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  1. #1
    House Broken Murrisha's Avatar
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    Proud new lab owner!

    Just adopted a 14-month-old, handsome, yellow boy from the local humane society. After a lot of research over dog breeds I was looking for a large, sporty dog that loved water, would be active, good with kids, friendly with other animals, and sweet, I was hooked on getting a lab. We checked out the lab rescue groups nearby but I couldn't meet their time demands for viewing and visiting the dogs before adopting (I know it's important and done for a reason, but I am in school and just couldn't make that work). We decided to stop by the humane society one afternoon and found Teller. After spending time playing with him in the dog run, we decided he was the perfect pup. Then we learned he had been returned twice already in his short life, not through any fault of his own (medical or behavioral) but because neither owner could deal with having a puppy around and the one before us left him outside for 12 1/2 hours a day in the hot GA summer. He returned to the humane society 10 lbs lighter and with demodetic mange 2 months later. Thankfully he got treated and cleared for demodex and has gained 5 lbs back since we got him a few weeks ago. We are absolutely in love with Teller (despite his sky-high energy level, lol) and he is proving to be a fast learner and great dog. He already knows sit, stay, and lay down. In addition to that, his previously difficult life seems to have had no impact on him as he embodies aspect of a lovely lab personality: friendliness, playfulness, and confidence.
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  2. #2
    Senior Dog Abulafia's Avatar
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    Aw, poor boy's been through a lot—and so terrible that he'd been treated so poorly by his previous owners! But it's good that the mange has cleared (meaning his immune system is repairing itself) and that he's gaining weight back. He looks like a healthy young field-type lab with loads of energy. It's good that you're up for that (and so sad when people get a lab not understanding what they are getting).

    Welcome, and best of luck to you both!

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    Murrisha (10-15-2015)

  4. #3
    House Broken Murrisha's Avatar
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    Thanks! I also wanted a dog who I could hunt with, it's an activity that I've wanted to do for a while but I am a city girl, lol. We have a lot of friends that hunt and even train dogs. I've never had an active or large dog but it's really nice to have a puppy that wants to play and go for walks. My Shih Tzu prefers to be carried everywhere and is basically a pet rock with fur. I don't understand why people get puppies when they don't have the time to devote to them. Based on my observations large breed puppies and dogs with a purpose (terriers, working, herding, sporting) tend to be a lot more energetic as puppies and adults than other dog breeds. I am a firm believer in researching a breed before you decide to add a puppy or dog to your family, I've had a bunch of college friends get more than they bargained for when they got puppies they didn't research. Although they all kept the dogs, most of them are terribly behaved or poorly socialized. I initially thought about getting a puppy, but then I remembered what my friends went through and I decided to get an older dog that had some training under its belt.

  5. #4
    Senior Dog Abulafia's Avatar
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    Also, if you are in school, it's probably easier to have an older (though still very young!) dog who has been through potty training and all of the basics. I have a 4.5 month old lab—but when we brought her home I was on break from school (I'm a professor) and could spend time w/ her. Now I'm back at school, but the pup goes to work w/ my husband during the days, so potty and crate training went very smoothly, as she has been able to spend almost all of her time around "her people" in these first months. She's done two obedience classes, another is about to start, and she's also in therapy dog training, and once she is licensed (at a year, assuming she passes the test), I will also bring her to the campus w/ me some days (as a therapy dog, that is). She is an unbelievably funny, sweet, biddable, lovely dog. But to our credit, we shaped our lives around her earliest socialization and training (and continue do so).

    But I have a friend here whose grad student got a lab puppy of the same age. The grad student had no prior experience w/ dogs, and lives in an apartment. I think the puppy is doing... Ok, but clearly the student didn't know what she was in for. She finally reached out to me for advice w/ puppy classes (and I hope she took my advice!). My friend who has met the dog said that the dog could use a bit more obedience (not unexpected w/ a lab puppy).

    Luckily, if the grad student's puppy "doesn't work out," my colleague—who has an older black lab male himself—will eagerly take him. Heck, my colleague constantly asks me if he can "watch" my dog... when she doesn't need watching! So the grad student's pup will be fine, but I agree—I think a lot of people (and students) want a puppy, get a puppy and then realize it's a lot more work than they'd expected.

  6. #5
    House Broken Mporche's Avatar
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    What a beautiful boy! He's very lucky to have found you What part of Georgia are you in? I'm on Cumming, just north of Atlanta.

  7. #6
    House Broken Murrisha's Avatar
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    Thanks so much! My boyfriend and I were in awe that he hadn't found a forever home sooner. I mean he is VERY active. I cannot stress that last part enough. I swear if they could find his power source and harness it, there would be no more energy crisis, lol. But, that's no different from any healthy pup, I would be more concerned by a large breed puppy that wasn't wild. In addition he's a good-looking boy and extremely friendly; no aggression towards people, animals, or anything. He doesn't dig, bark, sticks to his chew toys, and is housebroken. Although, he has some bad habits in the form of jumping, leash pulling, rough playing, and annoying other animals.

    We live in the Alpharetta area and found him at the Howell Mill Atlanta Humane Society.

  8. #7
    House Broken
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    congrats ...and welcome ....

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    Murrisha (10-15-2015)

  10. #8
    Senior Dog MikeLynn's Avatar
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    Hi, welcome and thank you for giving this handsome boy a forever home.
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    Lynn 5/17/1999 - 7/23/2013
    You shall never be forgotten, my friend

    Mel *6/14/2013
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    Murrisha (10-15-2015)

  12. #9
    Senior Dog BaconsMom's Avatar
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    Welcome and thank you for rescuing your sweet boy! My first lab was a rescue, she was abandoned twice before we gave her a forever home. Please post lots of pictures!!!
    Julie & Jake, Bacon's Humans

    Instagram: @mrbaconthelab


    Born: 9/02/13

    Gotcha: 11/08/13

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    In memory of Lily 1/1995 - 2/2/2012

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  13. #10
    Senior Dog MightyThor's Avatar
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    Welcome! I love that smile - I'm partial to yellow boys. My guy is almost 2 years old and at the peak of crazy teenage labdom, and it has definitely taught me patience!
    Mighty Thor, "So Much Dog", born 1/6/2014
    And baby Barley, born 3/9/2018

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