AVAILABLE DOGS

UPDATED: JANUARY 20, 2012.

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Our listings of available Labs are broken into two categories: rescue dogs and owner placements. Both kinds of available dogs are in need of a home but the method in which the dog is placed is different depending on the category. Please read more information about the difference between rescue dogs and owner placements.

PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT ACCEPT LISTING APPLICATIONS NOR REHOME DOGS WITH A HISTORY OF AGRESSION.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADOPTING A LABRADOR RETRIEVER, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU COMPLETE AN ADOPTION APPLICATION TO START THE ADOPTION PROCESS. NO ADOPTIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED WITHOUT THIS. PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT ACCEPT LONG DISTANCE LISTING APPLICATIONS OR ADOPTION APPLICATIONS.

Whether a Lab is a rescue or owner placement, Calgary Purebred Labrador Retriever Rescue requires that it be spayed or neutered and its vaccinations be current prior to adoption. We try to carefully screen new adoptive homes and require home visits irregardless of whether a dog is a rescue or owner placement. Be sure you understand all our requirements (for example, a fenced in yard), so that you aren't disappointed if your adoption application is turned down. We charge a minimum adoption fee and also ask that our veterinary and transportation costs are covered. These funds are used to rescue other dogs and are usually a fraction of the cost of a Labrador Retriever puppy. The average age of the dogs we help to place is 2 to 5 years old but occasionally we get younger dogs too.

Note:
GWK = Good with Kids
GWD = Good with Dogs
GWC = Good with Cats
GWLS = Good with Livestock


CURRENTLY AVAILABLE DOGS

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADOPTING A LABRADOR RETRIEVER, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU COMPLETE AN ADOPTION APPLICATION TO START THE ADOPTION PROCESS. NO ADOPTIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED WITHOUT THIS.

PLEASE CHECK OUT THIS PAGE FOR COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT BREED RESCUES http://www.darkrose-bds.com/kennel/resc/rescmisc.htm


**NEW - 2 BROTHERS - 17 MONTHS OLD; ONE YELLOW (DANNY), ONE BLACK (EDDIE); NEUTERED, GWK, GWD, GWC, HAVE OBEDIENCE TRAINING AND WALK WELL ON A LEASH. PLEASE NOTE THE OWNER WOULD LIKE TO PLACE THESE BROTHERS TOGETHER IF POSSIBLE. PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE TO ADOPTERS WITH APPROVED ADOPTION APPLICATIONS ON FILE. HERE'S SOME INFO THAT THEIR OWNER PROVIDED WITH MORE DETAILS ON THESE LOVELY BOYS:

ABOUT DANNY AND EDDIE

PERSONALITY

Both dogs are full of energy and love to wrestle and run. Their favourite game is one I call “Gunslinger”: Eddie will stand frozen, staring at Danny for up to two minutes. You can almost hear him drawl “DRAW, partner!” Danny will try not to give in, but eventually his nerve breaks and he gives a loud YAP! And leaps up to “attack” his brother….and another wrestling match breaks out. They both end up rolling around, growling and yapping, sounding like they’re killing each other. But of course they’re just being brothers. Danny’s got the “Old Dog” vibe down pat. He’ll sit in front of you and just stare quietly until you reach out to pet or scratch him. When you ask him to shake, he picks up his paw and lets it hang there, waiting for you to reach for it, never rushing you. When he’s lying down and a person approaches, he oh-so-subtly rolls a bit, exposing his stomach and hoping for a tummy-rub. If you didn’t know he was just a puppy, you’d think he was an old dog who’s too lazy or weary to move around too much….until you get him outside or playing. Then he’s a happy hurricane. Eddie’s very much a puppy goofball. He’ll sit and lie down just fine, but ask for a paw and he’ll wave them both at you in a frenzy, asking “you want this one? Or this one? Or the first one? Or the other one? Huh? Huh? Huh?” When he wants out he rings his bell (a ring of bells attached to the door) but if you happen to miss the sound, he’ll come to you and nudge-nudge-nudge quickly, almost tunneling with his nose. He makes it very clear that your presence (and opposable thumbs) are needed NOW!!! Eddie’s also the one to ask for pets, cuddles, hugs and general affection. While both dogs love human company and contact, Eddie’s more likely to demand it enthusiastically, while Danny requests it politely.

TRAINING

They were adopted in November of 2010 (rescue society, not breeder), and it was soon after that their dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. So their most important training-time was mostly marked by an exhausted Mom running from hospital to home, making sure they were OK and taking them for a good run in a nearby field (their dad was only home briefly between hospital stays, and he needed them for comfort and company; he could not bring himself to find new homes for them, and Mom realized how badly he needed them just to be there.) Fortunately, they’re good boys and fast learners. They were crate-trained for their first months of life (until they grew too big for their crates), and quickly learned to hit a bell hung by the back door for “lemme out!” and had very few puppy-accidents. They took to crate-training quickly (after a couple of nights of woeful howls), and that helped give them the idea to hold on until “bell-hitting” time. The door-bell idea was a great way to give them the idea to ask for “out”, but it has its drawbacks – a stray cat appearing by their outdoor food-dishes, or a desire to go outside and wrestle together, results in the same ringing-behaviour. Danny is also happy to let Eddie do most of the ringing, so on the occasions when he needs out he’s more likely to walk up to a person, stand there and stare, trying to telepathically tell you “open up.” They’re both very good off-leash. Eddie will run back to check on you every few minutes, just in case you get lost and need a guide back to the car; Danny sometimes needs a few shouts or whistles before he gets it through his head that yes, I’m talking to YOU, then he happily galumphs over. The few times they have “disappeared” has been when there’s been a new dog or person to meet; they go into paroxysms of joy, be it a “min-pin” or a German Shepherd, and leap into play-mode right away, forgetting Mom until she catches up with them and reminds them to mind. The same goes for people; they love any and all attention, and seem to understand that little people shouldn’t be greeted QUITE so enthusiastically as bigger ones. Some time with long-leash training would be a good idea. On-leash, they amazed their Mom by learning to heel (loose-leash) after 3 days of training (roughly 6 weeks ago). Danny will walk almost behind (on the left), and Eddie stays on the right. Whenever they forget and start to move ahead a bit, a sharp “ep-ep!” command reminds them to go back to their starting point. Sometimes something still excites them and they forget their leash-manners, but overall they amazingly quick learners. Mom didn’t have much time for “tricks”, but Eddie delighted in fetching balls and toys, especially in water. Both love to swim, but Eddie is the real water-dog of the two – he’s never happier than when he’s in a stream chasing a branch (or a tree-trunk), racing to grab it so he can carry it proudly to Mom … and then his brother steals it away from him at the water’s edge. Brothers, what can you do?

BAD HABITS

Bad habits: every dog’s got some. The boys are generally well-behaved, but they’ve got a ways to go. Here’s what needs correction: Danny the Digger. If there’s ground or snow, the paws are flying. This comes from having been left alone so much in their first year while their daddy was in hospital and their mom was doing what she could to keep everyone going. Neighbors said they’d walk the dogs and feed them, but people are quick to promise and even quicker to forget (or just not care). So the backyard garden is toast – dug up or trampled – and Danny needs some lessons in “no, not THERE!” He’s been getting better, but it’s still something to be aware of. Both dogs are nail-clipper-phobic. Eddie will whimper and try to scamper away, but Danny will outright growl and lunge at the person clipping. This is out of fear, not pain, and the past few months have been especially bad. They are currently being re-introduced to the whole “clipper” idea, starting with quick, tiny nips on one or two nails, followed by praise and treats. It’s at the point where Eddie sometimes lets it go, but he’s still not a happy camper. Danny will grumble all the while, but the way he trembles is consistent with his associating pain/fear with clipping. It may be best to have a groomer or vet do a full clipping, then continue working on the nail-problem over time. The worst part: Danny is terrified out of his wits by attempts to clip his back dew-claws. Biggest (to humans) problem: teething. Eddie’s the most chew-happy, but Danny does his fair share. They need lots of chewy-toys to work with, and have everything from teething-rings to Kong toys. Of course, a well-exercised dog is a non-chewing dog (or at least LESS-chewing), and a large part of this behaviour is definitely due to boredom and their Mom’s inability to take them out nearly as often as they need. About foam: in earliest puppyhoood, their crates were lined with foam-filled mats to keep them comfortable. Unfortunately, Eddie developed both a taste for foam, and a fascination with seeing the shredded stuff fly. He understands “no, you can’t eat the INDOOR couch”, but both boys are still in need of some gentle discipline in terms of “this is yours, this is NOT yours.”

OTHER THINGS

Both boys are microchipped, neutered and up on all their shots (new ones due end of January). Their veterinarian to date has been Dr. MacArtney at the Fort Saskatchewan Vet Clinic; all health records are available and up to date. Eddie was VERY carsick as a puppy; it didn’t take ten minutes before everything came up (repeatedly). It was at the point where he was terrified to get into the car. This couldn’t go on, and by taking him for dozens of five- and ten-minute car rides (always to a nice place) and praising him for each successful trip, he learned to compensate for his tummy-upset beautifully. Now he’s good for the hour ride into the city or to the vet. After a long ride, sometimes he’ll still hop out of the car and hurry off to be sick a moment, then recover right away. A far cry from the almost-convulsing pup that used to scare his people into wondering if he was seriously ill (Danny hasn’t been carsick, except for their first car ride ever.) They currently eat a mixture of Acana Large Breed and Sportsman’s Pride (red bag), at a 1:2 ratio. They were on Acana exclusively as puppies, but both shrinking finances and seemingly endless diarrhea made it necessary to find a better diet. They’ve been on this for several months now, and the diarrhea has disappeared, the coats are shiny and full, and they’re full of energy. It seems to be a good mix for them. They have been left “alone” for several hours at a time, but always with each other. After their Dad’s death, Mom put up the “old pen” system that had been there for dogs from years ago: a 200-square-ft outdoor enclosure with double-large doghouse. A hole in the back of the doghouse leads into the garage, where they have their old couch (mostly chewed up now) with a radiant heater fixed over it to use in cold weather (up to about -20). The yard is also fenced, and they spent their first months running around (and destroying) the garden and orchard there, but that can mostly be blamed on Mom’s stress and sleep-deprivation – they were not shown their boundaries from the start. Thus the reason for replacing the dog-run/garage setup. They are always indoors at night. They sleep on “their” couch, sometimes wandering into the bedroom to check on Mom. They have never bitten a person or fought with other dogs (except for wrestling with each other, and that SOUNDS absolutely savage). They have a good temperament and rarely bark, unless they’re playing with a new friend. New neighbors moved in 2 houses down, bringing their 3 dogs. Often there’s endless barking, but when investigated it turns out to be THEIR dogs, while the boys just sit on the deck and look at them. They will bark at people walking dogs down the street, but that ends shortly. Danny has had toys, bones, and food taken away from him, and will at most give a “huff!” of annoyance. Eddie doesn’t even do that. Danny WILL bark at a cat who is trying to steal food out of his dish while he’s eating it (their last dog, a Newfoundlander, always let them do it, and they sometimes forget he’s gone). He has a deep voice and it always sends the cats off, sulking. They currently share a house with 5 cats, who have decided they are big fuzzy kitties and rub and roll against them. They are “the dogs’ cats”, but stranger-cats appearing outside the windows are cause for great alarm (they sometimes steal some dog-crunchies). Because of the cats, “gates” (child-safety gates) were put up in different areas to keep them apart during feeding time and to keep them from the kitty-litter area. Even though either one could easily crash through these barriers, just extending them (or even leaning them against a doorway) clearly marks a “keep out” area for them, and they’ve never fought against it or tried to muscle through. The few times they’ve been left alone in the house they have been left in these “you can go HERE” areas; the worst that’s ever happened have been a few puddles in the first year. They are loving and loved dogs. Their mom has been left in very bad circumstances, and has tried hard to keep them after becoming a widow…but now she has to find a new home for herself, and they deserve a house and family. They crave love and attention, hugs, tummy-scratches, and quiet lie-at-your-feet time. Most of all, they crave and need to run and play. They’d do well with someone who likes walking, hiking, or riding out in quads or bikes. They’ve already been through a lot in their short lives – abandoned, fostered out, rescued by a family then losing their dad to cancer (and their mom hasn’t been doing well herself) – so it’s best to have them either stay together if at all possible OR go to a home that already has a dog as a companion. There’s going to be a separation issue no matter where they go, but they deserve to have as smooth and happy a transition as possible.

REFERRAL - FORT MCMURRAY HUMANE SOCIETY - KELSO - 5 YR OLD NEUTERED MALE CHOCOLATE LAB; APPROX 36.5 KG; GWK, GWD, GWC; HOUSEBROKEN, CRATE TRAINED; KNOWS SIT, LIE DOWN, STAY, SHAKE A PAY, STAY AND HEEL; WALKS WELL ON A LEASH. FOR MORE INFO ON KELSO, PLS CONTACT THE SHELTER DIRECTLY AT Phone: 780-743-8997 Ext: 5 OR BY E-MAIL AT cstevenson@fortmcurrayscpa.ca KELSO'S PICTURE CAN BE SEEN ON THE SHELTER'S WEBSITE: www.fortmcmurrayspca.ca

IF YOU DON'T MIND THE DRIVE, CHECK OUT THE MANY LABS AVAILABLE IN VARIOUS SHELTERS/RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS IN MONTANA AT http://www.montanapets.org/statewide/index.html.

MANITOBA LAB RESCUE - PLEASE CONTACT SUSAN TRIGG AT (204) 885-5454 OR STRIGG@SHAW.CA

THERE ARE MANY LABS AND WONDERFUL LAB CROSSES LOOKING FOR HOMES THROUGHOUT CANADA AND THE USA THAT YOU CAN CHECK OUT AT http://www.petfinder.com

TO CHECK OUT DOGS AT THE CALGARY HUMANE SOCIETY, PLEASE GO TO THEIR WEBSITE AT www.calgaryhumane.ca

TO CHECK OUT DOGS AT VARIOUS SHELTERS/RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS IN CANADA, PLEASE CHECK OUT THIS UP & COMING WEBSITE http://www.adoptananimal.ca/

FOR CONTACT INFO ON LAB RESCUES IN OTHER PARTS OF CANADA, PLEASE GO TO WWW.DOGSINCANADA.COM

FOR CONTACT INFO ON LAB RESCUES IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, PLEASE GO TO http://lairds.org/Kyler/old_Purdue/animal_rescue/breed_rescue_organizations