Loretta #2 Yellow Labrador Retriever Female 5 Months Old ID#3453

Meet Loretta!  Loretta is an adorable yellow Labrador from Mississippi.  Loretta and her 4 siblings came into Brookline through the help of one of our rescue volunteers who was notified that the pup’s owner was seeking good adoptive homes for the litter but had been unable to do so on their own.  Please read her blog from the bottom up to learn more about her while in foster care.

November 29, 2024

Attention everyone!! Today is the day!! I am officially ready to receive applications! I can’t wait to find my forever family, and start my new life with them.

In the meantime, I’m just going for walks with foster mom and relaxing around the house.  I’ve been playing lots of fetch, with my foster family, and by myself!

I’ve been pretty good about not going potty in the house, I am showing the tell-tale signs when I need to go out such as sniffing, and going to the back door.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

November 25, 2024

I had a great weekend! I got to try out my new harness and went to the farmers market with my foster family. When foster mom opened the car door, I hopped right in.  My foster human sister thought I was cold so she gave me her neck scarf.

I absolutely loved all the attention I was getting from all the people at the market but I was a little jumpy when people approached me.  The nice breakfast man gave me a slice of cheese, another vendor gave me a free dog treat to try; I hit the jackpot. Then I came home and slept solid for 4 hours.

We had our first visitors inside the house. They rang the doorbell and when they came inside, I let out a warning bark but quickly wagged my tail to greet them. I loved all the pets they gave me.

I got to help foster dad with some yard work this weekend. I did not like the rake.

Some things my potential forever family should know about me is that I tend to bark at my reflection.

It doesn’t go on for ever but sometimes foster mom needs to diverts my attention. I also bark when foster mom plays videos on her phone; I think the noise is coming from outside. I’m fine with the tv, zoom calls, music and audio books though!

Happy to report that I was accident free on Saturday but had one accident Sunday, when foster mom left for the grocery store and put foster dad in charge. I’m not sure I can be blamed for that one…

I spent some time in the crate lately, and I still go in with treats. I whine for a little but I do eventually lay down and relax.

Here’s a few pictures of me to start your week with a smile.

November 23, 2024

Well folks, I had a little set back in my accident-free streak. Foster mom gave me a little more freedom (tsk tsk foster mom, she won’t be making that mistake again!) coupled with the freezing cold rain yesterday led to my streak ending. See: ‘crate training’ below.

In better news, I’m happy to report that I’ve slowed down eating my meals considerably. When I realized, I don’t have to fight for my food, I decided to stop inhaling my meals at lighting speed. Foster mom noticed the change today and almost shed a tear.

I’m trying to be a good girl when my foster family is cooking and eating. Foster family knows better than to leave me unsupervised in the kitchen but I typically just lay down at their feet or on the kitchen mat. I never beg or jump when they are eating meals.

I’m also walking really well on a leash.  When I first came into my foster home, it was utter chaos. I looked like a scared cat, jumping all over the place like a lunatic, and was zig zagging like crazy.  Now I walk alongside foster mom, at a mini trot like place. However, when I see a squirrel, those really get me going and I try to catch them. Foster home doesn’t have a fence so I’m always out on walks and am meeting every dog in the neighborhood!

I have another quirky trait: I rarely go to the bathroom on walks, I wait until I get home and go in my ‘spot’ in the backyard. Foster mom can walk me for an hour and I’ll still wait until we get home to go.

Foster mom has been a bit of a softy and not using the crate much (see first paragraph re: accident-free streak has ended).  I’m very lucky that my foster parents work from home mostly, so I’ve been spoiled. They did bring out the big crate today, and are trying to get me used to it. I was crated 2x yesterday, and I’m happy to report no issues. Foster mom threw some treats in the back of the crate to get me in there, but I wasn’t taking the bait so she got down to my level, sweet talked me, and showed me how to walk into the crate (poor foster mom 😆). Those treats are just so darn tasty, I couldn’t resist so in I went.  I’m still allowed to sleep in the master bedroom on my dog bed though since I’ve been so good at night.

In the meantime, until I find my forever home, I’m just hanging with my people.

November 22, 2024

I’m still loving life in my foster home.  I’m going to be ready for my forever family very soon!

I was accident free in the house again today but foster mom is still very diligent about taking me out at least every hour. I’ve even learned to wait at the back door to remind her to take me out.

I found my puppy zoomies recently and love running around the house, especially right before bed time. It helps me sleep better; I think.

I’m a really great sleeper.  I sleep on my comfy dog bed in the master bedroom for 8 hours.

When I wake up, I do a quick pee outside, then foster mom gives me breakfast, then we go for a nice long walk (and then I take a nice long nap!).

Earlier this week, one of my foster human sisters wasn’t feeling well so I made sure to stay by her all day.

I know she appreciated it and I was so happy when she started to feel better and could give me lots of snuggles.

I even helped make her lunch!

My new found obsession is tennis balls.  I absolutely love retrieving them.  I even drop them easily so someone can throw it again for me. I got to play some fetch in the house on the rainy day.

Since I’m a puppy, and still learning everything,

I would love to have a family that can take me outside every couple of hours to continue potty training, and I also need a little work keeping my paws off the counter. I just can’t help it! I’m always looking for something to eat!!!  I’ve also been known to steal a shoe or two.  Seems to be a common trend between me and my siblings.

Hopefully my perfect family is out there waiting for me.

November 21, 2024

Today was such a great day! I got to go for two car rides and I was accident free the entire day! Foster mom has been working so hard on potty training, I think I’m starting to understand that every time I do my business outside, I get a treat.  I also let foster mom sleep for 8 hours last night, she had to wake me up this morning!

The car rides were awesome; I really like going for them. I got to see the doctor (all good remarks and I’m up to 25lbs and I was so well behaved; I even took a nap while waiting my turn).

Foster mom put me in the backseat but I preferred the front seat next to her.  I also got to pick up my foster human sisters from school.  I was so happy I see them.

I got to hear a vacuum for the first time, I went over to investigate and didn’t run away. Foster mom says I’m probably the only dog ever that wasn’t afraid of a vacuum.

I’m really getting the hang of being inside a loving home. I’m starting to get very comfortable and showing off some of my quirks.  Here’s a video to see what I mean!

November 18, 2024

Good evening friends!  I let foster mom sleep from 10:30-5am last night. I heard some noises outside in the early morning which woke me up.  Foster mom let me outside to pee and then I slept for another 2 hours until my foster human sisters woke me up.While on my walks today, I tried to chase every squirrel I encountered, tried to meet every person that walked by and I got to met some more dog friends. I’m very playful with my furry friends.This afternoon I enjoyed a kong filled with peanut butter, which lasted me only a few minutes so foster mom brought out a nice sturdy bone for me to gnaw on. Foster dad is teaching me to sit.  I think I have almost mastered it!

I really like to play hard then rest hard!

November 17, 2024

Last night I slept soundly from 11pm- 6:15am in the master bedroom with no accidents or issues.

My foster family is working on crate training.  So far so good.  I even go in by myself with the help of some treats.  Foster family left me alone for almost 2 hours today in the crate and I happily chewed my Kong and stayed dry while they were gone.I’ve mastered going up and down the stairs which comes in handy since I follow my foster mom everywhere.

I’ve had a two accidents in the house but this is my first time being in a house so I’m not sure what the rules are yet.  Foster mom is working really hard on potty training. I’ll get the hang of it in no time.I’m really treat motivated and take treats gently from my foster human sisters.  So far I haven’t showed any puppy nipping, which my foster family is happy about.

I love neighborhood walks because I get to meet new people and dogs. I really like to play with my toys, specifically anything that rolls or bounces so I can chase it.  I like to play hard for a few hours then rest for a while. So far I’m loving being an inside dog, I even gave foster mom some kisses today.

November 16, 2024

Hi everyone! I’m Loretta!  I came into Brookline yesterday with my brother and sisters. I am 5 months old, and about 20 pounds.  I’m a lot smaller than my siblings, some may even call me the runt, Rude! When I met my foster mom today, she was shocked at how much energy I had, considering I had an entire day of travel. Once at my foster home, my foster parents gave me a bath.  I was indifferent to that.

I met my foster human sisters and some neighbors, both the human and the furry kind. Everyone said I had the velvetiest fur. The Fed Ex truck, and a man jogging startled me a bit on my walks but being in a neighborhood is so new to me, I’m sure I’ll get used to it soon.  So far I’ve showed my foster family that I absolutely love toys, I love treats, and I love meeting people. Foster mom keeps saying that she hopes I’ll love to sleep too.  We shall see!