Darlene's brother, JB (adopted) can also be seen on our website.

Description:

Foster update 8/28/2015:

Social Interaction: Darlene has been with us for awhile now, and has lived a 50 lb adult dog, my 7 yr old nephew, and house filled with ten relatives, as well as another more hyper puppy that she loved to run with, but after a while needed to hide from!  And now, for the second time, she's alone with me and my two kids. 

   Adaptability: She is the most flexible and easygoing dog!  No matter what, she's happy.  These days she's sleeping in my daughter's bed and having a bit more freedom to roam the house.  She still goes in her crate when we are not home or just can’t watch her.  We’ve discovered that she loves to chase the Frisbee, and I’m trying to teach her to bring it back.  Her other favorite toy is the rope toy.  She likes all kinds of treats or snacks (even the “healthy” peanut butter dog bones that no other dogs like!).

   Activity level: She’s very athletic: I’ve watched her run around with several different dogs, and she’s always the fastest.  She takes corners like she’s on rails, and she doubles back, feints, and changes course even at top speed.  She’s likes to jump, too.  She goes up and over the picnic table in turbo mode, and there are some stairs in our backyard that she also likes to sprint up and down.  It seems like she would be very good in agility training.

   Affection: She’s still a super sweet lover, too.  Excited to see everyone who walks in the door, she can’t wait to be petted.  As happy and active as she is, when you pet her under her chin, she still melts into a puddle on the floor at your feet!

Foster Update 8/10/15:

Darlene is doing great, growing into a feisty, loyal, eager to please puppy.  We’ve found her favorite scratching spot, under her chin.  She likes to sit right at your feet with her back to you, then she stretches her neck up until her nose is pointing at the ceiling so you can scratch her in the sweet spot on the bottom of her neck. Then she kind of leans into you and slips down toward the ground like it feels so good, she’s melting!  She is most interested in attention from people, over pretty much anything else.  When she goes out to potty, she will pause to get petted first, and then run off to relieve herself. 

We were worried that she would be lonely when her brother got adopted, but instead she’s just been soaking up all the extra attention.  She loves playing with other dogs, but she loves people more!  She still goes happily into her crate, and doesn’t cry for attention while she’s in the crate, even though she is alone in her crate now.  We get her out more often now, and she spends more time loose in the house.  She hasn’t had any accidents, but we have been very careful and watchful.  She is not done housebreaking, but she’s getting there.  We’ve been letting her sit on the sofa, and it’s her idea of paradise to sprawl across a lap and get scratched while watching TV.  She is learning not to jump on people, and my daughter has taught her “sit” and “down.”

Darlene was very dominant to her brother, and since then she’s had several playdates with another large adult dog.  He tried to dominate her, and she just ran from him until it turned into a game of chase.  She didn’t show any aggression, and made friends with him in the end.  I thought she was very dominant, but now I see her personality is more versatile, and I expect her to get along with a wide range of other dogs.

Foster Update 7/28/15: If you give Darlene a chance, she will always want to be close to you.  She does love to run and play, and she will stay in her crate without crying, but if she has access to you, she’ll be right on top of you.  She thinks she’s a lap dog, and loves to drape herself over your limbs.  I kind of hope she goes to someone who will allow her to sit with them on the couch or even go in their bed, because she will love that.  We don’t allow the puppies to roam inside the house, but when we go outside to let them play, she always climbs up to where we are sitting on the picnic table to chill right next to her humans.  If we try sitting in a chair while the puppies romp around, Darlene always winds up under the chair.  Whenever she’s wrestling with her brother, she runs over to hide behind the nearest human when things get hairy, but she’s not otherwise meek at all.  In fact, she’s usually the initiator of the wrestling matches, and she teases and teases her brother, pulling on his ears until he chases her.  He’s taller and heavier than her, but she’s the one who decides when it’s time to play, and she always gets the first treat or bite of food.

And, oh, she runs like a bolt of lightning.  She’s little, so you wouldn’t think she can run that fast, but seriously, she’s so fast she’s a little blurry!  She runs around the yard by herself or chasing her brother, and sometimes she wanders around sniffing or stalking lizards.  So far she seems to have no interest in escaping or finding out what’s under the fence.

Darlene is a soft fawn color with black markings around her eyes and mouth.  She has a tail that curls in a tight little circle right over her behind (could she have a little pug in her pedigree?).  She’s got socks on both of her front paws that are just one shade lighter than the rest of her and soft floppy ears that are great for petting.

Darlene is crate trained, and doesn’t mess in her crate.  She’s a quick learner when you use a consistent routine.  When we take her out, she runs right out to the yard, does her business, then comes back from playing when she is called.  When she’s inside, she stays right with you when she’s not in the crate, and she goes to the crate when you tell her “crate.” She does like to jump up on people (she is just always very excited to see you and be around you), so we’ve been working on getting her to stop that.

*** According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, the Labrador Retriever is a loving, affectionate, lovable, patient dog. Once known as the "St John's Dogs," the Labrador Retriever is one of the most popular breeds in the United States. Originally from Newfoundland, Canada the Labrador was trained to jump overboard into the icy waters to haul fisherman's nets to shore. Specimens were brought to England in the 1800's by English ships coming from Labrador, where the dog's fine retrieving instincts were honed and developed. One of the best family dogs and canine companions because of their gentle, loving disposition, the highly trainable Labrador also excels in drug detection, as a guide for the blind, and service dog for the disabled. The breed is also an outstanding obedience and field trial competitor. Highly intelligent, loyal, willing, and high-spirited. Lively and good-natured, they love to play, especially in water - for they love to swim. They have an excellent, reliable, temperament and are friendly, superb with children and equable with other dogs. They crave human attention and need to feel as though they are part of the family. Labs are easily trained. These dogs are watchdogs, not guard dogs, although some have been known to guard. They have a life expectancy of 10-12 years.