03/31/2017:

Hi, RAGOM! Meet Micky!

Let’s start with some background on Micky. He is a 5-year-old Chocolate Lab that comes to RAGOM as an honorary Golden from a breeder down south. He came to RAGOM with other dogs (Golden Retrievers and another Chocolate Lab). Coming from a breeder, he has a lot to learn, but is proving to be adaptable and is quickly learning what it means to be a dog! He had a very long trip up to our foster home, over 12 hours in the car, but he was a happy camper when he arrived and his tail has not stopped wagging since!

Here is Micky riding in the car for his long journey to his foster home!

We have learned a lot about Micky since he arrived in our foster home. We will start with his health. He is slightly overweight. Micky weighed in at 75.6 pounds, and the vet would like to see him below 70; however, his ideal weight is 60-65 pounds. We are working on his weight, and he gets daily walks, which is helping. He was brought up to date on all of his shots, and all of his tests came back negative, which was great! He does have a double ear infection, which he is being treated for; his treatment will be done in 10 days. The vet said his canines are worn down, and he is missing 2 teeth, which the vet thought he had been missing his whole life, so no concerns about either of those things. He was neutered earlier this week, so he is recovering from that now. He received lots of love at the vet and his neuter appointment because he will lay on the floor and look up at you with his puppy eyes!

Moving on from health, Micky absolutely loves being outside. He loves going for walks or playing outside in the backyard. He does not wonder far from his humans, so a fence is not required; however, he enjoys wondering around and being free from a leash when he can be. Additionally, he enjoys being with other dogs and is quite a social pup!

Micky enjoying a walk outside!

Micky enjoying some free roam time off-leash in the backyard!

Micky seems to be potty-trained, he will wait by the door for you to open it. He is allowed outside multiple times during the day which has allowed him to be successful. He will also go into a crate if treats are used or he is encouraged into it, but prefers to be outside of the crate when possible. There are times we have had to place him in his crate, but he does not fuss once in his kennel. He is crated for about 4 hours at a time right now, as one of us comes home from work over lunch to let the dogs out. Micky is always very excited to see his humans when they come home. He has quickly learned the joys of toys and has attached himself to an oversized tennis ball. It goes everywhere with him if he can take it. Additionally, he is learning to play tug-of-war and chase with our resident dog.

Micky with his favorite tennis ball!

Micky playing with our resident dog!

Micky is gaining confidence every day, but he learns a lot from our resident dog. Because he is still unsure how to be a dog, he needs to go to a home with another large-breed dog who can continue to teach him the joys of being a pup. He also has some skittish tendencies that he will need to continue to work on. He will not do stairs. We continue to work with him, and he will climb up stairs on his own occasionally, but he is not sure how to go down them. He definitely seems more comfortable when stairs are not around. He is also uncertain about carpet and finds comfort on our hardwood floors. He is getting better every day and will walk onto the carpet now, but it will take him some time in a new environment. Additionally, in new places, he will tend to stick close to a wall and cower low to the ground for safety. If you walk up to pet him and surprise him, he often drops down to the ground. Finally, he is very uncertain about cars. He will lay flat and refuse to get into the car and will pull away from the car if possible. We have been lifting him into our car, and once in, he loves it and will jump out on his own. He pants a lot when he is nervous, but he seems willing to try things as he is learning to live in our home.

Micky enjoying a car ride!

Micky has learned that plush toys are full of stuffing and has a knack for spreading that stuffing all over our home when he has the chance. Micky does great with hard toys. We are working with Micky on some basic commands, but he will need to continue that training in his new home. We are also working on Micky’s name with him, and he is becoming more responsive when we call for him.

Overall, Micky does not have the typical energy of a young/puppy Lab. He will walk around with his humans or follow our resident dog, but he usually lays in the house and watches us. He likes to be close to his people, but is very laid-back. He will be a great family dog as he continues to develop his confidence and trust humans. He is eager to meet new people and his tail is always wagging. He does great around kids. He is eager to find his perfect family and continue to gain confidence and bond with his forever family!

He is currently available for adoption; contact the Application team if you are interested in meeting him!