Lucy #17 Chocolate Labrador Retriever Female 6 Years Old ID #3200

Lucy #17 – Tag # 3200 – Female Chocolate – 6 YO – Approx 100 lbs

August 29, 2024

Hey! While Lucy likes her outside time in the yard she would do fine being walked for potty. She does her business on a leash just fine. She also does fine meeting other dogs while walking. Men she still shies away from but will approach women with minimal drama.

August 26, 2024

Resilience: noun The ability to recover from or adjust to change or misfortune.

Lucy embodies the word resilience.

As we move towards the end of the summer, I look back at the changes we have seen in this beautiful girl. She came to us pretty much scared of everything. Doors, food bowls, people, noises, really everything. She would retreat to her safe spot, bury her face and wait for whatever was making her afraid to pass. I remember thinking this poor dog is never going to fully recover, she is not going to be a normal dog. We will do the best we can for her but the damage may be irreparable.

Today as I write this, I see sitting in front of me a Chocolate Lab. Pretty much the same as any Chocolate Lab you may encounter. She has a beautiful soft shiny coat now that she loves to have brushed, A big difference from the dry wiry coat she had when she got here. Her big golden eyes are relaxed and she does squinty face when I am making a big fuss over what a good girl she is.

She is no longer filled with fear. She strolls confidently through our home no longer apprehensive to leave the sun room. When the back door opens, she runs to it tail wagging in anticipation of her people arriving home. She patrols the house alerting us to any outside threats like the garbage truck, cats, deer, people walking their dogs, the UPS guy or pests with political propaganda. Her bark is formidable and her growl is deep. There is no way I would attempt to come into this house uninvited. She is protective, my once meek and scared dog has become the protector of the house moving towards a potential threat rather than running from it. Making sure her people are safe. She is a dependable watch dog.

Most of the time though the Goose as she is known around here is a typical Lab. Shadowing me around, cold nose bopping me on the back of the legs. She accompanies me to the bathroom and will interrupt my naps to get her butt scratched. She makes a beeline to my morning coffee spot to ensure she has prime location to be petted. She has figured out that she gets a treat when she comes in from outside and will go in and out multiple times to collect additional snacks. Her excitement to see me in the morning is visible. I fawn over her in the morning and if I am not paying attention, she will not even go do her morning business. I have to send her off to go potty. Then the food bowl is ready and the bucking bronco emerges, Excited to get her food then stealthily checking out the other bowls for potential leftovers. She now spends her evenings with us in the family room. Positioning herself for maximum attention.

This past weekend we had some traveling to do. A friend of mine came to house/dog sit. Lucy started off cautious as she does but by the end of Day 1 we were thrilled to get pictures of Lucy comfortable with her new human. Daily updates indicated perfectly normal dog behavior.

She is still not real keen on the teenager but in her defense, he is big, loud and doesn’t always smell great. He doesn’t always make a great effort to improve their relationship, but when he goes in with a peace offering (cheese) she will take it from him. She still does best with women but I would now be able to confidently say she will be able to integrate into any family.

With consistency Lucy will overcome all of her fears. I watch her do it every day. She has exceeded expectations. She has become a typical Lab and will continue to thrive. My concerns have all been invalidated.

She is resilient.

June 25, 2024

Through all of this Lucy has been flourishing, although our first adoption fell through, we remain confident that the perfect family is out there somewhere for this special girl. While we were away on vacation our nephew and his girlfriend (also Lucy) came up from Atlanta to house/dog sit for us. As usual Lucy was nervous with the new people but she did great. The first night they had a hard time getting her to come in after going out to potty but after that she was fine, eating, going outside and taking treats. I clued them in that the way to Lucy’s heart is scrambled eggs so they used bribery to win her over. Upon our return home she is even more connected with us. She does the “Lab Bop” on the backs of our legs to let us know she would like something; she comes willingly to Kevin in the morning to be loved on and she gets the zoomies pretty regularly in the yard. She is even starting to engage in play a little. It’s almost as though she let out a deep breath and decided to be a dog. She’s still wary of new things and people but more and more she comes to investigate rather than retreating. She has also become a great watch dog alerting us when something is in her backyard be it a deer, a bear or the neighborhood cat or even neighbors out front walking by.

She now greets us at the door when we get home rather than running to her safe place. She hangs out in the kitchen during mealtimes. Not begging but also not passing up an opportunity for a taste of anything that may be offered. She roams freely through the house. She is still not interested in going upstairs and is happiest on the sun porch watching over her domain and soaking up the sunshine. She loves her outside time and belly rubs.

This foster experience has been very different and more rewarding than any we have done in the past. Lucy was so withdrawn and frightened, her transition has been exceptional. She’s an amazing girl and will be a wonderful addition to a new family. We are excited to see what her future holds!

May 19, 2024

Post 1

I got the email from my husband…. we got an application for Lucy…can you look it over?  I opened the attachment and started reading – Mom and 2 daughters. Perfect! Lucy is still afraid of men. They have 2 Labs already. This is a dream come true. We can tell Lucy wants to play, but the dogs here are small, old and decrepit. Not much fun to play with. There is nothing on this application that I don’t like. I respond to Kevin – app looks good…I hate them already.  I don’t really, but it would be so much easier if I did. If I could say no way I’m letting her go to people like that.

So instead, I am working through feelings and emotions that used to be familiar to me.  You see, we fostered dogs for a long time in Florida before we moved here 4 years ago.  It was Kevin’s idea to start again which surprised me. I thought my fostering dogs was an indulgence because he knew I loved it. He, of course, loves dogs too. Especially Labs. It was always fun when I brought one home to foster. It never mattered what color or breed. If it was a Lab, it was gonna be a party. Even Darcy – the young black Lab that had happy tail so bad the tip of her tail was always bloody and if she got wound up enough my house ended up looking like someone had been bludgeoned. She was obnoxious and crazy and ended up being trained as a therapy dog with The Red Cross. Eventually they all finally get a home. And it makes me happy and breaks my heart a little every time. Kevin made the effort to join Brookline. I just wandered in behind him

We brought Lucy home from the farm weeks ago. She was scared, and nervous. Wouldn’t look at us. Wouldn’t take a treat. Found a safe place in the sunroom and camped out there. Would hit the floor whenever anyone went near her. I spent the first week sleeping on the couch downstairs so she wouldn’t be alone. The first night she got restless at around 2 AM. I sank to the floor and scooted over to her and to my surprise she let me love on her. The beginning of my relationship with Lucy. Since then, my old bones have spent a lot of time on the floor with her.  She makes progress every day. I hope her new family understands that Lucy does things in her own time. That she is going to regress a little. That she may go through that period where she barks every night at 1AM. That she may not eat for a couple days. That walking on a leash with a stranger may be scary for her. I hope they see how beautiful she is even though she has a saggy belly and a wonky tail. I hope they ride it out until they see love in her eyes and she acts like a crazy nut in the morning when she sees her person. I hope they celebrate the sweet kisses she gives in the morning and the big groan she does when she lays down to show me her belly and request it, please be petted. I hope they tell her she is a good girl dozens of times a day because she is. My parrot now says Lucy is a good guuuuuuurl over and over . . .

We will tell them all these things and walk away with hope in our hearts and tears in our eyes. People tell me all the time there is no way they could foster dogs. At this point I don’t think I can stop. Going through the whole process again with Lucy has reawakened my love of the process but also ripped a big band aid off my heart.

Please wish us luck this weekend that our meet and greet with Lucy’s potential new family goes well and they understand her needs. She is an amazing girl and we are hopeful that having a couple big dogs to show her the ropes will accelerate her transition from livestock to loved.

Thank you to Brookline for all of your support and encouragement. Now can someone pass me a tissue?? I really do Love Lucy.

Post 2

First off, I would like to say thank you for all the lovely responses to my first BLOG. I’m not sure where it all came from but I would imagine the feelings I was having have been experienced by many of you. I don’t know where we get these crazy ideas that we are the only ones able to save these wonderful creatures and that no one will care as much as we do. But we do. Please feel free to post wherever you would like…. but PLEASE fix the punctuation. I was typing on a teensy screen and I had something in my eye the whole time…both eyes actually, (wink wink)

So yesterday we loaded the Big Goose as she is known around here into the backseat of a car that’s a little small for a 96 pounder. She got herself comfy for the hour drive and I pulled her ears for pretty much the whole trip.

We met at a big park with a couple of big pavilions. One was occupied by a big party with a lot of noisy kids. Lucy never batted an eyelash. We first got to meet Sue which was a great treat for us! She’s been a terrific mentor for us. We love that Brookline provides us with resources like mentors to help us along the way. The last rescue I worked with was run by one wonderful director and a bunch of fosters just trying to keep everything together. It’s nice to have a structured process.  So, we walked in the rain down to the other pavilion to wait for our meeting. Lucy showed off her leash skills. I am so proud of her being so brave!

Our applicant approached and Lucy was a little apprehensive but so much better than she has been when meeting new people. We walked together for a bit and I handed over the leash. Lucy went with her without much of a fuss. She looked back to me once or twice but seemed as calm and relaxed as Lucy can be at this stage of her transition. Then the fun started as he got to meet her new potential siblings Isla and Hank, two gorgeous and very well-behaved yellow Labs. We met them one at a time so as to not overwhelm Lucy and she met each calmly. There was really nothing monumental to report. She kind of took it all in stride. She also got to meet her dog-walker who she seemed to connect with. After our meeting we walked them to their car and Lucy was ready to hop right in.

Due to some scheduling conflicts her adopter was not ready to take her home just yet and also wanted to talk it over before committing. So, we said our goodbyes and headed home. I asked Kevin…well what do you think? He said he thought it went well overall and asked my opinion. I said I was surprised that she wasn’t a definite yes and she wanted to think about it. Then he said she doesn’t seem like the type of person that makes decisions without putting some thought into it. He pretty much nailed it and I was hopeful that this was going to be Lucy’s new mom. She is exactly what I want for Lucy. Committed, calm, understanding and you can tell by her current dogs that she has what it takes to give Lucy to the life that she earned. A life where she will be loved and cherished and amply rewarded for all the hard work she has done over the years.

This morning, we got the message that the adoption will proceed.  I got that little pain in my heart when I heard. It will be a couple weeks before the transfer takes place. Her new mom wants everything to be perfect for her. Fine with me as I have some time to adjust to losing her and more time to be her 1st mom and spoil her. What an absolute privilege it has been. I went out to our favorite spot in the sun room and sat on the floor with her. I told her what a wonderful life she is going to have and how much I love her and how much I am going to miss her. She’s such a lucky girl.

Funny though…this time when Lucy looked into my eyes what I saw was another farm girl who will finally be getting her big break. Her time to go from Farm to Family.  Lucy’s Legacy.

May 6, 2024

This is highly biased from FD. What an amazing weekend for Lucy & FD. The typical morning routine for FM & Lucy is hanging out in her favorite spot, the sunroom, where Lucy seeks out the attention of FM while she is enjoying her morning coffee overlooking the backyard.

Well FD joined them this weekend, and who showed up looking for FD’s attention. FD was never so happy to have this sweet girl look to him for some attention.

FD even got some Lucy excitement when being the first one downstairs on Saturday to let her out.

It will take some work by the men or boys in her family to win her over, but with patience and understanding, it will happen.

April 25, 2024

This update is coming from FM Sandi! I cannot even begin to express what a great experience we are having with our Lucy. I have about 10 years’ experience with fostering dogs including several cases of hoarder house dogs. Our journey with Lucy has been very different than any of my previous ones. I also didn’t have to worry about her getting under a bed and not coming out. At 96 pounds she’s a little too big for that. Although she was quite withdrawn upon arrival, she is now sitting next to me looking at me with big golden expressive eyes, hoping for some loving or maybe a cookie. Her transition has been amazing as she went from scared of everything to becoming a confident loving and even a little playful girl. She is still trying to be as accepting of the boys in the house. For me the day starts when she hears me up walking around upstairs. She recognizes my footsteps and the shenanigans begin. I can hear her starting to squeal and dance around the kitchen, When I get down to the first floor I tell her she’s a crazy banana and she jumps and dances until we go outside. She practically launches off the deck and gets all wiggly in the back yard. I now get gentle kisses and she loves to engage my other 3 little dogs; She is a dainty eater and does not snatch treats. She takes them very gently. She spends a lot of time near me and is starting to venture to new locations in the house. The sunroom however  is her safe spot, She loves long petting sessions, hugs,  belly rubs and tushie scratches. We take walks every night and she enjoys them more and more and is getting more confident every day, She has started barking at night and we are working on correcting that. A firm No Lucy…go lay down does the trick most nights. She’s a great watch dog and alerts us to deliveries, anyone coming home and stray cats in the yard. This girl is going to be a great addition to someone’s family,

April 15, 2024

This sweet girl Lucy is still available. She is waiting for her furever home, and will make a great addition.

Lucy continues to thrive. She behaves more like a lab every day, especially with her FM. She works from home quite often, so they have had a lot of bonding time. When FM is heading down the steps in the morning, we can hear her excitement with her dancing, body wags and gleeful noises. When she is first let out, she has more interest in interaction with FM than with doing her business. Sometimes all out zoomies will happen right then and there. FM is getting kisses almost daily when outside, and has begun getting them in the house.

She ventures out from her safe spot in our sunroom and hangs with FM in the kitchen, or just on her own in the foyer. She has started approaching FD on her own when there’s an indication he may have high value treats. She still doesn’t like it when he wears a hat, or dark clothing, but is getting better about the dark clothing.

She’s proving to be a dependable indicator of when someone comes to the house. Will bark and alert appropriately when a delivery is being made, or someone unknown pulls in the driveway. Will settle quickly once she’s sure everyone is aware.

Weather and work schedules have not left much opportunity for socialization outside the house. Looks like the weather in this area is starting to cooperate a little more, so some more walks are in our future. Have a lot of walkers and dogs in our neighborhood, so we look forward to getting her out and about more.

March 30, 2024

With the weather in the Poconos this week we haven’t gotten out much with Lucy.

Tonight, we went to a local Ice Cream stand for a PupCup. There was no one there when we arrived, and Lucy hopped right out of the car with FM and headed to the window to order. She showed interest in the people inside, but once traffic started going by she began to get spooked. This stand is on a road with a 40MPH speed limit, and she was not happy with the cars passing by. She didn’t have any interest in her PupCup while at the stand, and we didn’t force her to stay long. Once we got back in the car she settled down, but you could tell she was ready to go home. Once we got home, and she was offered the PupCup, she was interested and ate about half of it.

At home she is starting to follow FM through more of the house. Whenever FM sits at the table Lucy stops by to see if there are any snacks available, will kiss FM when outside in the yard, and now meets her at the bottom of the steps in the morning for breakfast. She has ventured into the living room to seek out FM’s attention. We have to be aware of where FD and FB are sitting, as she is still timid with the boys in the house. She will interact with them if she is approached, but she will not approach them and engage. She has gotten more comfortable with FD over the last week and a half with the help of high value treats, and patience.

March 27, 2024

Lucy continues to become the Lab we know she can be. She now gets excited in the mornings greeting her humans for breakfast. She shows that she wants to interact and play with our resident dogs, but they are all littles, weighing no more than 10 pounds, and two are seniors. We believe that she would enjoy play time with other like sized dogs. We have a parrot who she has not shown any interest in, even when he’s talking up a storm.

Lucy now follows FM and seeks her attention. She is getting better with FD and her teenage FB. High value treats have done wonders for her relationship with FD, cooked eggs, bologna, cheese, dog treats and dog ice cream are some favorites. She seems to settle in the same spot in the house, her safe place I guess. Hasn’t really explored much beyond the sunroom and kitchen. She has not shown interest in going up the stairs to the second floor of the house, but navigates the stairs from the back yard into the house like a champ.

March 18, 2024

Lucy continues to blossom. Today we went for our first walk now that the weather in the Poconos cooperated. She did very well considering she probably doubled her time today walking on a leash. She does pull a little, but when corrected walks along nicely. She was checking things out along the walk, encountered another dog at a distance, and showed interest, but they were quite a ways ahead of us. She encountered a vehicle backing out of a driveway and handled it without any issues.

She’s becoming more interactive with FM, still a little wary of FD and the teenage son in the house. She will allow them to interact with her when she’s already relaxed and hanging out, but will avoid them if she’s up and moving about. She approaches FM for attention, and is excited to see her in the morning. She can navigate steps, but hasn’t shown interest in going up the steps in the house.

We had a crate available for her when she first arrived, but she showed no interest. We did not try to crate her as she has not had any accidents in the house, or shown any destructive behaviors. We do need to be aware of food on counters, she has counter surfed. She has not shown any interest in getting on furniture. She spends most of her time in our sunroom, but has free reign to move about as she chooses. She has started hanging out in the kitchen when FM is cooking or sitting at the table. She gets along with our resident dogs who are all small dogs, she has shown a little interest in playing, but we have to keep that to a minimum due to their ages and size. We think she would play with other larger dogs if she had the opportunity. She’s starting to understand treats are given for good behavior. She is vocal and barks when new people come into the house, but settles down after a little while.

She also took a trip to our Vet this week to be microchipped. She was great on the ride and time at the office. She’s weighed in at 96 pounds and our vet believes that’s a good weight for her, she is just a big girl.

We think it won’t be long and she’ll be ready for her forever home.

February 29, 2024

Lucy here checking in.

What a crazy couple days it’s been. I got picked  up from the farm on Saturday by Maija and her friend, who took me to meet my foster family. I got to ride in the back of the car to their house with Foster Mom, I was good in the car, and just looked at the scenery as the man drove. It was a little scary, but my foster Mom & Dad told me it was going to be okay, and they were right.

I now get to live in the house with the Foster Family. It so warm and comfy. I like to sit by the windows and keep an eye in the backyard. There are other dogs here too, and I get along with them just fine. I’ve learned how to eat out of a bowl, go outside to potty and haven’t had any accidents inside at all. Foster Mom & Dad say that’s great, and that I’m a good girl when I go outside to do my business, and I even get a treat when I come in. I didn’t even know what treats were, but I’m figuring it out, and liking it. I like to be in the backyard, I run around with my tail wagging and bark hello to the deer that pass by.

At first I was afraid to let the people touch me, but they give me great massages and tell me what a beautiful girl I am, and how good I am. I even like it when the teenage boy spends time with me, but I especially love it when my Foster Mom gives me belly rubs. I have started to follow Foster Mom around the house, especially around the kitchen. They tell me I’m acting more and more like a lab every day, I even do a little counter surfing, which I’m told is not a great thing. Mom tells me “Off” and I do, I’m still trying to figure this all out.

Also, I got mail. A box just for me. I don’t quite understand what all this stuff is yet, but Mom & Dad say they’re going to help teach me.

The last four days have been amazing and I can’t wait to learn more stuff about being a good girl.

February 25, 2024

What an adventurous 36 hours Lucy has had. She started yesterday in what she has only ever known, and now is quickly learning to be a family member. It took two car rides to get here, and she was a great passenger. Once she arrived in the Poconos she got a bath and a snazzy green bandana for St Patrick’s Day, that didn’t stay on long.

She has 3 other dog siblings here, and a noisy parrot to get used to, and she’s doing sooooo good. We introduced her to her new housemates, which went well. She was interested in her new pack, and even more interested in exploring the back yard. She navigated the stairs into the house like a pro, and started checking things out. Foster Mom slept downstairs in the sunroom with her, which she has chosen as her favorite spot, so she can keep an eye on the back yard.

She barked hello to the deer in the back yard when going out to potty, but did not obsess about them. She has really taken a liking to her foster Mom, still working on foster Dad. Definitely interested in him, just not quite sure yet. Mom sharing her eggs for breakfast today may have had something to do with that.

This afternoon she did take some boiled chicken from Dad. She has been doing great with going outside to potty, and ate her breakfast out of a bowl. Still timid, but relaxed and starting to think this may be a good change.