Malcolm Chocolate Labrador Retriever Male 18 Months Old

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Malcolm has been with Foster Mom for exactly two weeks now, but he has fit into the routines and gets along so well with all the other dogs, resident and foster, that it seems like he’s been here forever! He listens exceptionally well to Foster Mom and he obeys sit, down, let’s go out, treat (of course!) stay (though he still needs work on remaining in place until released) and leave it. After meals, if Malcolm finishes before all the other dogs are done eating, he now patiently waits in place.

Malcolm loves to run around the yard, play fetch with a tennis ball, and roughhouse with Enzo, another foster who is a Lab-Pit mix about the same age. He is getting better at tolerating the Gentle Leader head harness, and may be ready to start walking on it in the next day or so. He was not keen on wearing it at first, so Foster Mom focused on getting him used to wearing it in the house, with liberal use of training treats and verbal encouragement.

Despite his former owner’s complaint that he “chewed everything,” while Malcolm has been at Foster Mom’s he has not chewed a single inappropriate item. Providing him with plenty of desirable bones and toys to chew, plus getting a lot more exercise, has squelched that undesirable behavior! The worst he has done is to take the toilet paper roll off the stand in the bathroom and bat it around with his paw…and of course he wouldn’t be a legitimate Labrador Retriever if he hadn’t counter surfed once or twice by now. He came close to stealing Foster Mom’s sandwich, but she caught him nosing up to it just in time!

Malcolm does have a sensitive tummy – so it is important to keep him from eating too many rich and tasty treats or food items like cheese or lunch meats, which can give him the runs! Foster Mom stocked up on Blue Buffalo Grain Free Treats when they were on sale, and he really enjoys them. Though he is content in a crate and goes in willingly for a treat, antler, or the occasional  puzzle toy with a bit of his kibble, Foster Mom has given him free roam of the house when she is home (though he prefers to stay close by her side, or hang with Enzo). At night, he sleeps on Foster Mom’s bed with 2 of her resident dogs. When she goes to work or is out doing errands, he stays in her bedroom with the resident dogs, though he is not usually crated.

This boy will make a wonderful addition to just about any family! He is gentle taking treats, does not jump up or mouth people, is not pushy or overly rowdy around people (he can and does get rowdy with Enzo – then look out!) and Foster Mom would trust him around children (of course, all young children should be supervised at all times around dogs of any size or breed!) who have been taught how to behave around dogs. Because Malcolm is not a “wild and crazy boy,” (when not playing with Enzo!) he would be safe for elderly people, too. Of course, if he is paired with another young male and they are given a chance to play in the house, that’s a different story! Foster Mom makes sure they are ideally outside, or at the very least gated away from her, to avoid a collision with one of their hard bodies or heads!

Because Malcolm is super long and lean, he is able to leap over gates with ease! The only one in Foster Mom’s house that he can’t clear is a 5 foot metal one. Continued work on the command “stay” will help him to respect gates in time. He doesn’t like to be put behind closed doors by himself, therefore it is best for him to be with a human, another dog, or simply crated with a cover over the crate.

Foster Mom has taken him to the vet, where he was nervous and excited, but listened very well, happily stepping up onto the scale to be weighed and the examining table which rises up with the push of a button when Foster Mom offered him a few training treats she brought along. He is excellent in the car – getting in is a snap for this lanky lad and he patiently sits and waits when you open the door before being told he can jump out. Foster Mom has a dog safety harness that keeps him restricted to the back seat, but Malcolm was calm, cool and collected for the whole ride to the vet and home again.

Foster Mom is posting Malcolm as available today! No doubt there will be multiple applications for this highly desirable dog!

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Even though Malcolm has only been at foster mom’s house for 5 days, he has truly been a dream doggy! He’s a bit on the timid or shy side when he first meets a new person, but he can be bribed to approach to take a treat, and then backs slowly off to eat the treat. Squatting down to his level and letting him approach, rather than standing over him and reaching out, will quickly put him at ease. After several treats and gentle scratches under his chin (he becomes anxious when a hand reaches over his head, and will retreat to a safe distance to observe the newcomer) and softly spoken praise using his name, Malcolm will accept a new person and settle happily – though cautiously – for more pats and scratches. He truly is a very affectionate and loving fellow – just needs to gain confidence and build trust before being your best buddy.

Malcolm is super friendly and accepting of other dogs – and that’s a really good thing because Foster Mom has 3 dogs of her own and currently 3 other foster dogs. Because Malcolm has excellent manners when meeting new dogs, he even won over Foster Mom’s prickly and bossy 10-year old, female Rhodesian Ridgeback/Rottweiler within the first 48 hours! He plays very gently and age appropriately with the 16-week old, male foster puppy, a Pit-Boxer mix. Malcolm was very calm and not at all pushy with the 3rd foster dog, a 9-year old, female Beagle who had just had surgery several days before he arrived, and so she accepted him immediately.

Due to the owner’s surrender statement, Foster Mom was fully anticipating that Malcolm would be “problem chewer,“ but so far he has not chewed anything other than the chew bones and stuffed Kongs offered to him. He is crated at night or when Foster Mom is at work 3 days a week, or leaves for errands or appointments. Foster Mom has a friend who comes by midday to let all the dogs out to the yard to potty, stretch their legs, and if so inclined, run around together for awhile. Malcolm readily follows the rest of the pack back into the house when called. He re-enters his crate willingly after a small treat is tossed in ahead. He has not chewed any of the bedding in his crate, and has had no accidents.

Housebroken, quiet as a mouse (Foster Mom has only heard him bark twice, and that was at people he hadn’t yet met coming into the house.) He has not whined, growled, whimpered or fussed in any way about anything! He eats his food in the kitchen alongside 5 of the other 6 dogs, promptly poops after each meal, and pees every time he goes out to the yard.

Sounds like the absolute perfect pup – right? Well, in Foster Mom’s opinion, he is perfect! He certainly is one of the easiest fosters she’s ever taken care of over the many decades she’s volunteered for animal rescues. However, we all have things we need to work on – and for Malcolm – that is walking on a leash. Right now, he pulls like a freight train every which way, but Foster Mom will start training him this weekend to walk on either a Gentle Leader or Freedom Harness, and by the time he’s ready to be adopted, he will be able to claim to be the perfect pup!!!

Click the link to watch the video.

Malcolm playing with Paddington, foster puppy

Stay tuned for more about Malcolm as Foster Mom and the rest of the pack get to know him better as he settles in and gains confidence.

Saturday, July 13, 2019

Foster Mom picked Malcolm up today from the Bucks County SPCA in Quakertown, PA, where he had been surrendered by his owners in mid-June. His medical records state that his owners adopted him from the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society when he was a 3-month old puppy.

As large dogs will do, Malcolm grew rapidly, and in no time at all began chewing everything in sight and chasing the 5 resident cats. Being crated too many hours of the day added to Malcolm’s frustration and with little if any exercise, appropriate training or the use of redirection tactics to stop his chewing, they reached the decision to surrender him.