Leo #5 Yellow Labrador Retriever Male 5 Years Old ID#3469

September 30, 2024

Nope, I did not like “neutering”!  I started out wearing this inflatable thing that FM said I looked like a buttercup; but then I could still reach my sutures so now I’m wearing “the cone of shame.” I was telling my foster-cat sister that I didn’t like this cone, but she just sniffed it and walked away. I don’t like not being able to play with all my doggie siblings and friends but I’m doing my best to be a good boy. FM takes me for walks so I’m pretty happy, but I really can’t wait to be able to run and play again. My sutures come out October 9^th. I can’t wait!I’m doing great with potty training. No accidents and no marking attempts for a couple weeks now (except outside). Go me!  I’m an expert at steps so I zoom up and down all the stairs in the house like a pro – when the cone doesn’t get in my way, that is. I sleep in FM & FD’s bedroom now that I can get up those steps. I have a nice soft dog bed near their bed. I go to sleep around 9:30 or 10:00 pm and sleep until brother Joey wakes up around 7:00am. He and I are both “food hounds”, so we make sure FM knows when it’s time to get up and feed us! As for the counter surfing, FM is teaching me to stay out of the kitchen and she says I’m a pretty good listener. She blocks off the kitchen at night since no one is around, but I stay upstairs with her anyway.I still love lots of attention and could sit for hours with anyone who wants to pet me or rub my belly. I really like that my humans are home with me most of the time. Sometimes I lean up against FM’s treadmill in her office and make a sad face just waiting for some pets – works every time.I’m hoping after my sutures come out that I can begin to look for my furever home… stay tuned!

September 21, 2024

Hi there, it’s Leo again. I’m still getting used to living in a house instead of a stall with a small outside area. Life off the farm has been wonderful so far! I’ve learned to go up and down a small flight of steps (7). I like to lay with FM while she works so I figured out how to get up there and I’m no longer afraid of those steps. I’m still figuring out the others in the house. The best thing about being off the farm is the loving pets and rubs. I get so wiggly and bury my face between people’s legs or in their lap to get a close as possible. I really love belly rubs. I learned if I sit for pets then I can wiggle my way down to the ground and they must rub my belly; It’s the best!!

I still love running around with my foster pals;

especially my foster sister (the white one). She climbs up on this thing called a trampoline and runs around up top while I chase her from underneath… best game ever!I’m also getting better and better at “fetch”. But after about 5 or 6 throws, I’m ready to lay down in the grass and let FM go get it. I have lots of energy for about 10 minutes, then I’m ready to settle in for a roll in the grass or a snooze. I went to a place called “The Vet’s Office”. I was a little nervous at first but after all the attention and treats, I fell asleep waiting for my turn. The Vet says I’m in great shape and I have an appointment for neutering on 9/26/24. Everyone there wants to take me to their home but FM said they have to find me on the website and put in an application – imagine that, so many people wanting little old me!

I got a box of great stuff from my friends at Brookline.

I’m a bit of a food hound so FM took out the treats before I got to explore the box. I loved everything in there. I’m pretty gentle with my suffy’s so FM puts them away when I’m not playing with them, so the foster siblings don’t pull them apart. I hope you enjoy my pictures and videos. I’ll update everyone after this thing called “neutering”… hope I like it.

September 11, 2024

Last night I slept in the dining room where the big comfy dog beds are – I was a good boy and slept through the night with no accidents. I couldn’t get the hang of the stairs yet, even with treats on every step, but FM says, “I’ll get there”. In the meantime, I was very happy getting the big dog bed all to myself. I’ve been doing great with house training and have not had any accidents since that 1^st night. When FM got up, I tried to sit in her lap while she had tea. She had to remind me that “all 4 belong on the floor”, unless invited. I prefer to have my front paws on her lap and bury my face under her arm or give kisses, but I tried to be a good boy, so she didn’t spill her tea.

I went for a walk with my foster-brothers, Jax and Joey, this morning and had lots of fun sniffing all the different smells. My foster brother Jax gets to be off leash so when he chased a squirrel, I tried to run with him but stopped as soon as I learned that the leash only goes so far. FM is not sure if I just wanted to run with Jax vs having any interest in the squirrel. She’s pretty sure it was just the running that interested me.FM worked from home again today, so I laid at the bottom of the steps very patiently until she came down every few hours and took me outside. Sometimes I stayed outside for a bit and played, other times I just sniffed then went to the door to come back in. I am very quiet and patient while she is working. As you can see by the picture, one of the cats in the house was waiting at the bottom of the steps too. He kept me company for a while. FM took a close-up picture of me so you can see how very handsome I am – Enjoy! Come back soon to learn more about me and my adventures!

September 10, 2024

Hi there, it’s me, Leo. I had lots of fun yesterday running in the back yard and learning to play fetch.

I also got to take a walk in the woods and there were lots of strange things to sniff. FM says I was a good boy and walked nicely on the leash. I am finding my voice, and the foster siblings are teaching me to bark at things outside the fence… all though I’m not sure what they are barking at and quickly lose interest. I’m getting more curious about cats and even let one rub against my face. I was brave and didn’t run away! (this was after the embarrassing video of me walking away from the kitty was taken)

I decided I didn’t like sleeping in the laundry room by myself and chewed the mesh gate that was at the doorway which then I could get over it and figured how to climb one set of stairs. FM lives in this house that has different levels with 7 steps to each level. I still don’t understand steps, so I made myself cozy on the dog beds in the dining room and went to sleep. I did not have any accidents during the night (or the daytime for that matter).  FM says she’s going to teach me to climb stairs so I can sleep up there with the family. Yay! I really like being with my people.

Hope you come back to my blog tomorrow to read more about my adventures in this new world of living in a home! Sniff ya later!

September 8, 2024

Today was my 1^st full day in my new foster home. I had a bath because FM said I needed to get the “stinky farm smell off me”. I was a perfect gentleman while the people at the salon soaped me up several times… they said I was stinky too. I don’t know what they are talking about. FM says I smell so much better! There was a small birthday party at FM’s house today and I met some new people. I had to be on my leash for a bit because I was so excited, I wanted to jump and hug everyone! Once on my leash I was a perfect gentleman and greeted my new friends with a tail wag and a kiss on the hand.  I met folks from ages 2 to 86 and I liked them all! I tried to run with the 2- and 5-year-old boys, but FM said I can watch them play and let them pet me, but I wasn’t allowed to run with them because they are little.

I learned that there is yummy smelling foods in the place called a kitchen and FM caught me “counter surfing” … I didn’t know there was a name for just checking out the stuff that smelled good. I heard her say “Leo, nooo” in a deep voice, so I got down right away.

I had a bit of a tough night because FM tried putting me in a crate to sleep but after barking for a while she let me out and told me a could sleep in the laundry room in case, I had another accident. She let me outside an extra time around midnight and I slept the entire night after that with no potty accident. Go me!I’m really enjoying this new life I have. FM says I have a lot to learn about living in a house but I’m ready and willing as long as I get to stay around nice humans who give me love and affection!! Stay tuned; you don’t want to miss my upcoming learning adventures!

September 7, 2024

Hello! My name is Leo and I’m fresh off the farm. I took a long ride to my new foster home and did great! I was quiet the whole time and did not get car sick. I had to stop at a Vet’s office to start my vaccines and I was “a lover” with all the folks I met. I wagged my tail at other dogs in the area but spent most of my time trying to keep my front paws in my foster mom’s lap (FM) and my tongue licking her face. I had fun meeting my foster siblings both 2 legged and 4 legged.

So far I’m liking the dogs and humans. The cats are strange to me so I’m a little scared.

FM says I don’t have to play with them… whew! I was quiet all night but had a little pee and poop accident. FM said “that’s OK, I’m a smart guy and she’ll teach me where my potty place is”.A note from FM: Leo is a very happy, friendly and active cream colored, 60 lb. lab. (could use about 5 more lbs.) He is 5 years old but looks and acts like a 1-year-old. He’s had no training, so we’ll be starting with the basics. He does well on a leash with only a small amount of pulling which is easily corrected. He is going to love going to an active family who likes outdoor adventures.