Boomer – Adopted

12/20/22 FOSTER UPDATE: Personality He is the sweetest boy ever!  He loves to cuddle and is so affectionate.  Above all, his dominating traits are loyalty and gratitude.  He seems to know he is safe now, and he will show it with his affection.  He discovered toys and bones and loves them both.  He will chase balls in the yard….but he’s not great at bringing them back.  He has such a happy, playful personality. He has never met a stranger.  I had him out at adoptions yesterday, and he was like the mayor!  He was greeting everyone and giving lots of kisses.  He is also great with other dogs!!  My dog is not usually accepting of my fosters and he has done an amazing job of respecting her boundaries.  They get along great!  He met lots of new dogs at rescue and has been great with all of them. Background/transition I’ll start with the fact that this boy has made HUGE strides this past week.  He is a completely different dog than when he arrived.  He just needed a little leadership and patience.  Usually the transition process takes a few weeks, but I’m amazed by his progress.  He might require a little extra love and patience with his new family as he transitions again into his forever home. He had a very tough initial transition (first 36 hours).  He was super anxious and paced the house.  I actually think he might have been an outdoor dog and this was his first time in a home.  He was very, very confused.  His whole world seemed to be turned upside down. He has done great with housetraining but has had a few accidents.  He did mark in the house the first few hours but has not since.  He usually goes to the door when he wants out….but he can be bad about holding it if you don’t see him.  I don’t anticipate any issues once he establishes his routine.  He has been in my home 10 days and has been accident free for the past 3 days.  He’s a smart boy and getting the hang of it. Crate Use I only crate him when I leave the house.  He is a big boy so he needs an XL crate (48”).  He hates going in….I usually have to coax him in with food. I work from home full time so he is rarely left alone.  It’s all a matter of getting him into a routine (he’s still transitioning).  I have started to feed him in the crate to help him feel more comfortable going in and out. As for sleeping arrangements, he sleeps on the floor in my bedroom.  He has done great overnight - no issues or incidents. Training  What he knows - He learned so much in 2 weeks!

• Sit
• Down
• Shake
• Wait/Stay - I make him wait before he eats.  I also make him sit and wait every time I open the door.  I also use wait on walks in the event that he tries to pull ahead.
• Off!  - this is my command for anytime he does something wrong….he is VERY responsive to it and it usually stops him in this tracks.

What we are working on… Leash walking - he is a bit of a weaver on walks and he is so big that it’s super annoying!   We are working on his leash manners.  It’s my assumption that he has never been walked before.  The good news is that he isn’t much of a puller. Rough play - He does get a little mouthy.  He isn’t a big jumper…just occasionally when he is turbo excited.  I have been using “OFF!” And he is learning quickly.  A few more weeks of training and I think he will get the hang of it all. Because of this, I would recommend a home without small children for now.  He is super friendly but he can be a little mouthy. 12/10/22 FOSTER UPDATE: Boomer just arrived into foster care.  He was very anxious the first day…he seemed to be experiencing a little bit of transition anxiety.  His whole world has been turned upside down, so it will take a few days for him to get into a routine.   He now seems to be much more relaxed.  Progress! Boomer is a BIG boy!  He is about 80lbs, but he is very underweight.  He has such a sweet and playful personality.  He loves to romp and play.  He will give you the “power paw” to get your attention.  Boomer is also a cuddle monster!  He loves to snuggle up and give kisses.  He is such a friendly guy!  It’s been fun to watch his personality come out as he gets more comfortable.  Boomer is a very strong-willed, stubborn lab though, so he will need to have a strong leader to help continue his training.  He doesn’t know his size and strength at times so he might do best with a family without small children. As for training, he is learning the ropes quickly!  He knows a few basic commands.  We are working on “sit,” “stay,” “down,” and “off.”  He is a smart guy so I am optimistic that he will master them quickly.  He also loves to go for walks and does well on a leash.  Boomer is crate trained but is very reluctant to go in at first.  I am hoping to get him into a routine to help him be more comfortable.  We are really focusing on his house manners.  He is doing great with house training.  He had a few initial accidents (which is very common) but he seems to know the rules.  He does try to counter surf and can play a little rough at times, but he has been very responsive to corrections.  I am just trying to establish my leadership position with him. All in all, the big boy is adjusting well and learning quickly!  I’m excited to see him continue to transition these next few days.