Duke #4224

My name is Duke (#4224) and I am a 3-year old strong, 83-pound, AKC-certified black Labrador retriever who wants to please my humans. My foster family tells me what pretty eyes I have, and gives me praise when I wait patiently for my meals. I do like to gobble up my meals, so my foster humans use a slow feeder, hide my kibble in a snuffle mat and food puzzles, or a lick mat for wet food snacks. My foster family has helped me lose 6 pounds so far, and I’m on my way to a healthier target weight of 75 pounds.

I really enjoy using my nose to solve problems. This keeps my brain active, and calms me. When my fosters play treat hunting and training games with me, we bond and connect, and I’m in heaven. My nose is my best asset. I use it to smell out the world, and to give my humans a nudge to remind them why they are equipped with their funny looking paws: to pet me at every opportunity.

I’m lucky to be in a foster family with another Labrador retriever that likes to rough-house and play with me. Sometimes I get overstimulated while playing with my foster-brother, but I listen well to my foster humans or brother when they tell me to stop. I’d prefer to live in a home with another patient dog that likes to play and could also tell me if I’m playing too hard. I’m not sure if I like cats or not, but so far I haven’t shown any prey drive with the critters that wander or fly into the back yard.

Even though I’m a high energy dog, I can spend hours in my cushy bed while I wait for my family to play with me. I’d love to live with a family who is at home during the day, but I am patient if you need to leave the house for errands or work. I don’t bark at home or in the car and do not counter surf, even though I can smell what’s up there. I know how to use a dog door, and I’m respectful of the “fur”niture. Of course, I’d love to snuggle on the “fur”niture with you, but I understand that you may need your space.

As much as I want to play fetch or ball with you, both my foster humans and dog trainer have told me that I have an addiction to play fetch at an unhealthy level. I lose all self-control, pant heavily, pace excitedly, and bark anxiously. My excitement to play ball spills over on short walks in the neighborhood. I’ll pull hard on the leash, spin around you in circles, and excessively bark. As a result, I’m not yet ready to safely walk in the neighborhood on a leash. I’m now on a “ball detox” plan, where I’m going a month without playing fetch or going on short on-leash walks in the neighborhood. Then we’ll see what next steps can help me manage my excitement.

As an outlet for my energy, my fosters spend 15-30 minutes once or twice a day with my sniffing exercises to put my nose and brain to work, both as part of my feeding routine and to help me detox from my fetch addiction. All that sniffing work helps me relax. We also drive to open spaces with minimal distractions, where I can go for longer sniff walks on a long leash, or go to “sniff spots”. My fosters also put the leash in the car, so it’s just there and doesn’t trigger me. My fosters say that I’ve made an improvement, and with more practice over time, I’ll continue to become more manageable, relaxed, and connected with you.

I’m looking for an adoptive family who will have patience for this process. I want to be able to go on walks and hikes with you, but I want to be able to do these activities safely for both of our sakes.

Adoption fee: $500 plus $35 microchip fee