Champ #6 Yellow Labrador Retriever Male 7 Years Old ID#3461
Meet Champ! Champ is a handsome yellow Labrador Retriever that was being used as a stud dog on a breeding farm. Thanks to a dedicated volunteer who worked with the farmer to surrender him to the rescue instead of selling him through a newspaper ad, Champ is now safe in a Brookline foster home. Please read his blog from the bottom up to learn more about him while in foster care.
November 29, 2024
Champ has had a busy few weeks. He recovered well from surgery and has been back to the vet for a re-check. His incision looks great but his ears needed another treatment (although they look much better than when he first came into Brookline’s care.)
Foster Mom and Dad went out of town for a week and Champ stayed with another foster family. He did really well in his new surroundings which included 2 dogs and 2 cats. I am happy to report that Champ is cat safe – he was actually a little shy with them. Here are some pictures from his stay:
Champ transitioned well back to his original foster home and has continued to gain confidence and show more of his personality. He is such a love! He enjoys the company of the resident dogs and is really starting to acclimate to life off of the farm. He gets excited when we come home, has the zoomies in the backyard, chews on bones, and plays bitey-face with the resident dog (even initiating sometimes.)
Champ with resident dogs
At night, Champ is now comfortable enough to sleep on a mat by the other dogs instead of right beside foster mom’s side of the bed. He sleeps through the night, although he is an early riser, foster mom gets kisses and a paw tap at 6am every morning. Champ also enjoys a good snooze on the sofa as you can see from the picture below.
Champ is doing great with his potty training and he has learned to sit. He is still working on learning his name. He is now brave enough to take treats from other people – he wouldn’t even take them from us at first. He walks beautifully on a leash and is less nervous of the sights and sounds in the neighborhood. He is excited when we see other dogs and less scared of the cars that pass us.
Champ resting his head on best buddy, resident dog Kota
Lastly, Champ is now a TV star! One of Brookline’s volunteers and Champ were interviewed by our local news station and will appear on TV to promote the rescue and Champ’s placement. Champ was nervous at first with all of the new people and cameras but he quickly made friends with one of the women who worked at the station. She helped him adjust and then he was a superstar during the interview. We will try to post the segment once it airs.
A star is born!
This gorgeous guy is settling in so well! He will be ready to find his forever home soon. Look for his placement questionnaire and last call next week.
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 9, 2024
Just a quick update to say that Champ‘s neuter surgery went well on Wednesday. He seemed to be uncomfortable the first 2 days, but is now acting more like himself and doing a great job not licking at the incision site. He continues to sleep well at night on a mat beside our bed. He is also doing well with house training.Champ will be resting for the next week before he is fully recovered. He is looking forward to longer walks and running around with the resident dogs, but for now, he will settle for snuggles with foster mom.
November 4, 2024
Champ has almost been here a week now and he settles in a little more each day. We didn’t realize how much he looks to the resident dogs for confidence until foster mom took him on a walk by himself this morning. He has always had one of the resident dogs along on his previous walks. He trotted along nicely, but he was definitely more cautious and hesitant.. He was very happy to see his furry friends when we got home. He is starting to try to run around with them but isn’t quite sure how to play yet. It is very heartwarming to watch.Champ will be neutered on Wednesday. His blood work looks great and he is ready to leave the breeding life behind. After his surgery, he will start doxycycline for his lyme as a precaution, but he is showing no signs of the disease.As you can see from the picture, Champ has decided that foster dad isn’t very scary after all and he gives great ear rubs!
Champ met a friend’s service dog at our house this weekend and was the perfect gentleman. He also traveled an hour to visit foster sister at school. He is a great car rider! He met some college kids on the trip – he was shy at first but the kids were patient and he did warm up to them quickly. He was exhausted when we got home from our adventure and slept on the couch through the Penn State football game (FM and FD wished they had too!)At this point, Champ just needs time and patience to increase his confidence as he adjusts to his new life. We are working on learning his name and sit. We will update again after his surgery.
October 31, 2024
Champ had a much better second night. He slept on a mat beside foster mom’s bed. He woke only once during the night and went back to sleep after some reassuring pats. He had a longer walk this morning and saw some different sights in the neighborhood. He did not react at all to a squirrel that crossed our path, nor did he react to any of the dogs we saw.
Champ’s bloodwork came back and he tested positive for lyme, which is not surprising as we took several ticks off of him when he first got here. We will get him started on some antibiotics tomorrow.
He is eating well and getting a little more comfortable with foster dad.
Here he is taking a rest with Kota on the mat.
October 30, 2024
We have had Champ just over 24 hours now and he is doing so well! He had a stressful day yesterday being pulled from the farm and then washed and vaccinated at Tractor Supply. He did a great job in the car and was content to sleep in foster brother’s lap on the way home. He is timid, but super sweet and loves attention. He perked up a little when he met the resident dogs and they have all been good with each other. He is my shadow and I have no trouble finding him…he is always right under my feet! He is a really nice dog and eager to please. He seems a little more on edge around foster dad (who is very tall) but we often have that with the farm dogs. Foster dad is a master belly scratcher and treat giver so I’m sure he will warm up quickly! Champ did a great job eating a small dinner last night and both meals today. He was a little unsettled overnight so foster mom slept downstairs with him. Fingers crossed we all get some sleep tonight. We went on a short walk in the middle of the day so we wouldn’t see many people and Champ did surprisingly well on leash. He also had a trip to the vet today for an exam and pre-surgery bloodwork (his neuter is scheduled for next week.) He did much better than he did at Tractor Supply. He was very brave and super cooperative with the vet. Our vet and staff were so patient and understanding with him. He refused treats at first, but by the end of the visit, he trusted them enough to take one by hand. He does have ear infections which they treated him for and a possible UTI. We are waiting for results.He was not willing to try the stairs to the second floor yesterday, but tonight he decided that he was ready and went up cautiously but fairly easily. He followed the other dogs down without issue. He is sleeping at my feet as I write this. We are so glad that he is with us! He is going to be a wonderful companion for some lucky family!
Adopt Your New Best Friend!
PLEASE NOTE: While this Lab may not be available for adoption by the time you complete the adoption process, other great Labs are always finding their way into our Rescue. (Note: Sometimes a foster home falls in love and adopts their foster dog so the dog doesn’t make it to “Available Now”).
If you are interested in adopting this Lab or any other Lab from our Rescue, please visit our Website, brooklinelabrescue.org, for more information on our adoption process. If you need additional information about the adoption process or whether you are in our coverage area, please send an e-mail to our Rescue at info@brooklinelabrescue.org.
Even if you are not ready to adopt, you can still help us help our Labs!
Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit volunteer organization funded entirely by donations. Donations are always needed to help with veterinary costs, transportation, and supplies for our dogs. For information on donating to BLRR please click brooklinelabrescue.org/get-involved/donate/. Donations are accepted via PayPal or you can mail a check to Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue.
Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue, Inc.
P. O. Box 638, Warrington, PA 18976-0638
BrooklineLabRescue.org
PA Kennel License #05190