I gave up Jack to a family this week.

[undeterred]

Jack was the young labrador retriever I rescued a few weeks after Harry dog died at the end of July. He's very friendly and has a great temperament. Never aggressive with any person, including me, or with other dogs. He must have led a sheltered life, as he seemed to have never seen water before - I had him swimming every day.

He was a nightmare to walk on a leash - he pulled me so hard I had to hold on with both hands. He is a smart dog- he learned his name and plenty of commands and would do these at home. But once we were out at the park he would not obey me and sometimes he would walk the opposite way when I called him. He never chewed things when I left him home alone. But a couple of times he picked up my belongings to chew them right in front of me. He was defying me. I did not have the sense that it was working out.

Rather than fight it I decided to try to make the situation better for him. I advertised for a new home for Jack on Craigslist. I said no to the single mom with 3 kids because although Jack is great with children, he requires the full attention of an adult at all times. A woman with 40 acres and a pond turned me down when I told her that he does not reliably come when he is called. Then I heard from a couple with two young children and an 8 year old lab who were interested even after I told them about his behavior problems. They had raised their lab from a puppy and felt like they could handle him.

Jack got along famously with their 8 year old lab and their children and they wanted him. Now he has another dog to play with all day and four people to get attention from. They have a local dog park with a pond. I told them all my frustrations with him and they nodded like they had been through it all before and knew what to expect. So far everyone is happy and I feel a great sense of relief. I got a couple emails and things are going well. When they took him to PetSmart and he got in the back seat and sat between the kids car seats which they thought was just great. The dad is going to train him, as he trained their other lab. I have a feeling he was a family pet before he got lost and this is what he was missing.

Sometimes you have to let the dog tell you what he needs.

[IndyOp]

1. I think you did a very good thing for Jack...

You were a bridge from Jack's former life to his new life with his new family.

Maybe you weren't quite as ready for a new dog as you thought? Maybe, when you are feeling ready again you'll look for an adult dog from a rescue who has been with a foster family that can tell you all about his behavior before you take him in?

Whatever the cause of the current situation or whatever happens in the future - I think you've clearly done a great job of finding him a new home.

:hug:

[undeterred]

4. Thanks, I have one on hold.

I thought I wanted a dog like my last one, who was a leonberger mix. Purebred leonbergers are extremely expensive (like $1500) and getting one through the rescue organization is pretty complicated. The application form is 10 pages. I think its easier to adopt a child. And they don't come through shelters very often. I put a search on petfinder after Harry died. And about 2 weeks ago, right after I had decided to give up Jack, I got an email with a leonberger mix. He was a lost puppy found by Animal Control, just like Harry Dog, about 4 months.

He is 500 miles away. He looks a lot like my last dog did when he was a pup. Just one look, and I am smitten. I will pick him up next weekend. :loveya:

[IndyOp]

7. Awwwwwwwww. 500 miles? That isn't very far.

What a sweet, sweet face! Let us know all about your trip when you get back.

:hi:

[undeterred]

8. Thanks.

I can't wait to meet him. He looks like Harry, but when I met Harry he was a total mystery to me and I had no idea what he was or where he came from. Sweetest boy in the world.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

2. You did the right thing. A young lab is like a teenager.

Having the influence of the older, well-trained Lab will be helpful to Jack.

You got him out of the shelter where he could have been pts and matched him up with a good home. Good job !

[undeterred]

3. Thanks.

As soon as I saw him with the 8 year old lab it all made sense. They were looking for him and felt like he was the missing piece for their family. So although I had been feeling like a failure in the end I realized that I was just meant to foster him.

They had been taking care of a relatives lab for the week and realized how much their dog needed company, so that was why they were looking at that particular moment.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

5. I thought of you as the foster home too, as I read

your original post. Maybe that should be your role for now until you "fail" at fostering one of them.

From A Failed Foster Mom

[undeterred]

6. Well, I won't be taking home a lab again any time soon

I have the greatest respect for lab owners now.

[lukasahero]

11. This is a wonderful story

It sounds like Jack and the family found who they were looking for and you got to be the bridge to both. You should be very happy.

(PS - re: your post about Lab owners below - they're a lot easier when you get them as pups, but yeah, we deserve more credit than we're given! :rofl: )

[roody]

9. Hooray for you and Jack!

[BrklynLiberal]

10. I cannot say it any better than IndyOp did. I guess you were there to guide him to his forever home