Maggie #17 Yellow Labrador Retriever Mix Female 2 Years Old ID#3111

Meet Maggie!  Maggie is a 2 year old petite yellow lab mix who came up from Missisppi following an owner surrender. She is a well socialized, well mannered girl who loves kisses and steals the hearts of everyone she meets (unless you are a cat, then no thank you!) Please read her blog from the bottom up.

March 17, 2022

Maggie is such an incredible gem. We have had her for almost 2 weeks and we have had not a SINGLE issue of any concern. She loves our resident dog AND my 14 year old son more than anything!! She shares treats, toys, and cuddles… she even shares her food bow and crate! She has never had a single accident in the house, is loving, affectionate, tolerant (even enjoys!) all sort of hard core loving (big hugs, face smooches, laying with her!) She walks on her leash better (less squirrel like) every day and loves to pay her own version of fetch… where she will run and get a toy you have thrown, but she brings it back to her bed rather than to you! (She loves to collect toys!)

Here’s a happy St. Patricks Day photo from my son and Maggie to you! We will be making her available within the next week or so as soon as she has had a 4DX screening at the vet! 

March 9, 2022

Day three and Maggie has settled into our home beautifully. She is just about the nicest dog I’ve ever known. She is gentle, smart, and so loving. The past few days we’ve been observing some behaviors that we think are a result of her separation from her sister. For instance, when she is on a walk by herself (without our other dog) she is all over the place and is constantly turning around and “looking for” something. We think she is used to being outside with her sister and can’t figure out where she went. Maggie’s overall attitude is happy, curious, and calm. She does not seem to be lonely or stressed by the separation, but there are times where we can tell she is confused.

On the other side of that coin, it’s been fun watching her bond with our resident hound dog, Moose. Maggie “talks” to Moose in lots of ways!! We were concerned at first because one way is a noise that sounds like a low growl when Moose approaches a spot that she has already established as “hers.” But we watched the interaction and Maggie was, without fail, calm, attentive, ears forward… sometimes with even a happy wag in her tail even as she was making this noise! With a little reading and talking with my mentor, we have concluded that this is her way of just letting Moose know she is there… and Moose listens!! He does not seem frightened or stressed, he just waits until she is ready for him to approach! Good boundaries are important and we are really happy Maggie and Moose can talk it out!!

Here’s a photo of what happens only two minutes after their “chat.” Maggie has established her boundary, and is now fine with Moose being nearby. They slept like this most of the afternoon despite the fact that there are two beds, one for each!! In other news, Maggie has not had any accidents in the house, eats like a champ, sleeps in the crate, and will even go in the crate without complaint if we have to go out for an extended period of time. She LOVES toys and will “collect them” and bring them to her bed. She love to chew, and loves treats, but is happy to take what she can get and does not chew anything she is not supposed to. She knows to “sit” and “wait” (especially for her meals, which is so lovely), she knows “leave it” and we are working on “come.” She is responsive to corrective signals and will respond to a sharp vocal tone the first time, every time. She is very eager to please.

March 7, 2022

Greetings!! Miss Maggie has had a terrific first couple of days in foster care! For a pup who spent her first two years with her sister and littermate, we’ve been pleasantly surprised how easy the separation has been for her. She is affectionate, playful (but not at all overly active or hyper!), curious, and easy going. Since she was an outdoor dog in Mississippi, we weren’t sure what to expect regarding accidents in the house, walking on a leash, or being in the crate. But she has exceeded our expectations in every way!

She only goes to the bathroom outside, and happily waits until we take her. I’m guessing she would ask to go out, but since she’s only been here a few days we’ve just been taking her every couple of hours and even then she sometimes doesn’t even go. She spends nights in the crate so far with no complaint, and will spend up to 9 hours overnight without a peep or a puddle! What’s more is that she doesn’t jump up on people, already knows “leave it” and “sit” for commands, and doesn’t counter surf or even get up on furniture without an invitation.

Walking her on a leash is a bit like what I would imagine walking a squirrel on a leash would be like. She’s into every single smell and sight AND all over the place! But she does not pull or strain at ALL and she is so happy to just be in our company outside. We are going to work on her skills a bit in this area, but she is a fast learner and very, very smart so I know that she will learn to walk by our sides quickly, especially with the help our our resident beagle!

I’ll leave you with a cozy photo from last night… she loves a good snuggle and a nap. Maggie is an absolute gem.