Shirley Yellow Labrador Retriever Female 8 Years Old ID #3831

Meet Shirley!  Shirley is an 8-9 year old, 85 lb yellow pure bred Labrador. She is good with other dogs on the farm and has been around children without issue. She should not be placed with cats or other small animals as she does have a prey drive for chickens and small animals. Brook my daughter is also in Brookline. Brook’s blog link

July 1, 2026

How has it already been three and a half weeks?

Time has absolutely flown by as Shirley has settled into our home and our daily routine. She no longer feels like “the new foster.” She’s simply part of the family.

One of the biggest changes has been mealtime. Shirley is finally finishing her entire meal of 1½ cups of Purina Weight Management food twice a day. It took a little detective work, but I finally figured out what she wanted. Shirley doesn’t like eating alone! She wants to be able to see the other dogs while she eats, so we’ve arranged everyone’s feeding stations so they’re close enough to keep each other company, but far enough apart that no one can steal anyone else’s dinner. Problem solved!

Shirley has also learned our daily routine. The moment she sees a leash, she knows it’s time for a walk. She walks beautifully alongside our two resident dogs, and every now and then she finds her competitive spirit and pulls ahead to lead the pack.

She also loves meeting other dogs. Whenever we pass one on our walks, she wants to say hello. Unfortunately, Foster Mom is usually juggling three leashes, so we admire from a distance unless it’s a dog we already know, like our friend Lucy from across the street.

At bedtime, Shirley has become quite the little princess. She rotates between sleeping on our bed (yes, she can now jump up all by herself, and it’s a pretty high bed!), sharing the dog bed with Melissa, or stretching out on the cool tile floor.

One night, Foster Dad came upstairs after us and woke me because he couldn’t find Shirley anywhere. We searched the bedroom before I climbed out of bed and headed downstairs. By then, Foster Dad had found her. Smart girl had tucked herself behind the pillows on the comfy bottom bunk. Apparently, she’d decided it was much cozier than the tile floor!

Shirley has also become a little more vocal. She has developed an adorable bark-growl that she uses whenever she’s excited or wants something, especially when it’s time for a walk. I like to think she’s saying, “Come on, lady! Let’s get going!”

This week also brought a few new adventures.

Our first stop was the veterinary office for Shirley’s booster vaccination. All three dogs waited patiently, and then the veterinary technician whisked Shirley away for her weigh-in.

The results were worth celebrating!

Just three weeks ago, Shirley tipped the scales at 82 pounds. This week she weighed in at 74.58 pounds. That’s more than seven pounds gone! Good girl, Shirley! It just goes to show that a healthy diet, regular exercise, and consistency really do make a difference.

June 16, 2026

Shirley has officially been in foster care for 10 days, and what a joy she has been!

She has settled into our routine beautifully and has quickly become a favorite walking companion. Shirley walks like a dream on a leash and enjoys her daily outings with the resident dogs. We head out four times a day, keeping the pace slow and comfortable for her, with each walk lasting about 20 minutes. Between the exercise and her weight management food, Shirley is already making progress toward her fitness goals. Her ideal weight is around 65 pounds, and while we want her to lose weight gradually and safely, I swear I’m already seeing the beginnings of a waistline!

One thing we’ve discovered is that Shirley is a bit of a picky eater. Unlike my resident dogs, who approach every meal as if they’ve never been fed before, Shirley prefers to graze. Because of this, I have to separate her during meals or the resident dogs would happily take care of any leftovers for her.

I sometimes wonder if she misses eating with other dogs. She was likely accustomed to communal meals on the farm, and eating alone may feel a little strange. To encourage her appetite, I’ve started adding a splash of chicken bone broth to her food, and occasionally I resort to hand-feeding her to help her finish her meal. We’re aiming for a healthy weight loss of about two pounds per week, so making sure she eats enough while still slimming down is a balancing act.

When she’s not out on a walk, Shirley’s favorite activities are simple: following me from room to room, soaking up attention, and claiming her spot on the sofa for a good nap.

At night, she sleeps peacefully either in a dog bed or stretched out on the cool tile floor in our bedroom.

We also received some long-awaited news from the veterinarian. After what felt like forever (actually about a week!), the test results finally came back. Shirley’s bloodwork looked good, her heartworm test was negative, and her fecal test was negative as well. Best of all, the vet considers her an overall healthy girl.

As soon as I got the good news, I gave her monthly heartworm preventative and called to schedule her spay surgery. The veterinary practice reserves Wednesdays for rescue spays and stays quite busy, so the first available appointment is July 15th. Until then, we’ll continue enjoying Shirley’s company while helping her become leaner, stronger, and healthier before surgery.

Of course, no Shirley update would be complete without mentioning another new adventure.

We recently introduced her to the bay and thought she might enjoy a swim. Lance certainly did—he happily paddled around on a 50-foot lead exploring the water. Shirley, however, had a different plan. She carefully stepped into the water, stood near the shoreline, dunked her head a few times, and decided that was quite enough swimming for one day. Apparently, Shirley prefers to admire the water rather than immerse herself in it!

Finally, Shirley has officially joined social media. If you’d like to follow along with her daily adventures, beach walks, sofa naps, weight-loss journey, and all the little moments in between, be sure to follow her Instagram account:  @shirleyattheseashore

Thank you for cheering Shirley on as she continues her journey toward finding her forever family. Every day she becomes a little more comfortable, a little more confident, and a little more convinced that sofas may be one of life’s greatest inventions.

June 8, 2026

Shirley had a wonderfully chill day yesterday, spending much of it napping on the deck with our other dogs. She slept peacefully in her crate overnight, although she was a little more hesitant to go in this time. I think she’s starting to wonder why the resident dogs get to head upstairs while she stays behind. Smart girl!

This morning, Shirley surprised me in more ways than one. As soon as the leashes came out for our morning walk, she let out a couple of barks. For such a petite yellow Lab, her bark is much deeper than I expected.

One of the highlights of the morning was watching Shirley experience the beach. We don’t know much about her life on the farm, but judging by her reaction, this may have been her first trip to the shoreline. The wind blew her floppy ears back, she lifted her nose to take in all the new scents, and she seemed to wear the biggest smile on her face. It was impossible not to smile right along with her.

She also had another first on our walk—she pooped while on leash. Still no pee, though, and I was starting to get concerned. We came home, and Shirley ate breakfast. She never quite finishes her meal, which makes me suspect she may have been more of a grazer on the farm. Unfortunately, my dogs are enthusiastic members of the clean-plate club, so I have to keep them separated while she eats. Even then, she seems to lose interest before she’s done. Hopefully that will improve as she settles in. While Shirley does need to lose weight, we don’t want those pounds coming off too quickly.

Then came another surprise. While I was using the outdoor shower and Shirley was hanging out in the yard with Melissa, I came out just in time to see her finally relieving herself. Good girl, Shirley! I can’t tell you how relieved I was to see that.

Next up was Shirley’s veterinary appointment. She only needed a little boost to get into the back seat and was a perfect passenger for the 30-minute ride. She never fully settled down, but quietly watched the world go by through the windows the entire trip.

At the vet’s office, Shirley was calm and cooperative. The scale told the story we’ve already suspected—she weighs 82 pounds, while her ideal weight is closer to 65. We have some work ahead of us, but we’re on the right track with slow, gentle walks and weight-management food.

The veterinarian confirmed that Shirley is definitely arthritic, although he didn’t feel X-rays were necessary since her symptoms are consistent with age-related arthritis. He agreed that starting her on Dasuquin MSM was a good first step. If weight loss and supplements don’t provide enough relief, we can explore additional therapies and pain-management options down the road.

Today’s visit was a busy one. Shirley received her vaccines, was microchipped, had bloodwork drawn, underwent a 4DX test, and submitted a fecal sample. Once all of her results come back, the vet agrees that we should move forward with scheduling her spay surgery.

One final observation from Day 2: Shirley is absolutely convinced that sofas are among life’s greatest inventions. Given the opportunity, she happily climbs up to snooze alongside the other dogs. After years of farm life, she seems determined to make up for lost couch time.

Another day, another little glimpse of Shirley’s personality. She’s settling in, finding her confidence, and reminding us that every foster dog has a story to tell.

June 7, 2026

Welcome to the Beach, Shirley!

Yesterday marked the beginning of a brand-new chapter for Brookline foster dog Shirley, a beautiful yellow Lab estimated to be about 8–9 years old. Her exact age is anyone’s guess—the farmer she came from never seemed too concerned with details like that.

Meet Shirley!  Shirley is an 8-9 year old, 85 lb yellow pure bred Labrador. She is good with other dogs on the farm and has been around children without issue. She should not be placed with cats or other small animals as she does have a prey drive for chickens and small animals.

What we do know is that Shirley spent her life as a breeder mama, raising litter after litter over the years. She even had a “whoopsie” litter two years ago with a neighbor’s Pointer. But yesterday, Shirley left farm life behind and headed toward something completely different: life at the beach.

Her journey began when Brookline volunteer Deb picked her up from the farm. Shirley had just received a bath from the farmer and was still soaking wet when Deb arrived. Thankfully, the farmer helped load Shirley into the car because vehicles are a completely new experience for her, and there was no chance she was hopping in on her own!

After a peaceful 90-minute ride—during which Shirley snoozed the entire way—Deb met fellow Brookline volunteer Martha for the next leg of the trip. Martha transferred a still-damp Shirley into the back of her SUV and continued the journey to the shore. Shirley was the perfect passenger, never making a peep.

When they arrived at Foster Mom and Dad’s home, Shirley immediately showed what a sweet girl she is. She happily accepted pets and wagged her tail through the fence at resident dogs Lance, an 8½-year-old former foster who recently became a permanent family member, and Melissa, another foster-fail adoption from two years ago. All three dogs greeted each other politely through the fence with wagging tails and good manners.

Shirley then headed into the backyard to explore her new surroundings. Everything was unfamiliar, including the stone pathways that she crossed very carefully. She gratefully drank some water while Foster Dad stayed outside with her as Foster Mom took Lance and Melissa for their walk.

Although sweet and gentle, Shirley was understandably nervous. She whined a little, so we tried taking her for a walk, but there was no potty success. Back in the yard, she wandered around while Foster Mom and Dad relaxed on the deck, giving her space to decompress.

Then came our first Shirley adventure.

The backyard gate is securely tied shut from the opposite side, but apparently Shirley had other plans. Suddenly we heard a loud crack. Ms. Shirley had run directly into the fence, breaking a board in what we can only assume was an attempt to head back home. We’re still not sure how she planned to make it all the way back to the farm, but her determination was impressive! We reassured her that everything was okay and that she was safe.

After several hours of exploring and processing all the changes in her life, Shirley finally settled down and crashed on the deck.

Since all interactions with the resident dogs had been positive, we allowed the pack to spend time together. Not a single raised hair, growl, or grumble. The three dogs simply relaxed peacefully in each other’s company.

Shirley also made another important discovery: couches are comfortable.

At dinner time, she ate a small meal, with Foster Mom hand-feeding her part of it because, admittedly, Foster Mom is a sucker. As bedtime approached, Shirley quietly entered her cozy crate and slept soundly through the entire night—even during a loud thunderstorm.

This morning began with all three dogs heading out for a walk together. Despite being a little creaky in her joints, Shirley happily joined the group and walked right behind Foster Mom. She still hasn’t done any potty business, which is starting to make Foster Mom nervous, but experienced farm-dog fosters know these dogs often seem to have bladders made of steel.

One thing we’ve noticed is that Shirley isn’t a fan of passing vehicles. She flinches when cars go by, but fortunately life at the beach is relatively quiet, which should help her gain confidence.

Back at home, breakfast was served. Shirley enjoyed her meal al fresco on the back deck so we could monitor for any food-guarding behaviors. There were none. She ate slowly and politely. Foster Mom eventually hand-fed her a little more to encourage her along. Shirley is currently on a weight-management diet to help shed some extra pounds and reduce stress on her joints. Last night she also started joint supplements, and we’re hopeful both will help her become more comfortable.

Then Shirley surprised us.

After breakfast, Foster Mom headed upstairs to switch the laundry. Much to her surprise, Shirley followed Lance and Melissa up the stairs—and then back down again. Good girl, Shirley!

As I write this, all three dogs are relaxing together on the deck.

We’ve also noticed some scars on Shirley’s muzzle. Whether they came from chickens, another dog, or some other part of her past, we may never know. What we do know is that she is now surrounded by people who care about her and are committed to showing her what the good life looks like.

Tomorrow is Shirley’s veterinary appointment, so stay tuned for her report. We can’t wait to learn more about this sweet girl as she settles into her new life, one day at a time.