Bruno #10 Black Labrador Retriever Male 4 Years Old #3514

Meet Bruno!  Bruno is a handsome 4 year old Labrador Retriever who was surrendered to Brookline by his owner by no fault of his own.  His owner was going through some life changes so he was spending long hours in his crate.  His owner knew he needed more attention and time out of the crate as he is an energetic young Lab and contacted Brookline for help.  Please read Bruno’s blog from the bottom up to learn more about him while in foster care.

July 7, 2025

What we are learning after a week with Bruno: 

• Bruno is a 4 year old that sometimes acts like a 1 or 2 year old but at other times is a perfectly age appropriate.
• He just needs some everyday training and a low key system of reward and praise since he gets over excited if you get too excited about something he did well.
• Bruno’s life in a cage and lack of experiences and exposure to everyday things  shows. He often jumps with surprise even if its just someone  sneezing.
• We plan to start taking him, out and about once he is fully recovered from the neuter to get him used to stuff! 

Things Bruno is good at:

• Sit, Leave it ,Off
• Comes when Called outside 
• Knows his name (we were told he didn’t)
• Sleeps through the night,in a crate or out. He likes to sleep on the floor where its cool.
• This weekend he really started to chill and relax often under the kitchen table or in the cool of the mudroom
• House trained,
• Has free roam of our house and is very reliable.
• Walks well on leash with an occasional pull and a bark at another dog both stop with correction.

Needs to work on:

• Releasing a toy when he wants to play fetch. Right now he thinks it’s part of the game to drop it in your lap and try to grab it again before you can pick it up to toss it.
  • We are working on a firm leave it before we will play.
• Plays around and try’s to eat the harness when getting ready for a walk .
  • This may be why his previous owner said he hates harnesses because its a bit of a battle to get it on because he thinks its a game.
  • However once on he is perfectly fine and ready for the walk.
  • Working on a calm start to a walk.
• Tries to take things from your hand— toys or food.
  • He needs to be trained not everything is his.
  • Working on having him sit and wait to be given things.
• Bruno does not like fireworks he tried to get behind the couch and ended up on my lap with me covering his ears.
• Bruno does not like flying insects and chases them down and spins if he thinks one has landed on him
  • Bruno needs a gentle but consistent  method of discipline because we are guessing no one told him no. He was just put in the cage instead of working with him. 
  • When he wasn’t in the cage he probably tried to have as much fun as possible because he knew he was going back in.
  • Bruno is basically goofy, affectionate, a bit clueless, and completely lovable. 
  • With structure, and someone willing go back to some basic training, (not everything) he just needs tweaking, Bruno will become a truly amazing companion.

July 4, 2025

Bruno — 5 Days In and Already Stealing Hearts 🐶💛

Bruno has been with us for just five days, and he is absolutely adorable.Yesterday, Bruno was neutered at the Bridge Clinic. He went in like a champ at 8 a.m. and was back home snoozing by 1 p.m. Other than being a little dopey (and honestly, quite cuddly), you’d hardly know anything happened! We’ve got him on leash in the house to encourage rest, but he’s even calmer than before the surgery. Maybe it’s the meds still doing their thing—or maybe he’s just realizing how nice it is to relax.

To help him through his first night post-surgery, I camped out with him downstairs. He curled up beside me on the mattress and slept soundly all night. 💤💕

Before surgery, Bruno also had his first shower—and he was a total sweetheart about it. He especially enjoyed the “spa treatment” (a.k.a. shampoo massage), and now he’s extra shiny and extra snuggly.

Bruno continues to ride beautifully in the car, gazing out the window like he’s discovering the world for the first time. 

He’s doing so well on his leash walks and clearly wants to go further—something we’re excited to do once he’s fully healed.

Each morning, you can almost see the shift in him—he wakes up a little more relaxed, a little more curious, and a little more certain that this new life of love, comfort, and freedom is really his.

Bruno is blooming—and we can’t wait to see who he becomes. 🌼🐾

July 1, 2025

Welcome Bruno

Bruno has arrived and we’re excited to help him start this next chapter of his life.This handsome boy weighs in at 88 pounds, has a shiny coat, loves kisses,  seeks out affection and so far—he’s been very polite! . He doesn’t jump up at you but kind of bounces in place. !!! He does have a quirky way of taking treats like a wide mouth tree frog!!!!!

When he first arrived, Bruno was huffing and puffing quite a bit and had a hard time settling down—understandable, considering he’s spent most of his life in a cage and is still trying to figure out where he is and what’s happening around him. But after a good nap in his crate , he woke up a much more relaxed pup. 💛

Introductions with our resident dogs went well! That said, since Bruno isn’t neutered yet, he’s a bit too “enthusiastically sniffy” at the moment. We’ll be getting him neutered this Thursday to take the edge off.!!

We’re looking forward to getting to know him better and helping him unwind,

Bruno’s First Stroll 🐾

Mark took Bruno for a walk around the block today, and he was such a good boy! No pulling—just a calm, happy stroll with plenty of time for sniffing the neighborhood news.

Now, when Bruno finds a really good sniff? He’s got some strong opinions about when it’s time to move on. 😄 Let’s just say he believes in fully appreciating the scent before continuing the journey. We call it “sniff-and-stay”!

Bruno’s First Night 🌙🐾

When it was time for bed, we tucked Bruno into the crate in our room around 11 p.m.—and he settled right in and slept peacefully through the night.

At 5:45 a.m., he was ready for a quick potty break and breakfast, tail wagging. For a pup adjusting to a whole new world, Bruno is already showing us just how well he’s adapting.Bruno is eating well, we have switched him to a twice-a-day mealtime routine, just like our dogs. We think this structure will help him feel more settled—especially through the night.

He enjoys spending time in our fenced backyard, exploring all the new sights and smells. It’s lovely to watch him start to understand that his days no longer revolve around being in a crate. Freedom looks good on him. 🌿☀️

That said, we’re still using the crate for nap times and when we leave the house. He’s already comfortable when crated, which is a great skill to maintain—not just for his routine now, but for any future adopters who may want (or need) to crate him for quiet time or when they’re away.

Stay tuned as Bruno learns about the fun things  he gets to experience now.