Pete #3 Black Labrador Retriever Mix Male 3 Years Old ID #3119

Meet Pete!  Pete came to Brookline from the South.  His previous owners had him chained up outside 24/7, and some good Samaritans convinced the owner to release him to them.  Pete was vetted by them, but was still primarily living in an outside kennel.  Now Pete is learning the ropes of living inside at his Brookline foster home.  Please read his blog from the bottom up to learn about his journey.

May 30, 2023

Pete has been having the opportunity to socialize with other dogs at Kamp, which has been wonderful!  He now has a lot of doggy friends and loves running and playing with them. 

The trainer at Kamp has been working hard on his leash skills and he is showing great progress. He’s ready to find his forever home!  He is looking for a home with a fenced yard, and people who are home more than not. 

May 16, 2023

Pete has been meeting quite a few different dogs while he’s here hanging out at Kamp.  He really liked his new friends Jilly and Nala!

He’s been very good Sharing toys and treats with other dogs.

I took Pete on a field trip to a local neighborhood for a walk.  He was awesome!  He even ignored the dogs that were barking at us from some of the houses.  He did a great job in the car as well.  He was such a good boy!

Pete also loves running around the big yard and taking a break from the fun under a shady tree.

April 27, 2023

Pete has been spending some time at Kamp for the last few days, and he is doing really well.  He is very well behaved in his kennel run, and waits quietly to go out.He has been very happy and friendly with all the staff.  The trainer has been working on his leash skills as he likes to pull a bit, especially when he sees a bird!He loves running around the backyard and sniffing all of the scents left by bunnies and squirrels and other dogs.

He’s met some dogs through the fence and has been quite friendly and playful with them.

Pete also loves running in the yard.

February 13, 2023

Hi everyone! I just wanted to tell you all about my weekend. Well, it started Saturday morning when I was really excited ’cause my foster parents were getting ready to go out, and they grabbed the leash, which meant I was going too! So, after I took Foster Dad to the car, he buckled me in, and I decorated the windows really good with my nose for almost the whole ride. We ended up at the store with all the good stuff, and it began with me in a metal tub with a hose. I jumped hearing the hose turn on ’cause it’s a scary noise, but once I felt the warm water, I remembered that I enjoy this. Then Foster Mom and Dad, both rubbed me with sudsy stuff that smelled really good and I was in heaven. Afterwards they dried me off with lots of towels, and then we walked around the store and picked out new treats. On the way home, we stopped for soft pretzels like we always do after we leave that store, and I got a few pieces for being a good boy in the tub. I gotta admit, I smell a whole lot better and no one calls me stinky anymore. I think I look pretty handsome, too. And when we got home, all my blankets got baths and now they smell good too!

Well, Sunday was a fun day too! Foster Mom surprised me with a new stuffy. It was a duck! I was so happy I showed him off all morning!

Then I tore him up, cause that’s what I do with stuffies. It was a lot of fun. They say they have to keep their eyes on me so I don’t eat the stuff. But I just like to get to the prize in the middle. It squeaks!

My comfy bed even got a bath, too. I was very concerned when I saw Foster Mom unzipping and taking the stuff out of my bed. Usually when I take stuff out of things, it doesn’t go back in. I was equally concerned after the bed came back from its bath and I watched foster Mom struggle to put it together again. This was not going well. Then Foster Dad stepped in to help and put it on the floor for me, but it was wrong side out! He tried to pass it off by putting a soft pad in the middle, but I knew right away it was wrong and rejected it. Finally Foster Mom figured out how to get the fluffy part up and I was happy again. Scary moments.

Well after all that work, I was exhausted. It was definitely time for a nap. But Foster Mom kept bugging me about some mess?

I decided to rest by myself instead in my clean comfy bed. I felt it was necessary so I could be prepared for the “Game” I kept hearing about all day. Foster Mom tried to put me in a T-shirt with a green bird to celebrate, but I rejected that, too. I love birds. I do NOT love shirts.

Well one thing’s for sure. I now know how to spell that bird’s name because I heard it all day long. Along with lots of yells and claps and dancing. And then it got a lot quieter. Very quiet. And then we went to bed earlier than usual, which was fine by me ’cause I was exhausted. Anyway, hope you all had a good weekend, too!

February 2, 2023

Hi All!

Nothing much new to report here. Just that I am still waiting for my forever home. Here are some pictures of me to enjoy!

Here’s me trying to patiently wait for breakfast:

Here I am getting morning scratches from Foster Dad:

Foster Mom took this one when I was embarrassed ’cause the cat commercial got me again.

Here’s me trying to tell Foster Mom that it is two minutes past the time she normally clocks out. What is she doing this late?

Here I am getting excited for Dinnertime!

Well, they tell me it’s supposed to be cold the next few days so I will be looking for extra snuggles for sure!  Hope you all have a snuggly weekend too!

Love, Pete

January 21, 2023

Hi All!

Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays! I must have been such a good boy because I got so many treats. Foster Parents said I couldn’t eat them all at once, which was slightly disappointing, but I also got a brand-new bone and new stuffy to keep me busy! I’d show you a picture but he is kind of in pieces now and I can’t find them all. I love to get the fluffy stuff out and decorate the living room with it!

Christmas was fun, but I love my everyday life too. Every morning when the room starts to get light and I hear music next to Foster Mom’s bed, I ask Foster Mom to please let me out of the crate. Foster Mom taught me it’s more appropriate to step out and sit for pets rather than fly out and jump around in circles.

I thought she would appreciate how excited I was to see her but I guess I overdid it. But once she opens that bedroom door, I can’t help myself. I’m so excited to start the day. I then make the run across the other side of the house to see Foster Dad in his office. He told me it’s ok if I don’t knock, I can just open the door and come right in. After pets I ask Foster Mom to take me outside to do business. When I come back in, I hope Foster Dad has a banana because he usually shares and I love bananas! Then Foster Dad goes back to his office or leaves for work and I hang out on the sofa while Foster Mom works.  This part of the day is boring but Foster Mom takes breaks to make sure I have breakfast, take potty breaks, and get enough pets. I get to listen to the music or the tv too, which I like, except for this one stupid commercial with cats that really freaks me out. I always think they’re in here or outside the window and I run all over trying to find them!

After work is dinner time for everyone and then at night, I get lots of pets and snuggles. My favorite is when Foster Mom scratches between my shoulder blades so I make sure to scooch over enough every night so she can reach. I love pets but Foster Mom says I get too pushy sometimes and she will pull her hands away if I try to push them with my nose too hard. Then I like to relax on my own as it gets later and take a pre-bedtime nap until foster parents say it’s bedtime, and I go out to potty and then right to crate.

My foster parents say once the vet says it’s ok, there is even more to life than all this good stuff! Like lots of walks and playing ball, and running around a yard! It all sounds fun! But right now, I’m still not supposed to run around and I have to be calm while my treatments work for my heartworms. It’s hard sometimes because I have some energy, and I would love to run all over. But for now, I will listen to my foster parents and love all my pets and snuggles.

As far as my health goes…well I feel just fine. My injections are done now. Thank goodness for that. They told me at the doctor that I was such a good boy, but I didn’t like those at all. They hurt, and not just the normal pinch of a regular shot, but hurt for days. Foster Mom now has to give me a topical medicine to help finish off these heartworms, which doesn’t sound great either, but much better than a big needle in my back. I have to go for another test in a month to see if it works, but it might take a few months in a row of this medicine. Well, I hope it does work and all the hard stuff is over!

I’m hoping to have my forever home soon and here are some things you should know. I’m still kind of unsure about strangers and may need some time to warm up to you. Just like I needed time to warm up to my foster parents! I love them so much now, but they had to be patient while I got used to being here before I could get to know them. I don’t think I want to live with another dog. I’ve been the only one for a while now and I’d rather have all my treats and toys and especially all the love just for me. Foster Dad says I’m “spoiled”. That sounds like a not nice thing to say, but I don’t care cause I’m a happy boy! Foster Mom says judging by my reaction to the every-morning cat commercial, and also when I see squirrels in the yard, I probably shouldn’t live with cats either. I still have some manners to work on but my foster parents say I am a good boy for being young and not allowed to get my exercise, and I learn fast and like to make my humans happy and love treats so all these things are good too! Anyway, I got to go now. I’m sick of Foster Mom typing my story when she could be petting me instead!

December 4, 2022

Pete had been doing well since his first heartworm treatment. The soreness from his injection was obvious for a few days, and probably lingered for about a week. Then he was quickly back to his happy self. Pete is still happy to relax on the couch most of the day while Foster Mom works at a desk behind him. He still loves to pop over and say Hi every once in a while, staring with the cutest, most hopeful eyes to ask for some love. One day, his happy little tail knocked some paper on the floor, and he even picked up a folded-up list in his mouth and walked back over proudly to hand it back. Pete definitely has a cuteness factor that’s hard to resist.

With the help of a mild sedative, Pete has been staying calm for the most part, although sometimes the boredom seems to get to him, and he gets a bit antsy for extra attention. He does get a few minutes of entertainment from his Lick Mat and a new toy puzzle.

And when all else fails he goes to town chewing on his favorite bone. After some fun with these activities in the evening, he’ll hop on the couch with tired eyes and take a nap. As the night goes on Pete will start snoring.

Sometimes he and foster dad seem to be having a competition. Pete is still sleeping just fine in his crate every night, and by bedtime he actually runs excitedly into it. One night, the poor guy didn’t even notice the door had been closed, but didn’t seem too phased after bouncing off of it. He also doesn’t hesitate to run into the crate if we need to leave the house. However, after Pete has completed his treatments, it wouldn’t be out of the question to start working up to free roam if that is preferred. He is left unsupervised some days while foster Mom showers. Although he will occasionally whine outside the bathroom door, most days he will just lay on the couch and doesn’t get into any trouble while on his own.

Pete is scheduled for his second heartworm treatment around mid-December. This will be an overnight stay as the vet will administer an injection two days in a row. The injections are painful, so we are hoping Pete has another quick recovery after this. Fingers crossed that this resolves the issue so Pete can move forward living a happy active life in his forever home.

November 15, 2022

Pete had his vet appointment on Friday. He was an angel in the lobby while we sat and waited for a tech to bring him back, patiently sitting when told, and happily accepting praise and compliments from other dog parents. Although Pete can really make a ruckus when dogs pass by the house, at the vet office he just quietly observes and sometimes ignores the dogs around him. He was even very pleasant to both a small dog that leaned up to his face for some sniffs and a very large lab that wanted a big wet kiss. And when we told him what a good boy he was, he just smiled proudly and did a happy little tap dance.

Little did poor Pete know that this was not going to be a fun experience. We left Pete in the care of the vet for his first heartworm injection, followed by several hours of observation. They said he did very well and was wiggling and wagging his tail when he saw his leash and harness, clearly ready to go home.

We took Pete home along with an assortment of pill bottles. In addition to pain medicine for the first several days, a schedule of Prednisone must be administered during treatment periods as well. The first night Pete seemed to be very sore. He has a shaved patch on his lower back where they administered the injection. The injections need to go deep into the muscles so this can be painful. Pete had such a hard time getting comfortable because it was difficult for him to lay down and to get back up. He mostly whimpered and sat, gladly accepting love and snuggles, until finally the pain meds and probably exhaustion helped him fall asleep. At bedtime, he made a beeline for his crate where he slept quietly all night.

The next morning it was a surprise to see Pete pop up when he heard movement and wag his tail in the crate. We could tell he still had some soreness, but still had his same old happy face on and was ready to start his day.

Now the challenge will be making sure Pete stays calm and rested while the injections work to kill the heartworms. This means Pete has to be taken outside on a leash in the yard because he cannot be running around. We have been practicing the couch potato life for this, so hopefully with the help of some light sedatives we can help to keep Pete laying down relaxed instead of running around the house or jumping on and off the couch to follow us around.

So far so good. Foster dad bought Pete a brand-new bone that he is loving and Pete is always happy to curl up for some snuggles. Pete appreciates any positive vibes that can be thrown his way while he goes through this treatment. Hopefully before he knows it, he will be able to be a regular dog again, so he can get back to running in the yard, playing ball, and chasing squirrels.

October 28, 2022

Pete is still waiting for his forever home to come along. With limited activity restrictions, Pete is doing a good job of learning to get used to the boring life. He is patient and quiet during work hours, although can often be heard snoring on the couch.

He will often entertain himself with a toy or bone.

Who knew this sofa came with built-in bone holders?

Pete has been practicing his listening skills a lot, too, which breaks up his day and also provides some entertainment around the house.

Pete has also been working on his acting/modeling skills. Don’t let all his serious face poses fool you. This boy is a goofball at heart.

Pete is looking for an adopter who will be willing to help him through his heartworm treatments and in turn he will shower you with love and affection. Once he is healthy, Pete looks forward to being a fun-loving, playful and active young dog.

October 13, 2022

The Pete Pose

October 11, 2022

I Sweet Pete is still waiting for someone to come along and give him a happy forever home. But until then he is joyfully soaking up as much love and attention as possible in foster care.

Pete’s good news is that aside from his heartworm positive diagnosis, his other tests from his vet visit showed no evidence of parasites or tickborne illnesses. Yesterday, Pete took his last dose of antibiotics, so he will have a thirty-day break before more heartworm treatment is required.

Pete has a loveable personality that comes with a beautiful smile and happy dancy feet. He has so much joy, it’s difficult to tell there is anything wrong at all. An occasional cough is the only visible symptom at this point.

Pete is so much fun to have around and enjoys being close to his humans. He loves to be hugged and held and snuggled and he will do his best to get under your arms and into your lap to have your undivided attention. He does understand no, off, sit, and settle cues when you have had enough, but might throw a paw at your phone or computer mouse in protest. His sweet face is so hard to resist sometimes, especially when it pops up out of nowhere, wondering what you are paying your attention to that is more important than him.

Pete is quiet for a good part of the day, though and will often turn to chewing on a bone for entertainment. He also thoroughly enjoys his new lick mat with peanut butter, which gives him several minutes of good work to keep him busy.

Pete is a comedian at heart and a happy fun-loving boy who will just need some TLC to get started in his new life. Hoping this sweet boy gets his chance to share all his love with a forever family soon

September 30, 2022

September 27, 2022

Pete continues to show more and more of his personality every day. He is such a sweet boy and a total goofball. The manners definitely need some work but he is starting to learn. Pete is very smart, but has a lot of excitement so his listening skills are not always a match for his young lab enthusiasm.

Pete has picked up some things we have been working hard on though. Our Stay and Come exercises have been a little rough because he’s so eager to be right on top of you and so eager for the treats, that result is a wiggly dog scooching his butt across the floor with every step I take back. He does come when called though…sometimes with some gusto. Pete needs to be on mild activity right now, so if he starts getting too excited and looks like he’s about to get the zoomies we have worked on the command “Settle”…which some days we have to use more than others. Thankfully this dog loves to be touched so when we say Settle and hold out our arms, he will throw on the brakes and quickly sit down and wiggle around for pets. This can calm him down pretty quickly. Pete also has to work on his jumping, but thankfully he does not jump on us. He basically just jumps for joy…. sometimes with all four paws off the ground. But when we say a firm NO and SIT, or SETTLE he will immediately sit so poised we almost wait for a salute.

Pete went to the vet this weekend and was a very good patient. He passed the other dogs in the office with nothing more than a sniff hello, and was happy to make friends with the doctor and staff. Pete is still currently in the first 30 days of heartworm treatment so we are continuing to give him his antibiotic twice daily. After that he will have a 30-day break. 61 days after his first antibiotic, he will need to return to the vet for his first injection. However, the doctor said his heart sounds good and found nothing concerning at this point. We are just waiting for lab work to make sure there are no additional issues, but otherwise it was a good visit.

Pete has been doing a much better job of spending the day resting. Foster Mom moved her workspace to the living room and Pete discovered that the sofa provides high quality resting space. He now enjoys relaxing to music for most of the day….and Foster Mom is enjoying more peaceful workdays.

Pete has also grown fond of Foster Dad and is even now excited when he comes home from work. A great improvement from originally not even wanting to be in the same room with him.

At night Pete likes to curl up close on the couch for some tv. Sometimes a bit too close, and then we need to set boundaries or else have bony elbows digging in to our legs. But whether he is feeling relaxed, funny, or even a little mischievous, Pete has the sweetest face and absolutely loves to be loved. He is hilarious and entertaining, and always wants to be close. Pete is going to have a great life once he gets healthy and hopes to find a forever family who will shower him with the love and affection, he always dreamed of having.

September 18, 2022

Sweet Pete has been in foster care for just over a week now and is definitely more comfortable in his surroundings. Although he is attached to Foster Mom, he is becoming more comfortable seeking out pets from Foster Dad. Pete hops around most of the day with a big goofy smile and lots of enthusiasm for his new life.

Pete can be nudgy for attention, most likely because it is still new to him. He loves to shower Foster Mom with kisses and snuggle into her lap. We are working on boundaries so he doesn’t get used to being attached 24/7.

He will take some independent time to play with his toys, but is not interested yet in the food dispenser toy. He loves his Nylabone and making a project out of trying to unstuff his stuffed toy. Sometimes he has tough time deciding where to enjoy his treasured toys.

September 12, 2022

Today was Pete’s first work from home with Foster Mom Day. Pete was not thrilled. When Foster Dad left, Pete apparently thought Foster Mom was going to be his playmate all day long! He suddenly became quite comfortable hopping around the house and it was very hard to disappoint him, especially when every time I turned around, Pete was looking up at me with a big goofy smile.

At times he even became a bit jumpy and excited, and had to be corrected. The good news is, even though Pete became so excited at times that he could barely contain his adorable wiggly body, he does seem eager to please, so he will quickly revert to a soldier sit in a second. Pete’s wiggles really added some comedy to another boring day at work.

When Foster Dad came home, Pete was back to a quiet little guy and would sit with an innocent look on his face as if he hadn’t moved an inch from his bed in the living room all day long.

Foster Dad has been making sure to pay attention to Pete and hand feed him treats and kibble to make sure he feels comfortable around him. Pete gladly accepts the treats and calmly sits next to Foster Dad for pets instead of trying to climb in his lap. It has been very interesting to witness the different dynamics so far.

Pete’s digestive system was a little overactive today, most likely due to the antibiotics, but he did easily take the pills stuck in soft treat again today, so that definitely makes it a whole lot easier. Today we tried getting Pete interested in the food dispenser toy, but he didn’t care much about it. Tomorrow maybe we will try to entertain him with a Kong instead. Pete eats just fine, but does not get overly excited about his meals so far.  We still have to tell him that dinner is served! Tonight, was the first night that Pete was interested in what was being cooked in the kitchen, but after a few firm No’s, Pete found a rug to curl up on instead. Much different than the many dogs we have tripped over in the kitchen! Pete has also not started begging for food yet, so we actually get to eat dinner peacefully. We will keep a close eye though, since we did catch the little guy tip toeing away from the kitchen carrying a goody bag of treats, which he promptly turned over when he was caught in the act.

We look forward to having some new adventures with Pete to share soon!

September 11, 2022

Pete slept quietly in his crate the whole night. This morning, he was reluctant to come out of the bedroom and still a bit nervous. But throughout the morning, with some food, treats, and pets, he warmed up a little bit. The crate seems to be his safe spot, and that’s where he spent the majority of the day and night yesterday, but we want Pete to learn to feel comfortable in the main area of the house as well. Today, we alternated between coaxing him into the living room and closing the bedroom door, then later opening the door and allowing Pete time to go back to the crate and decompress. He also spent a good part of the day laying by the front door, but was comfortable enough to visit in the living room a few times to relax on his bed and watch some football.

Pete was an owner surrender and was kept outside by his previous owner so we expect it will take some time to adjust to life inside. Pete received some updated vetting in foster care in Mississippi, where he also tested positive for heartworm. He was prescribed a 30-day antibiotic as the first step in treating the heartworms which he started today. So, at breakfast and dinner, Pete took a pill stuffed in a treat with absolutely no argument.

It’s pretty clear that Pete has not experienced much playtime in his three years, but he was very excited to receive some toys from his Brookline welcome box, even if he wasn’t quite sure what to do with them.

By the afternoon he was dancing around with a bone and trying to figure out how to fit both tennis balls in his mouth at the same time! Although he’s still a bit of a nervous boy, Pete is very sweet and quirky, and we look forward to seeing more of his personality come out.

September 10, 2022

Today, Sweet 53 pound Pete completed his long journey from Mississippi to Pennsylvania to join Brookline. Pete hesitantly stepped out of his transport bus where we were waiting to take him to our foster home. He was very quiet on the car ride home and sat briefly looking out the window.  He then decided that laying down was the better option and started nodding off in the back seat.

When we arrived home, Pete tip toed around the house curiously, checking out his new surroundings with his sniffer in full gear. In the backyard, Pete found even more wonderful smells to take in, and then properly did his business. Back inside, Pete was offered some treats for doing his business outside, and immediately sat down when he smelled them. What a good boy!

We showed Pete around and introduced him to the crate, the dog bed, and water and food bowls. He discovered the view by the front door is a pretty good one, and laying down on the rug is not a bad place to be. After a little while, the poor boy retreated to the bedroom and walked right into his crate, obviously exhausted and maybe a bit overwhelmed from this day’s adventures. He was ready for a nice long nap. He made an appearance in the evening and, with some encouragement, enjoyed his dinner. After going outside again, he headed back to his crate to catch up on some much-needed rest.

So far, Pete is a sweet southern gentleman for a 3-year-old boy. We will see if his impressive manners carry over in the days and weeks to come! We can’t wait to learn more about this handsome boy. Check in soon for more updates on Pete!