for his furever home soon.

He is such a sweet dog.  He loves to play and snuggle and eat.  Sounds like a lab to me!  The difference is with his ME, he has to eat a different way, but it’s easy enough to do and he is so worth the little bit of extra effort.  Bandit sends his love and licks your way!❤🐾

October 18, 2022

Bandit is really enjoying fall since he loves chasing all the leaves and sticks coming out of the trees. He’s doing really well with his commands and he often sits when he sees our hand motion before we even say the word.  He’s excellent at leave it!  He hears that command a lot when he’s playing in the yard since he’s a lab and loves to put everything in his mouth but we have to make sure he doesn’t swallow anything.    He still needs to work on stay.  That’s a tricky one because the desire to follow his people everywhere often wins out and he doesn’t stay still very long.

Bandit loves to be around people.  We had some family in from out of town this weekend and he behaved really well. Everyone fell in love with him and said he’s such a sweetheart.

We feel he would do best with another dog or pet in the house since he doesn’t like to be alone. Bandit follows FM everywhere she goes. Even if he’s asleep he’ll jump up and follow her to make sure he knows where she is. During the day both dogs often sleep in FM’s home office.  Bandit will sometimes try to sleep on the same bed as Reggie.  Usually, Reggie doesn’t like it but if Bandit sneaks in when Reggie is already asleep, he can get a good nap in before Reggie even realizes he has company.

Bandit also loves to sit on our laps or cuddle next to us when we watch TV at night. We started crating him at night to prevent him from jumping every time we move so we can all get a restful night’s sleep.

He gets more excited now when he’s playing with toys. He likes chewing on stuffed animals and Nyla bones. He’s not a destructive chewer and has never attempted to chew a chair leg or windowsill. He’s allowed to roam the house freely while we’re home and he doesn’t get into any trouble.

Bandit’s Megaesophagus diagnosis doesn’t slow him down.  His care isn’t complex but he needs care throughout the day.  Currently Bandit is fed 3 times a day to help manage his Megaesophagus. We’ll share more about his feedings in upcoming blogs.  After he’s done eating, he often wears a neck pillow which prevents him from laying flat which could cause food or saliva to pool in his esophagus which he could aspirate or regurgitate.  He doesn’t even seem to notice he’s wearing his neck pillow. He has no problem sleeping while wearing it or starting up a good game of tug of war. We sometimes have to stop his foster brother from tugging the neck pillow off his head but luckily, he knows the leave it command too!

September 29, 2022

Bandit, the cute, little black lab is staying in Delaware with us while his foster family enjoys a well-deserved vacation.  We picked up Bandit yesterday.  He happily got into the car and settled quietly looking out the windows for the ride to our house. He sniffed around the backyard and then it was time to meet the resident dogs.  First it was Pepper, our friendly, 3-legged, female lab.  She is our welcoming committee!  She did not fail at her job and was working her magic to get Bandit to play with her.  At first, he was a little intimidated, but he quickly figured out she was the fun one and they had a good time running and playing! He also had a good time playing fetch with me.

Then he met resident male lab Colin, who is more chill and on leash restrictions from his recent (and second!) TPLO surgery.  Both boys greeted each other with the typical doggy handshake, aka butt sniff, and lots of tail wags.  Then they moved on to peeing on top of each other’s pee outside.  Boys will be boys!

Bandit needed to be fed when we got inside, so foster dad and I got to work on getting him into one of our chairs.  Thanks to the great tutorial and notes from his foster family, we were prepared.  Bandit forgave us for any mistakes we made and he happily ate his meal of meatballs with slurry sauce. We set the timer for 15 minutes and Bandit chilled like the good boy he is while he digested his food.  Success!

The night was uneventful, which is always nice when bringing in a new dog.  We had a quiet night with more feeding for Bandit, some yard play (the dogs are loving the weather!) and chilling on the couch. We did have one incident of Bandit running into the closed sliding glass door, ouch!  After apologizing to the little guy, we worked on learning that we have to wait until the human opens the door.  Today he had no issues.  He’s figured out if he just follows the other dogs’ lead, it’s a safe bet.

When it was time for bed, Bandit went into a crate right next to resident lab Colin who was in his own crate.  Foster dad slept downstairs with the boys and Bandit was quiet until he whimpered to let foster dad know he had to go potty.  A quick potty break, and back into the crate until morning.  All in all, a successful day for Bandit and his vacation foster family!

September 9, 2022

Bandit had his follow up tests with the specialist at Penn Vet last week.  We now have a confirmed diagnosis of Megaesophagus (ME).  We mentioned in previous blogs that he had esophageal concerns so now it’s good to know exactly what is going on.  The doctor said he has a mild case which can successfully be managed through diet & upright feedings.  That’s what we’ve been doing with Bandit thus far and it’s been very successful.

With Megaesophagus (ME), the esophagus is dilated and has low or no motility, which is the muscle action that helps the food travel down to the stomach.  Dogs with ME need to sit or stand upright when eating or drinking so gravity can help get everything down to their stomach.   If food or liquids stay in the esophagus the dogs may regurgitate which makes them more prone to aspiration pneumonia.

You can find more information on Megaesophagus here:  https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/healthcare/megaesophagus-in-dogs

Bandit is considered a mild case since the front of his esophagus has good motility, which is rare, so that makes his management of ME much easier to manage.  He also takes two daily meds that help him with his ME.  The first is Metoclopramide (Reglan) which he takes to help with motility. We get his prescription filled at our local grocery store and it’s only $10 for a 45 -day supply.  He also takes Pepcid AC, an acid neutralizer, daily.  Bandit takes his meds like a champ and he’s happy to share his Pepcid AC pills with us when we have heartburn on Taco Tuesdays!

Most ME dogs can’t eat plain dry dog food (kibble), it must be soaked in water or ground into a flour-like consistency and mixed with liquids so it can be served like a thick milkshake or made into meatballs.  Bandit is a typical lab who loves to eat and his favorite by far is the meatballs.  He’s doing great eating all of his meals while sitting upright in a chair.  We don’t use a special chair for him, we have found that our recliner works very well for Bandit and for us.  After he eats, he sits in the chair for 15 minutes to ensure everything has gone down smoothly.  His foster brother sits near him and they both enjoy a quick nap. Ahhh, the life of a lab!

One of the tests they did on Bandit was an ultrasound.  This required his abdomen/sides to be shaved so he’s sporting a funky new haircut for the fall.

Other than his food prep & eating upright Bandit is no different than any other young lab.  He’s very playful and frequently initiates play time and tug of war with his foster brother.   He’s still learning fetch and it’s comical to watch.  Bandit runs towards the ball or stick & loves to pounce on it and roll around. He often gets so caught up playing that he forgets to bring the stick back when we call him.  Maybe he thinks he’s teaching us how to fetch because we always go get it for him.

August 28, 2022

Bandit had his first consultation with the specialist at Penn Vet last week.  They need to run some further tests to determine exactly what is going on with his esophagus.  Those tests are scheduled for 8/31 and we’re hopeful to have a clearer path for Bandit after that.  It was a 2-hour drive and he did great in the car.   It was a long day for him and he slept the whole ride home, but as soon as we got him home, he let it be known that it was past dinnertime and he was ready to eat!  Typical lab!

Bandit went to the local pet store to get his booster shot and he did great in the store!

He was hesitant at first since the floor was tile with no rugs in sight but once he got inside and saw all the great stuff, he was fine.  He wasn’t shy around people or dogs and everyone commented on how cute he was.

He is settling into a routine nicely and seems to be very comfortable being inside our house.  He runs freely from room to room now and doesn’t seem to mind whether he’s on a rug, tile or the hardwood floors.  He gets along great with his foster brother and has started to copy some of his behaviors.  They both head to foster Mom’s home office after breakfast to take their morning naps. They walk side by side when doing laps around the yard and they both really likes a rousing game of tug of war. Bandit is starting to show more interest in chew toys and bones and he can occupy himself for a while with his toys.

We’re still working on crate training.  He started off great but now that he’s getting a bit bolder, he’s quick to bark and let us know he’s not fond of his crate. We watch him on the camera when we leave and he whines and barks before settling down, then he starts to bark again when he hears us in the driveway.  We’re confident he’ll learn to be content in his crate.

August 6, 2022

Bandit continues to learn something new every day and we’re so happy with his progress.

He’s still dealing with some health issues and has been referred to a specialist to help us figure everything out.  It appears he might have a stricture in his esophagus, but he doesn’t let that slow him down.

He is being crate trained for when we leave the house for short periods of time.  He prefers having his foster brother stay in the same room to keep him company but if we take Reggie with us Bandit is usually calm in his crate when we return.

We originally crated him at night, but he had a hard time staying settled all night long. We started allowing him to sleep on his bed in our bedroom and we’re thrilled that he continues to be a good boy with no accidents overnight.   At first Bandit wanted to curl up with his foster brother on the same bed but Reggie wasn’t in the mood to share.  Once we moved Bandit’s bed next to Reggie’s he visibly relaxed and fell asleep quickly.

Over the weekend he taught himself to jump up on our bed.  I woke up Saturday morning with Bandit starting right into my face looking so proud of himself for jumping up.   We don’t let the dogs sleep with us, so we used it as training opportunity as we repeatedly taught him ‘down’ and ‘stay’ to keep him off the bed.

Bandit continues to show improvements navigating through the house.  He now trots happily from room to room on his own as long as there are rugs he can get to quickly if needed.  He still needs to learn how to do the stairs leading up to our family room and they are extra scary because they are hardwood with no rug runners.   We’re confident he’ll master those in the near future.

He is also getting more familiar with toys and what to do with them. He and his foster brother love a good game of tug of war.  Even though Bandit is about a third the size of his foster brother, he stands firm and really tries to win.

Bandit is doing well with his potty training & he doesn’t have many accidents in the house.  He started going to the back door when he needs to go out.  At first, he just looked out the door waiting for it to magically open and let him out.  Now if no one is around to see him at the back door he lets out a little bark to tell us to hurry up.

He also took a few car rides lately and he’s learning to be more relaxed in the car.  He started out in the back seat facing backwards the whole time.  Now he turns to the side and looks out the window to enjoy the exciting scenery.

Bandit really loves his people and his foster brother.  He loves all the attention he gets and follows us everywhere we go. In true lab fashion he leans against whomever is sitting or standing closest to him.   It seems that he can’t soak up the love and attention fast enough which really warms our hearts.

We had a visitor this week and we’re so happy with how he behaved.  Foster Grammy came over for dinner and card games and he was very excited to meet her.  He was a well-mannered boy and didn’t jump up on her or try to beg food from her, even though we had steak for dinner.  He slept under the dining room table while we made noise playing games & laughing and he didn’t bark at all.  Foster Grammy fell in love with him instantly and thought he was the sweetest boy.

Overall, we’re so pleased with Bandit’s progress in such a short time.  There’s still a lot to learn but he so eager and willing which makes it a joy to teach him.  I think the shining moment this week was when he wagged his tail for the first time!  We were delighted for him and so thankful we can help him find joy in life again!!

July 22, 2022

Bandit is having quite an interesting week.  He developed aspiration pneumonia from vomiting. He had to be hospitalized earlier in the week overnight for treatment.  He received excellent care, and all of the nurses and doctors fell in love with him because he’s such a sweet little guy. We were happy to bring him home and help him continue to recover in a more comfortable environment.

It’s exciting to see what he accomplishes every day such as walking from the living room to the kitchen on his own, even across some scary hardwood floors.  We put out a few small rugs to help him as he’s learning to transition from hardwood to tile.  Foster dad jokes that Bandit looks like he’s playing the childhood game of Floor is Lava racing from rug to rug. He would win the trophy for sure!

Bandit found a tennis ball in the yard today and got really excited which warmed our hearts.  He attempted to fetch a few times and we loved seeing him run around joyfully.

He started showing interest in some stuffed animals and chew toys last night.

He’s still not sure what to do with the toys so he puts them in his mouth and chewed for a while which seems to make him happy.  We love to see him so happy!

It’s becoming clear he really enjoys being with his people & his foster brother.  He encountered a few cats and a squirrel in the yard, but he doesn’t pay them any attention, he would rather stay by foster mom & dad’s side

July 18, 2022

Day 2 in foster care and Bandit is showing wonderful growth already.

Foster Mom slept in the bedroom with him last night and he liked it even more when she plugged in a nightlight.   Even though it took him a while to settle down he made it through the night with no accidents.

We hand fed him breakfast slowly since he’s not sure what to do with his gobble bowl just yet.  Slowly is the key because in true lab fashion he would inhale his entire meal if we let him.   He allows us to pet his head & even take away his kibble while he was eating with no problems.

Bandit enjoyed a lot of time outside today.  We even heard his first barks when he let the neighbor know he didn’t appreciate how loud his lawn mower was.

He’s still scared of thresholds and changes in flooring and hardwood makes him extra nervous, but we are seeing great improvement.  He walked through the house several times without stopping or scrambling too much at the doorways. He surprised us by heading straight to the living room after potty breaks and relaxing with us for a few hours.

He & resident dog Reggie were side by side most of the day and Bandit did well considering how large Reggie is. Bandit even tried to jump around and play a bit until they both wanted the same stick.  Bandit backed right down and all was well.

Foster Mom works from home so we introduced him to the home office so he’s ready for Monday.  He headed straight for the fluffy bed and made himself right at home.  In fact, he’s relaxing on the office bed right now while we type up his blog.  He’ll be a great co-worker since he’s so peaceful and quiet…for now.

It’s really exciting to see Bandit come out of his shell and explore his new world.  He’s such a sweet, gentle boy who loves spending time with his people.

July 17, 2022

Say hello to Bandit, a 3-year-old black lab who came to Brookline as a stray who most likely spent his life outside or on a farm.

After his vet appointment this morning he began his 2-hour car ride to his foster home, experiencing many firsts throughout the day.

The car ride was scary and it took him a while to settle but he eventually found a comfortable spot where he could begin to relax and still get some reassuring pets from foster mom.  He stopped for a potty break along the way then jumped right back into the car without any prompting so he’s learning quickly.

He was introduced to his new resident brother Reggie (a Brookline alumni) at the local walking trail and their introduction went well.   Reggie & foster Dad stayed behind to finish their walk giving Bandit time to check out his foster home without any interruptions.

Bandit was happy to walk around his new yard and check out everything. He will need leash training as being on a leash is new to him, but we’re confident he will learn quickly.  He was pretty shy to go into the house but he was a trooper and finally made the leap, or scramble, across the threshold.

Being in the house was what stressed him the most today.   After making it through the doorway he ran to the first area rug and promptly laid down. He wasn’t too interested in checking out the rest of the house, but he eventually took a quick tour.  As soon as he got to the spare bedroom where his crate was setup he ran into his crate and didn’t want to leave.

He spent most of the night either in his create or lying next to it but not fully relaxed.   I think today was overwhelming for him so I expect we will all be sound asleep soon.

He’s a really sweet guy who seems to learn quickly so we’re excited to see what tomorrow brings.