Kevin Yellow Labrador/Husky Mix Male 8 Months Old ID#3250

Meet Kevin!  This young, handsome guy is an 80 lb Labrador/Husky mix that was surrendered to a vet practice after he ingested a non food item and his owners were unable to provide him with the necessary live saving surgery.  Furdunkin reach out to Brookline to help rehome him after they nursed him back to health.  Kevin’s dad was reported to be a yellow Labrador and his mom was a husky.  Kevin is now in a Brookline foster home.  Please read his blog from the bottom up to learn more about this sweet boy.

February 10, 2026

Kevin had another week of enjoying all that winter has to offer. He loves bounding around the fenced in back yard. Sometimes he jumps hard enough that the layer of ice covering the snow cracks underneath him and he sinks into fresh powder. Never one to lose out on a fresh “snow snack” (or should we call it a Husky Slurpee?), Kevin helps himself to a bite. Kevin has another tendency that is more aligned with his Husky side- he has chosen one person to become really attached to- and that is foster mom. Kevin does not guard foster mom or try to keep people away from her, but he is more responsive to foster mom’s commands and when foster mom comes home from work, Kevin gets very excited and jumps around for attention. Foster mom brings him right out to the back yard, so he can run around and get that energy out. For this reason, Kevin would do best with a family that has a fenced in yard.Despite the frigid temps. foster mom and Kevin walk a couple of miles before foster mom heads to work. Even though Kevin is big (tall and substantial), he is still a puppy, and the morning walks help work off some of that puppy energy. Kevin goes outside multiple times a day- sometimes because he needs to go to the bathroom, and sometimes because he needs to run around and get some energy out. Foster mom and dad have introduced Kevin to “stimulation puzzles” where he tries to figure out how to move different objects in order to find a treat (in this case, blueberries). Kevin really enjoys this- HUGE blueberry fan- and the stimulation is good for him. Kevin does not know his full strength, so sometimes when he is trying to find the treats, he repetitively bats his paws at the different objects. He always finds the blueberries, but there was a time when one of the objects on the puzzle broke due to his strength. It was one simple plastic piece; we were able to remove it, so now he just had one less maze location to look for his treats.

Kevin is doing better socializing with people. His foster sister came home from the city for a visit, and Kevin was very excited to meet her and get some pets. Kevin seems to have an easier time meeting and showing affection to women. With adult males, at first, he is a bit more hesitant and skittish. He does warm up to adult men. It takes him a longer time to display more trust, but he definitely gets there.This past weekend was very exciting because a foster fur-sister came to stay with us. Kevin and Gracie were very excited to meet Maye and welcome her to the pack.Maye is about 14 weeks old, and about 14 pounds, so she is much smaller and much younger than Kevin.

None-the-less, Kevin has really enjoyed becoming a big brother and showing Maye around the house.

Kevin is definitely trying to figure out how to play with Maye- to have fun and play without anyone getting hurt. He has been very sweet and play bows to Maye before allowing her to jump up and bat him with her paws. They are a work in progress, but they are figuring it out.

Another bonus that Kevin got from Maye’s…her affection for tennis balls has renewed Kevin’s interest in them as well as they chase multiple tennis balls around the kitchen- or simply just stare at a stationary tennis ball- together.Kevin has had a lot of excitement recently, and we are continuing to work on his response to commands. He is doing much better with sit. Sometimes, when Kevin would want to come inside after playing outside, he would jump up and put his paws on the deck door. Foster mom and dad have been working with Kevin and getting him to sit before being able to come into the house, and this has helped to stop the jumping at the door. This week, we will be working more on basic command training.

January 31, 2026

Good morning from a very happy (Kevin) but snow weary (foster mom and dad) home. Even with the snowstorm blanketing us with bitterly cold temps and at least a foot of snow, Kevin managed to discover new things he likes (or at least, he does not mind…I’m looking at you vacuum) and have some adventures.

It seems fair to say that Kevin’s favorite season could be winter. Not only does he enjoy the outside time while foster mom and dad are shoveling, but he is so smart that when he sees us grab our coats and gloves, he runs to the back door to be first in line to go outside. He zooms around the back yard, bounding over the snow drifts, peering past the fence to see what else is happening in the neighborhood, and encouraging Gracie (our resident lab) to join him in the romps. Every so often, he will pause, lie out atop the snow, and stick his snout forward before taking a big bite of snow. We call that his “snow snacks time”. Due to the snow, foster mom had off Monday, so Kevin and Gracie spent even more time outside playing. It was an exhausting day– so exhausting that Kevin did have an inside accident. We quickly brought him outside before cleaning up his accident. Kevin comes to get us and will give a little whine if he needs to go outside. The other thing he does, if we are near the deck door, is sit very straight and stare directly at us. He may be trying to communicate using mental telepathy, but even if he is not, foster mom and dad have picked up on his clues, and Kevin has not had another accident since, so we really think it was being overtired from the days of snow.

We all needed a break from the snow, and Kevin needed some practice getting in and out of the car, so we took the car out for a little adventure to the pet store. With some treats and some love, Kevin was able to get into the back seat of the car. We snapped him securely into the seatbelt and headed out to pick up some more Benebones and training treats. Foster mom and dad are used to having labs who love to stick their snouts out the window while driving on the back roads. Kevin was not sure what to do when we put the window down, and he did not seem to think it was a good idea to get closer to it, so foster mom was happy to put the window up and keep the warmth in the car.

It did not take long to get to the store, and when we got there, Kevin easily got out of the car. As we headed toward the store, he was not certain what to make of the sliding doors. He paused for a minute and then quickly followed foster mom through the opening. Once inside, he followed foster mom down the aisles as we looked for the Benebones. Kevin stuck his nose into lots of different toys and treat bins, but when foster mom called his name, he turned and followed her to the checkout counter. Along the way, he saw two nice ladies who were shopping, and he stopped to greet them and get lots of compliments about him being a very good boy. Once we paid for everything, it was time to go back to the car. We used the treats again, and Kevin had an easier time getting into the backseat. After that, we ordered some takeout food and went to pick it up. We went through the drive through to see if Kevin would have any reaction, but he was more interested in all of the different smells than on the person who handed our food through the car window. After that, we headed home. A couple of miles away from our house, we opened to the car windows again to see if Kevin was interested in sticking his nose out. He inched it forward a little at a time. Before long, he put his whole nose out and discovered a new favorite thing.

After having success in the car, foster mom and dad thought they would throw a few other challenges his way over the next few days, and we have some good news to report:

1) One benefit to all of the snow is the amount of time Kevin has had to practice not zig zagging while on walks. He has gotten very good at walking in a straight line next to Gracie. There are times when he spots some deer (which Kevin seems to think are tall dogs), and even though he gets excited when he sees them hanging out in groups or crossing the street, he is able to be redirected and refocused to continue the walk. The other thing we noticed about Kevin on a walk– unlike other dogs foster mom and dad have had, Kevin does not go to the bathroom when on a walk. Even if Gracie is with us, and she goes to the bathroom, Kevin does not. However, when we get home from the walk, Kevin heads straight for the deck door to be let outside. He goes into the back yard and does his business there.

2) Having two labs means lots of fur tumbleweeds being spotted on the floor. We had waited until Kevin was more settled in order to vacuum, and he has proven to be completely unbothered by the sight and the sound. Foster mom was able to vacuum right next to Kevin. He did not feel the need to get up, so Kevin is clearly part teenager.

3) Foster mom and dad were grateful that Kevin was introduced to stairs during his time at Furdunkin. Even so, Kevin did have a learning curve with the stairs at home. At first, he would almost trip over his paws while going up or down them, but at this point, he can take two or three stairs at a time as he runs up them for bedtime. He is a very good boy and only goes one step at a time when heading down the stairs. The one exception to that is the back deck stairs. If Kevin and Gracie are playing “chasse”, Kevin will actually jump down all 5 of the stairs…basically going from the wooden deck straight to the brick patio without a care in the world. It must be nice to be so young!

4) Kevin’s final accomplishment is something that will go down in the Canine Hall of Fame. As Kevin was settling down onto his favorite dog bed, he began turning in circles, and he caught his tail!

January 23, 2026

People have been known to say that “the third times the charm”, and that is certainly true for foster mom and dad as we finish up day 3 with Kevin. We get to know Kevin a little more each day as he continues to settle into our home and our hearts. Kevin had another successful night of sleeping on his favorite dog bed, and when foster mom got up, he was ready to go outside to do his morning business. He and Gracie did a few laps around the yard before it was time to come inside and get geared up for the morning walk. As we headed up the hill by our home, Kevin was a little unnerved by some of the sights. Foster mom assured him that they were just garbage cans, and after sniffing around them, Kevin decided they were acceptable and did not need to be removed from the street. The sidewalks are still snow covered, so Kevin continues to work on curbing his zig zagging while we are on the street. He is showing great improvement and is very responsive to small tugs on the leash to help straighten him out.

After the walk, it was breakfast time. When it comes to dog food, Kevin is more of a grazer than a gobbler. When it comes to human food, Kevin demonstrates a lot of interest in learning how to cook and feels like the chef should definitely be able to taste their masterpiece. Sadly, this is one of the areas where he will not get his wishes granted. Foster mom and dad are looking at is as a wonderful opportunity to teach Kevin about personal space as we continually redirect him away from the kitchen counters and table. It’s not Kevin’s favorite time of the day, but he’s learning to cope.

While foster mom got ready to head into the office, Kevin, Gracie (resident lab), and foster dad headed to the backyard to sneak a little more morning fun before the workday commenced. There was lots of sniffing and some intermittent ball play before Kevin and Gracie headed over to their favorite spot at the fence- the one where they get the best view of the neighborhood kids getting on the school bus.

Once the dogs were assured that all of the kids were safely on, it was time to go inside and relax in the office.

Kevin is a smart guy and has picked up on a few things:
1) standing by the deck door gets you let outside
2) no matter where you are in the house, if you hear the deck door open, come running because it’s time to play
3} no matter where you are outside, if you hear the deck door, come running because it’s time to go inside
4) when people sit down, both of their hands become free to give pets

Foster mom and dad have picked up on a few things too:

1) Kevin definitely does the “sit and stare” when he needs to go to the bathroom2) Kevin is a “chick magnet”3) Kevin needs the “for tough chewers” stuffed animals (he will happily accept a Benebone as a substitute)

4} Kevin wants to please and is very responsive to redirection

5} Kevin will jump when excited. He jumps “up” not “at”. We are working on the “no jump” command.

Kevin revealed something else to foster mom and dad yesterday…

He is the neighborhood busybody! Kevin is excited that it’s Friday, and he even more excited about the impending snowstorm because 1) snow 2) cold and 3) everyone will be trapped at home and that means lots of together time!

January 21, 2026

Kevin had lots of walks and play time yesterday, so when it was time to get up today, Foster mom had to wake the big sleepy head. Though Kevin has puppy energy, he wakes up on the chill side and lounges for a bit on the dog bed- encouraging foster mom to give him lots of pets. We are so happy to report that last night was another success. Not only did Kevin sleep through the night with no issues, but is also seems like he has made a bedding decision. Although he has an open door crate with some soft bedding available, he definitely prefers to use the Costco circular dog bed that has seen better days.Our mornings are usually fast paced, going outside for a quick bathroom run while Foster Mom and Dad get fresh bowls of water ready, then it’s time to get leashed up and head out in the darkness to walk a couple of miles. Well, today it was 0 degrees outside at 6am, so Kevin and Gracie stayed a little longer in the back yard running laps, playing together, and checking out all of the new scents left by the deer and foxes that visit at night. After a bit, we all ran inside to warm up and get breakfast started. It’s only been two days, but so far Kevin is a very polite eater. He’s not a speed eater, and if he’s had enough, he’ll happily save what’s left in his bowl for later.

After assuring Kevin and Gracie that there will be plenty of time for walks later this morning once the temperature reads double digits, it was time to get ready for work. Kevin was very agreeable because he recently had another “OHHHHH, I REALLY like this” discovery. Yes, Kevin is a Benebone fan. He grabbed that Benebone, followed foster mom back up the stairs, plopped onto his dog bed, and proceeded to thoroughly enjoy his new discovery. Kevin is happy to accept pets while he is enjoying his Benebone, and he does not have a reaction or guard it if foster mom or foster dad take it from him. Even more amazing, he is unbothered if he walks back into a room and Gracie had started chewing on Kevin’s Benebone while he was away. The two of them have traded toys and Benebones more than once in the last two days.

Foster mom and dad knew that Kevin had not had a lot of human (adult) contact while on the farm, and that he would need people who could be patient while he went through the process of getting to know and trust them. Foster mom and dad had been told that Kevin might avoid eye contact or try to “hide” behind furniture. We are happy that Kevin continues to make good strides, and we also recognize that trust is a process that does not magically appear overnight. Everyone wants to give Kevin love, and while it can be a challenge to remember to wait a beat and let Kevin decide to approach, Kevin does best when he decides to go to someone. Sometimes he has to choose to do that multiple times throughout the day, but it’s worth it because he is learning to socialize and trust people.

In between morning meetings, everyone went outside for some quick fun, and Kevin had another discovery! He does enjoy a bit of one-on-one time with a ball. At first, he was nosing it around in the snow and batting at it with his paws but after a while he put it in his mouth and brought it to foster mom. Much to foster mom’s surprise, when she threw the ball, Kevin ran after it. He spent some time batting it around again, but then he picked it up. I’m not saying that he will be drafted into the major league for his ball handling skills, but he went from “no interest” to “this is interesting” in the course of a couple of days. Kevin is definitely on a journey of self-discovery.

Kevin spent a lot of the morning enjoying his Benebone, lounging on his dog bed, and watching his foster mom and dad work. There were a few more quick trips outside to take a couple of laps around the fence and play a bit in the back yard.At 12:30, foster mom, Gracie, and Kevin got geared up for a brisk 2-mile walk. It was definitely an adventure. Kevin is still growing and does not have a full sense of how much space his body takes up. He’s great at walking in line when he’s on the sidewalk, but lots of our neighborhood sidewalks are still covered in snow, so we are working on two things: 1) not being a zig zagger when on the street 2) not knocking into Gracie while zig zagging. That being said, he’s been good on the leash and is looking forward to walking many miles through life with his forever family.

We are learning that Kevin seems to be giving some signals when he needs to go outside for the bathroom. It’s only day 2, so it might be coincidental, but Kevin did a really straight sit in front of the deck door and focused his gaze very intently on foster mom/ It was a little confusing, and foster mom was not sure what was going on since we had just returned from a walk, but when foster mom took a step closer, Kevin did a mini-jump of excitement. When foster mom opened the deck door, Kevin ran outside and went to the bathroom in his favorite spot. When outside, foster mom has noticed that Kevin will spin a few times before pooping, and he tends to take a few long strides back and forth while deciding where he wants to pee. It’s helpful that he seems to have some tells!

Kevin has heard we might get more snow this weekend, so he’s keeping his paws crossed that the weather report is right. He does not understand why his foster family is not as excited as he is, but then again, he has never had to use a shovel to clear a driveway after a foot of snow.

January 20, 2026

We’d like to introduce everyone to one of the best boys ever …Kevin!Kevin is an 8-month-old yellow lab/husky mix who, through no fault of his own, was surrendered by his owners to the Furdunkin vet office in Lancaster, Pa. Kevin is 80 pounds and is still a growing boy! Kevin’s first 7 months were spent living outside as a farm dog, so when his owners brought him to Furdunkin and surrendered him, Kevin’s life changed all at once. Kevin had ingested something that was not good for his belly, and he had lost some weight because he was not feeling good. After the surgery that removed the object, Kevin made himself at home at the vet office. He learned how to go up and down stairs, how to walk on a leash, and was really catching on to commands like sit, come, and down. One of his favorite ways to spend his time was with the office staff. He loved meeting the other dogs that would come and visit the Furdunkin office, and his most favorite people were the vet’s two young daughters and Miss Heather the office manager. Kevin was in the care of Furdunkin for about a month, and during that time, they made sure he was in great health by getting him up to date on all of his shots and making sure he was neutered. They also noticed that he was people shy– which can happen to a farm dog– so they poured lots of love into Kevin and with their help, he has gotten so much better at meeting and socializing with people. Yesterday afternoon, Kevin said “see you later” to his Furdunkin family and hopped into our car for the 2-hour ride to our home in New Jersey. Kevin was good in the car- quickly settling down- and before long he was sleeping peacefully with no idea of what was in store for him.When Kevin arrived at our home, he went on a quick walk to get acquainted with our resident dog, Gracie. The sidewalks were covered with the weekend snow, and Kevin enjoyed sniffing all of the scents in the piles of snow that lined the street. He and Gracie were curious about each other, and after some sniffing, they both went to the backyard to romp around together.

Gracie was not sure what to make of Kevin at first, but she soon realized that he is a very curious puppy and that he liked enjoyed running around too. They came inside and took turns drinking water. Gracie was a little uncertain (she had not shared her house with another dog since her big brother had crossed the rainbow bridge a few months ago), but Kevin had a great attitude and busied himself with exploring his new home. He really enjoyed looking out the windows and the different people and animals in the neighborhood. He was particularly excited when a bunch of kids across the street went sledding in their front yard, so we took a walk across the street and watched them sled for a bit. Kevin would have stayed longer, but it was cold outside and he had already had a pretty big day. Kevin has made great strides in navigating both the inside and the outside (very snowy deck) stairs, and he’ll soon be a pro at any stairs that the world brings his way.

Back at the house, Kevin was offered some food. He took a few bites and then returned to sniffing and sniffing and sniffing to learn all of the smells in his new home. He would come over for some pets and then go back to exploring. He went on a few 10-minute walks, so that he would not be full of water when it was time for bed. When he was outside, he was more interested in sniffing than in going to the bathroom. Even though his foster mom was worried about having to take a midnight walk in order to relieve himself, he proved her wrong by making it all the way through the night with no issues.

With the dawn of a new day, Kevin was ready to head outside for a short walk and to do his business. He then came inside and showed some of his puppy energy to Gracie. They spent some time running around the backyard and came inside when breakfast was ready. Foster mom had to go to work, so Kevin settled down for a rest while foster dad got ready for work. Kevin was very happy to see that foster dad was working from home today and would be around for lots of walks, outside play, and office room naps.Today, Kevin learned that he likes stuffed toys. He has not shown an interest in them when he was at Furdunkin, so this discovery surprised all of us- Kevin included!

We are excited to share what new things we learn about Kevin– and Kevin learns about himself– as we help get him ready to meet his very own forever family.