Cocoa #12 Chocolate Labrador Retriever Female 5 Years Old ID #3139

October 23, 2022

I have had Cocoa a little over two weeks and she is doing great. She is still shy when meeting new people but after a few minutes she warms up. She seems to warm up more quickly to men versus women. On Thursday I took her back to the clinic for an ear infection. The good news is that the vet indicated that it wasn’t chronic. While not a fan Cocoa is very patient while I clean her ears and put her drops in.She is learning about toys and amuses herself when she is bored. She goes right to the toy basket and takes them out. She enjoys tearing apart the soft toys but doesn’t try to eat them.She still doesn’t get the whole fetching a tennis ball thing. She does love to chase squirrels and bunnies that dare to come into the yard.She is just about over her heat so will be available very soon!

October 16, 2022

Cocoa has been me with a little over a week now and she is becoming more comfortable. She now sleeps on her dog bed next to my bed alongside the resident lab at night. She has free range of the house while I’m home but she enjoys being next to my side and follows me around. She received a wonderful welcome box from the rescue and finally showed some interest in toys.

She played tug a war with her new tug toy and loves her pretty bow tie. She doesn’t seem to have much interest in other dogs and people on our walks. She is a puller so we are trying to work on that.  Being a typical lab, she loves meal time and gets very excited. I am teaching her to sit and be calm before she gets her foods and any treats.  Each day she gets better.

October 11, 2022

Cocoa is settling nicely into the routine and getting used to the sounds and smells of suburbia. After some play time in the morning, she settled down and napped while foster mom worked.  We went for a walk at lunchtime. After two prior unsuccessful solo walks, I brought along my resident lab and she was much more comfortable. We only walked about 1/2 a mile but it was a good start and she napped the rest of the afternoon.

She was startled by a motorcycle and a school bus but quickly recovered. She is very curious about all the new smells and just wanted to visit any dogs we met on the way.  She hasn’t barked once.  We will slowly increase our walks as she gets more confident. She does the doggo weave and pulls but she did very well for walking on a leash for the first time. She is still sleeping well in her crate and has had no more accidents in the house. She has no interest in toys yet but loves to run and play with my resident lab in the backyard. She went to the vet this evening and she is now up to date on her shots. She is in good overall health but does need a dental cleaning. We also discovered that she is in heat.  The vet loved her and thought she had a wonderful disposition through all the poking and prodding.

October 9, 2022

Cocoa’s first night went well. After finally settling down on the comfy couch she was reluctant to go in her crate. After coaxing her with some treats she entered her crate and didn’t make a sound all night. As a matter of fact, I have yet to hear her bark. However, she does have a very lady like snore! She had yet to meet the resident dogs and did have a couple of accidents in the house while I took the two resident dogs out.  After that I left the slider open and she went outside and took care of her business. There have been no more accidents in the house. She is smart and is definitely house broken.  I think she was just nervous. Mid-morning, she finally met the resident dogs and she came out of her shell!  She loves to play and run in the yard. I think she took some cues and comfort from my lab, another former breeder mom and Brookline alum.

We spent the rest of the day outside. She is still getting used to new sounds and fast motions but I am amazed how quickly she is acclimating.  She is going to be an amazing dog!

October 8, 2022

Cocoa made her way off the farm today!  She had her last litter in June and is ready to enjoy her well-deserved retirement. She was very nervous with all of the new things she encountered today but is acclimating fairly quickly. She was shy at first but now comes with her tail wagging. She loves getting petted and has nudged my hand to keep them coming. I’m happy to oblige!  She conquered the stairs first time and goes easily up and down. After a few car rides needing helping hands she jumped in on her own the last trip we made. She explored my house and yard and has finally settled down on the comfy couch for the evening.