Hazel #3 Black Labrador Retriever Mix Female 1 Year Old ID #2785

May 6, 2021

Hazel is almost ready for a loving, active family to call her own.  She just completed her last worm treatment today.  This week, she enjoyed an outdoor bath in her doggie pool when it was warm and played with a new doggie friend at the park.  The dog was 9 months old and as playful as Hazel.Hazel also enjoyed some new hikes and is getting better at listening.  For example, she jumped over an indoor gate (which she could easily do) to see what I was doing, but didn’t do it again after I brought her back and told her “no.”  She still loves belly rubs and a lot of affection.  She doesn’t let you walk by her without petting her for a long time and is definitely a velcro dog!We’re still working on teaching her not to jump on people.  She does seem to be doing a little better since we’ve been telling other people she meets not to encourage it.  She’ll still need some training and some understanding since she’s a large puppy in many ways.

May 1, 2021

Hazel jumps in the car eagerly and loves to go on adventures.  This week we went hiking and visited some new parks.  She is an active social butterfly.  She is friendly and everyone loves to pet her soft ears!
Hazel loves to lean on you and get lots of belly rubs.  She’s still working on not jumping and would probably be best for ages 12 and up for this reason (knock down factor).  Her jumps are sometimes out of excitement and sometimes attempts to give hugs.  Either way, we don’t reinforce it so that she doesn’t knock anyone over.
She sleeps well and does not go on furniture (she initially jumped on the couch, but easily learned to sleep in her own bed instead).  She goes to her dog bed in the evening without any prompting and happily sleeps alone in a gated room.  Except for requesting a few belly rubs, she likes to sleep in a little.  She’s fine with being left for a few hours (2-4 so far since we’ve been working from home) gated in a room.
She knows some basic commands and we’re just trying to reinforce them slowly because sometimes she gets so excited that she just wants to sit, give paw, lay down, roll over, and sit back up quickly just for one treat!  She already knows “come” and right now we’re working on teaching her to stay.

Hazel’s treatment for worms will be complete at the end of next week.  Otherwise, she is healthy and excited for some new cuddles and adventures…

April 20, 2021

Well, it looks like Hazel brought along some companions when she came up from MS.  Unfortunately, we discovered that Hazel has worms.  She has a vet appointment on Thursday and will need treatment for a little while.  Her appetite is a little low now, but besides that, she’s healthy.

We have been seeing some more of her high energy puppy behaviors lately.  Not sure if this is just because she’s more comfortable now.  Even though we take her on many walks and play with her, Hazel can get the zoomies and turns into a world class high jumper. She tries to play tug of war with the leash, and thinks our hands and feet are playthings.  She’s probably just being a big puppy, but we’ll keep making sure that she gets enough play, exercise, and some training.

Other than that, Hazel still loves care rides and adventure.  She did well in downtown Princeton, Peddler’s Village, and on hikes.

April 14, 2021

Hazel is doing great after a week with us.  She has adjusted to a schedule and is making friends with everyone in the neighborhood during our daily walks.  She has moments of playful puppy energy a few times a day and would probably do well with an active family, a big yard, and/or another dog.

She doesn’t bark much and loves getting petted.  She is treat motivated and is learning some commands such as sit, lay down, and give paw.  She is jumpy at times, but we are working on it.  Overall, she is a very sweet and friendly dog.

More to come soon…

April 6, 2021

Hazel is adjusting well.  Today we worked on leaving her alone while we worked in other rooms for short periods since she tends to bark when we leave the room.  She complained a little and then eventually settled down and took a nap for an hour.  We’ll keep working on longer stretches of time until she feels comfortable with us coming and going.

We think she might be a lab pointer mix since she tracks small animals and points with her nose and, sometimes, even her paw.  She has a prey drive, but doesn’t lunge to chase when on a leash.

Hazel doesn’t seem to mind the vacuum.  She just sat and watched as I vacuumed.  She’s a little scared of cars on city streets, but her fear will probably decrease with some more experience.

We’re working on basic commands.  She seems to understand “no” and “sit” for now.  More to come…

April 5, 2021

Hazel really enjoyed taking a walk to a nearby farm today.  She loved watching the farm animals and stopping to say hello to the other walkers.

We’re still working on teaching Hazel not to jump on people.  She jumps to greet people and when she’s in a playful mood.  This is fine for ages 10 and up, but might knock over younger kids.

Hazel is very affectionate.  She is a velcro dog that likes to lean against you, lay down by your feet, and follow you from room to room.  Not sure if she will have any separation anxiety.  We’ll have to test that out at some point.

She went to do school pick up today and jumped right in the car trunk.  She’s goes in and out of the car easily.

April 4, 2021

Hazel arrived from Mississippi last night.  She adjusted easily and slept well.  So far, she is great with kids and loves all of the walks and hugs she’s getting!  She seems to be a very smart and trainable girl.

Hazel went on a few walks today and she does well on a leash.  She’s very friendly and wants to meet everyone.  We’re working on teaching her not to jump when she greets people and she seems to be catching on quickly.  Tomorrow we’ll start working on some basic commands.

Hazel is very affectionate and listens really well.  She still has the energy of a one year old and loves to play.  She’s especially fond of plush toys.