Milo #8 Black Labrador Retriever Male 17 Months Old ID #3614

Meet Milo!

Milo is a 76 lb, 17-month-old purebred black lab who came to us this week from a canine training center in New Jersey.

He spent most of his early life in Texas (details unknown), and was brought to the area for consideration for training as a police sniffer dog.  However, once he arrived at the trainer’s, it became clear that his background was not as advertised – he had not had any immunizations and was both heartworm and hookworm positive when tested.  Additionally, he did not have the best skill set to become a police dog.  So, the trainer began his medical treatments and asked Brookline for help in finding him a new home.

April 24, 2026

Following a somewhat nervous ride home (he’s not a fan of being in a car), he settled into our home marvelously!  He clearly has not lived in a house before and was initially hesitant, but quickly became comfortable with the main room in our home (but hasn’t worked up the courage yet to explore beyond the first floor of the house).  And he absolutely loves his crate!

He increasingly recognizes his new name, is starting to learn how to sit and stay, and is showing increasing interest in different toys. He is also getting used to walking on leash and taking lots and lots of slow walks around the neighborhood. He has not had any accidents in the house with his many walks, but will need to learn to let us know when he needs to go outside.

He is the only animal in our house, but is welcoming to all the dogs we meet on our walks.  His response to cats is unknown.  He will periodically pay attention to squirrels and bunnies, but is not obsessed with them.

He loves meeting others and is a real “people magnet” on our walks.  He loves attention and has interacted extremely well with others, including children.  He does not jump.

Although he is very food-motivated, he takes treats gently and shows no interest in counter-surfing or trash-diving. He is also comfortable in his crate, on his dog bed, and on the floor, and not that interested in getting on the furniture.  He has not shown significant chewing behavior with minimal attention to objects other than his toys.

His medical issues are unfortunately in flux.  He came to us heartworm positive and was given a non-standard course of doxycycline, but never had a confirmatory test until his vet visit on Tuesday.  This test was negative, so his heartworm status and need for treatment is unclear.  He will need additional testing before we have a more definitive plan in place.

Milo is an amazingly gentle soul who has been wonderful to welcome into our home.  He is extremely well-mannered and eager to learn.  He has a lot of confidence to build, but has had an incredibly good start to his new life!