Howie Black Labrador Retriever/German Shepherd Mix Male 1 Year Old ID #3797

Howie and his littermates were roaming free, not being cared for by the adult dog’s owner, and left alone to fend for themselves. When Monticello 2nd Chance Fur Dog Rescue picked them up, they were full of worms and malnourished. Finding adoptive homes in rural AR is tough, so they reached out to Brookline for help to rehome Howie and his 4 sisters. Howie is the last of the litter looking for his forever home.

July 20, 2026

Howie has now been with me for three weeks, and this sweet boy has made so much progress!

He is confidently going up all of the stairs now, including the open-backed staircase and cellar steps. He’s also becoming more adventurous in the backyard, exploring on his own and taking the time to sniff all of the flower and vegetable gardens.

Howie continues to be a dream when it comes to grooming. I am trimming his nails twice a week to gradually shorten them, and he is wonderful for ear cleaning and brushing. He really is such a good sport and makes grooming easy.

We’ve started working on basic commands like sit and down, along with an “easy” cue to help reassure him when he gets startled. Walking on a leash is still a pleasure—he doesn’t pull at all. I’ve also started having him walk on the outside of my resident dog since he is more confident and he’s doing very well.

This week I began leaving his kennel door open at night with a baby gate across the room. He now has the choice to sleep in his kennel or enjoy the entire room. He also had access to the room for a few hours when I leave the house on my days off. He is incredibly easy to crate and happily eats all of his meals there. As soon as I start preparing his food, he heads straight to his kennel on a verbal command.

Howie truly is such a good boy, and it has been a joy watching his confidence grow a little more each day.

July 5, 2026

Yesterday, on the Fourth of July, I had friends over for lunch. Howie was a little shy at first, but before long he came out of his shell and wanted to be part of the gathering. Another pleasant surprise was how well Howie handled the weather and holiday festivities! He wasn’t afraid of the thunderstorm last night and even happily went outside in the rain. When the fireworks started later that evening, he was already settled in his crate. I checked on him several times, and he didn’t seem bothered by the noise at all. It’s been so encouraging to see how confident and adaptable he’s becoming.

Yesterday Howie was ready to enjoy the box of goodies. He absolutely loves the toys and the chew. A big thank you to Brookline for all the wonderful goodies; they really made his day! 🐾❤️

This morning after breakfast, Howie and I headed to a nearby lake for a walk in the woods. He was a little nervous about getting into the car at first, so I didn’t push him to get into the kennel right away. I’m sure his long transport trip from Arkansas is still fresh in his mind. Our walk was a little over a mile, and he absolutely enjoyed exploring the trails and taking in all the wonderful new smells. It was so much fun watching him become more relaxed and curious as we walked. The best part came at the end of our adventure. After watching my dog get into his kennel, Howie decided to climb into the other one on his own with just a little hesitation. He earned a tasty liver treat for being so brave!

June 30, 2026

This is only Day 3 with Howie, and we’re already seeing some really wonderful progress.

This morning, he greeted me with a wagging tail, and later he actually initiated a play session with my boy. It was so much fun to watch him start to relax and simply enjoy being here.

After work, it was time for dinner, of course. Howie is loving the bone broth, blueberries, and yogurt additions to his kibble. A little spoiling never hurts.

I also gave his nails another trim and cleaned up the hair on the bottoms of his feet to help him get better traction on our bare floors.

Cheers to Howie for being brave and taking these big steps. We’re so proud of him already.

June 28, 2026

Just arrived and already settling in beautifully! 🐾

This sweet boy just finished a long journey. He traveled all the way from Arkansas to Allentown, PA, spending about 24 hours on the road before I picked him up this past weekend. Despite the long trip, he’s adjusting like a champ!

He’s a gentle, shy soul who is quickly showing just how lovable he is once he feels safe. From day one, he’s been a total natural in his crate. He settled right in and slept soundly through his very first night here.

He’s also incredibly easygoing when it comes to handling, including nail trims and ear cleaning. He takes it all in stride, which tells me he’s going to be a dream for routine grooming and vet visits.

He’s been walking alongside my own dog, Sunny, and seems to enjoy the company. He’s not quite ready to play yet, but he’s already started showing curiosity in toys, a great sign that his playful side is starting to peek out as he decompresses and settles into life off the truck.

Give him a little time and patience, and I think you’re going to fall for him fast. 💛

Meet Howie! Howie is an approximately 11 month old Labrador Retriever/German Shepherd mix. His Dad was a Chocolate Labrador, and his Mom was a white German Shepherd.

Howie and his littermates were roaming free, not being cared for by the adult dog’s owner, and left alone to fend for themselves.  When Monticello 2nd Chance Fur Dog rescue picked them up, they were full of worms and malnourished.  Finding adoptive homes in rural AR is tough, so they reached out to Brookline for help to re-home Howie and his 4 sisters.  Howie is the last of the litter looking for his forever home.  Please read Howie’s blog from the bottom up to learn more about him.

Stay tuned for new updates after Howie arrives to his Brookline foster home on June 13.

April 20, 2026

Howie is still waiting for his forever family to find him.  This handsome boy would love to be your  loyal friend and daily companion.Howie has been spending more time inside to get him acclimated to being a pampered house dog instead of an outside dog. Initially, I had to push this  64lb guy through the door to get him in but now he is getting quite comfy inside the house. Howie recently tested positive for Ehrlichia which is a tick borne illness, and was started on a 30 day course of Doxycycline.  He also developed a seroma on his front right elbow from laying on the concrete and hard dirt but it is starting to go down a little now. It would resolve so much quicker if he could spend the majority of his time inside on a soft bed. Despite all this, Howie continues to be a playful and happy to lucky boy. Please reach out with any questions about this very handsome and sweet boy!

April 7, 2026

Yesterday, I cat tested Howie and he did good. He was more afraid of the cats than the cats were of him.  He just plunked himself by the door waiting to be excused.  LOL

Howie is such a good boy!

April 1, 2026

March 25, 2026

Handsome Howie is learning to sit!

The only boy of the group Howie loves his sisters. Howie is a perfect gentleman and plays nicely with everyone.

He is very friendly, social and loves love.

He will melt your heart like a snowman on a 100 degree day.

March 16, 2026

Howie and Mittens had a trip to the park this weekend.

Howie is very laid back on leash and really liked getting out in the park for a walk to smell all of the new sniffs.

Howie was happy to meet a new friend and liked getting the attention and pets.

Howie is also always ready to join in the fun back home in the yard especially when there are sticks involved.

This handsome fellow would love to find a family of his own where he can learn the joys of being an inside dog!

March 11, 2026

I’m starting to work with the litter on sit.  Howie isn’t doing too bad for his first lesson!

March 9, 2026

Another update on Mr Chill, Howie! After his neuter surgery, Howie had to initially wear the cone of shame but it didn’t really bother him much. After a couple of days, he wasn’t so interested in licking and we could take the cone off him, and let the litter explore the big yard together and with the other dogs.Howie gets along with everyone and is a very friendly guy with people and other dogs.

He is a fan of the ball and likes to play fetch.

He also doesn’t mind  just hanging out and chilling!

We’ve fostered over 350 dogs and puppies in 4.5 years and they are the best litter we have ever had. They keep their shelter and pen clean and prefer to go outside their pen on the grass, they all get along together and with the other dogs, they have absolutely no resource guarding and can all eat together, they don’t jump on you, and are getting so much better with leash training. From all the pups I’ve had, they have by far been the easiest litter.

March 6, 2026

Howie had a visit to the vet on March 5 to get neutered.  He rode with Koa as both boys were needed to be done.

They are both doing well after surgery but Howie has to wear the “cone of shame” because he wanted to lick.

He will be on restricted activity for 7 days until he is all healed up!

March 2, 2026

Since Howie’s litter is getting older and the litter is all still waiting to be altered.  Howie has now been moved to the big yard with the other big dogs that are in foster care since we don’t want the girls to have any accidental puppies!!  Howie is blending in well with the big dogs.

He is very calm and relaxed and such a good boy.

He is very easy going with other dogs even pushy ones. He shares toys and sticks and is happy to just chill out and relax.

He’s always interested in what’s going on and is such a sweet boy! I tried to coax Howie into the house but he wasn’t too sure about that yet.  Things are warming up here in AR so he doesn’t mind hanging out in the yard, but he’d love to be able to find a home just for himself!

February 16, 2026

Howie had a hard start to life. His parents are outside dogs in Arkansas, and Howie and his littermates were not wanted or cared for by their owner, and were left to fend for themselves. They were found by a good Samaritan, and were underweight and full of worms. They were transferred to a foster for a rescue in AR who reached out to Brookline to help rehome them. Howie is starting to gain weight and is being treated medically while he is waiting for his family to come along.

Howie is a friendly and playful boy.

The litter is currently living in a shed with a fenced run and they keep their living quarters clean.He is food motivated so he should house train readily. Howie would love to learn all about the joys of living indoors and what it’s like to be loved on by his people.

Howie is good with other dogs but has not been exposed to cats.Howie will be UTD on vaccines, Heartworm tested and neutered (if preferred)  prior to transport from Arkansas.