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Picnic 2009- Adopted
http://s199.photobucket.com/albums/aa36/hotlr/Picnic%202009/ |
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Dallas Foster Experience- Adopted
This is the story of Dallas and Taylor. Taylor fostered Dallas as her senior project. Dallas was dumped for being rambunctious, jumping on people etc? All the things that a bit of caring and training can correct. Taylor took up the challenge.
Dallas is a wonderful, happy dog, and I have had a great time working with her. I had her at my house for the whole month of May, during which I worked with her daily. I saw her come a long way. She went from completely crazy to relatively controllable.
When I first brought her home, she was like a tornado--she literally ran around destroying everything in her path. She bolted through doors, ate things, chewed up leashes, knocked people over, etc. I now can trust her to walk around in the house and not damage things. She also has found some manners and is a pleasant dog to have around the house.
To read more on Taylor go to our online monthly newsletter:
"HOTLab News"
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Remington- Adopted 2008
I know you wanted to hear about Remington so here's an update for you...
Of course you know we let Sadie pick him. He was the puppy she liked best. They get along absolutely terrific. They play for hours. They run around and beat each other up and they love it. They chase each other around the ranch. They wrestle. They play tug of war. And all of this several to many times a day. I'm sure you remember how vocal Trudy is. Well, Trudy taught Sadie how to talk and Sadie taught Remi. So when Sadie and Remi play, you can hardly hear anything else as they talk and yell loudly at each other.
Sadie has also taught Remi how to be a ranch dog. I let them out around 5 am every morning when I get up to go to work. The first thing they both do is run the perimeter fence and make sure no critters got inside. Needless to say, they both came a little too close to that darned cat - the black one with the two white stripes. They've also gang-tackled a raccoon and they occasionally chase the barn cats who always elude them.
Remi is very ball-oriented. I haven't worn him out yet, as I always end up stopping throwing the ball first. And I'm sure you know how intelligent he is. When I throw the ball, you can see him calculate where he needs to be to catch it, even if it bounces off of something. When that happens, he will cut the corner and meet the ball. He is also a jumper. He will jump a couple feet in the air to catch a ball. We need to get him frisbee trained.
He has had his share of naughty moments too. An occasional accident. And an occasional chewing moment. He's destroyed (turned into confetti) a couple of books. The cats have finally accepted him as have the chickens. He learned real quick not to chase the chickens. He still wants to play with the cats, but they don't want much to do with him and let him know it.
Trudy is also doing very well. She should be around ten now. She's has started to slow down a little bit but that's expected and one of the reasons we chose to adopt Remi - so Sadie would have a playmate and Trudy could have a break from Sadie.
I've attached a few photos I took today and a short, poor-quality video I took around Christmas of the two black dogs beating each other up.
And of course we miss Earl tremendously. Remington reminds us of Earl every day as he looks just like him... |
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Ducan- Adopted Feb 2008
Hello to all our friends at Heart of Texas Lab Rescue! It's been a year
since we brought Duncan (formerly Radio) home to join our family. We love
him and all his antics. He is just the sweetest dog, remarkably calm for
his age and very smart.
He has gotten quite tall and his face is now at kitchen table level. (One
of his nicknames is Long Paw because his legs are so long.) Last summer,
my husband was transferred back to Washington DC. Duncan is enjoying his
new big back yard, visiting Grandma's house, and playing with the
neighbor's Lab. Last week he even got to play in snow for the first
time! Here are some pictures of him to show you how much he has grown.
Thank you for all you do for these wonderful dogs! |
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Paris- Adopted Fall 2007
We're sorry it has taken so long to get an update on Paris. Paris joined our family in Fall of 2007 and immediately found a place in all our hearts. She's the happiest and sweetest girl who loves to eat, fetch, "hunt" squirrels and wrestle with her "sister" ( a mirror image black lab) Scout. She is a major cuddler and loves to be near, if not on top of, her people and especially loves to follow and "supervise" her Dad. Paris quickly learned that the foot of the bed is a much better place to sleep than on the floor and she and her sister sleep one to a side to "guard" us at night. Her tail wags non stop and she never seems like she ever has a bad day. She is truly one of the best things that has happened in our lives and we are so pleased she chose us to live with. Thanks HOTLR ! |
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Paris- Adopted 2007
Paris joined our family in Fall of 2007 and immediately found a place in all our hearts. She the happiest and sweetest girl who loves to eat, fetch, "hunt" squirrels and wrestle with her "sister" ( a mirror image black lab) Scout. She is a major cuddler and loves to be near if not on top her people and especially loves to follow and "supervise" her Dad. Paris quickly learned that the foot of the bed is a much better place to sleep than on the floor and she and her sister sleep one to a side to "guard" us at night. Her tail wags non stop and she never seems like she ever has a bad day. She is truly one of the best things that has happened in our lives and we are so pleased she chose us to live with. Thanks HOTLR ! |
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Sadie- Adopted March 2008
On March 1st we brought home our girl- Sadie. Since day one, she has been
a dream! I am the luckiest person. She was leash trained, crate trained,
physically fit, and loves us to no end! She gets along great with our
cat, she loves to nibble on his belly and give him a bath in dog slobber.
She has her own princess personality and life would be boring without her
around. I am so thankful!
Thank you HOTLR for everything. People who are thinking of making the decision to rescue a lab, I would say it's worth it, and choose HOTLR! |
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Maya- Adopted December 2007
Ms. Maya has been with us for one whole year now.....and she is still a
joy. When she first came to us, she thought that she was the "Diva" of
the household - trying to get anything that she wanted (like my sweet
potato) off the counter, or the pizza from Austin's Pizza, or the
garlic bread. The list goes on and on with all those events lasting for about
2 weeks. Then, the rolled up newspaper started coming out (quicker than
she thought) plus, alot of time outs. Looking back, we would not
trade her in for anything. We are soo greatful and blessed to have Maya
aa a part of the Beechum Family.
The hubby and Maya share carrots/tricks (which he loves to see her do), plus, he makes sure that the kids are being very caring and loving with her. Earl
hates when my youngest(Aliya)is playing with her way to rough. We take walks every single morning (just Angela/ Maya time) and when the
weather is cool I run with her, but only once a week as she really doesn't like running that much. She will play in the backyard on the trampoline with the kids. The little old lady next door to us scared the heck out of Maya in the beginning, but they quickly formed a bond. Unfortunately, she moved away recently and Maya has been missing her. I have many, many stories about her every single day. She has really calmed down a lot and now lets me run the household; she's just there to make sure that everyone is doing what they need to be doing. |
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Victor- Adopted Dec 2007
It's hard to believe that it has been a year since we brought Victor
home. He is such an excellent fit into our family and he is very happy to
be here. He has 3 additional brothers for a total of 4. Victor enjoys all
of them, but is a little wary of the puppy still. Victor's favorite thing
is still fetch and he'd rather chase a ball over having dinner. He gets loads of exercise from playing with all of his mates and loves swimming in the
warmer temperatures.
Thanks again for bringing Victor to us and have a Merry Christmas! |
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Lulu- Adopted 2007
Lulu is a wonderful yellow girl that entered into a drug dog training program. She is a super star. Check out one of her most recent finds. |
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Ivy- Adopted
I just wanted to send you a quick update on Ivy. She has really fit seamlessly into our family. She is an absolute doll, and will happily 'sit' and 'lay' for the kids ad naseum, which they command her to do over and over. For the first few days we had her, the kids kept asking if we could keep her. Now, most mornings our 3 year old daughter is up first and she will just sit and pet her over and over and usually says something like 'I really love our doggy'. It's so sweet. |
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SLG aka Pete- Adopted October 2006
Pete was fostered by HOTLR for almost a year. It was discovered that he had a very invasive form of cancer and one of his legs was amputated. He was given about 4-6 months to live. 2 years later, here's an update from his new family...
SLG' stands for "my Special Little Guy". Of course, our 'the man of the hour' is curled up by my chair as I write this, and he continues to work his way into
everyone's heart. His new nickname is actually "melty boy" because his soft, sort of oversized skin and floppy ears always look like they are in a puddle when he is laying down. He's in great shape - we visit the vet and try to be careful about not pushing him, and he seems to be thriving. Sometimes even too much. When we are a little tired of throwing his "boppity" bumper-thing into the pool and want him to give it a rest and calm down, he'll throw it in and keep on
fetching. He couldn't have been luckier than he was when you fostered him for as long as you did and we all owe you our gratitude for it. We had the best time
in Stowe; we just love it there. Wouldn't you know, Pete was so excited on the way, it was as if he was no stranger there, either. On our first trip to the
path, Pete started making a "honking" sound we hadn't heard, although he was determined to keep moving ahead. We called the vet and put him in front of the
phone and were told that that is the sound a dog makes when he is really excited. Hopefully we can get back there in the winter with my sister and her dog, a French Bulldog that copies everything Pete does.
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Dyson- Adopted July 2008
{Several days after her placement} Dyson and Kayla were exhausted last night from chasing around the yard - Dyson is so good around Lucy. it's like she knows that Lucy is a fragile old lady - she and Kayla are still working things out a bit, but it's getting better all the time. Dyson has actually been submissive to Kayla on several occasions - of course, they want the same ball, but they've been taking turns "letting" the other one take it.
They are all sound asleep right now! Dyson crates very well! She slept through the night without a sound - I just can't imagine anyone giving up such an awesome dog, but I guess it worked out for the best for us. She is so sweet - it's like she's just waiting to do something to please you.
Dyson is one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met! She and Kayla are doing great - in fact they were curled up right next to each other on the sofa this morning - I think Dyson will "let" Kayla be in charge; Kayla is being less territorial about her space when Dyson is around so I think they will become very good friends (they actually "guarded" the yard together when the kids behind us got a little loud - that was cute when they patroled the perimeter together, barking in unison)! She's still great with Lucy...
{3 weeks after placemnt} Things are still going great! I just can't get over what a great dog Dyson is! We are so lucky to have her - it's like she's always belonged to us. She now goes right to her food area and tries very hard to still still (it's so funny to watch her!). We have been keeping her out of the kennel at night only - she is getting better at sleeping through the whole night (there have been a few 2:30 am potty trips outside, but at least she wakes me up) - happy to report NO accidents in the house. She has also restricted herself to doggie toys for chewing - she hasn't bothered anything that isn't doggie related. Thank you again for being such a great foster mom to her - I know she's amazingly smart, but she obviously received some outstanding training!
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Hope- Adopted August 2007
We recently celebrated the one year anniversary of Hope's adoption day. We can still hardly believe how lucky we are to have such a
wonderful pup. We're so happy that she chose us (at our initial meeting she charged over to say "hi" before it was even her turn to
meet us)! Thanks to some basic obedience lessons from Greg at Gateway Dog Training, she has matured a lot in the last year. During
this time Hope has shown an affinity for swimming, but it wasn't until Greg told us that he taught her how to swim that we realized she
didn't really know how. Wherever she goes, people are always sad to see her leave and often ask to take her home with them! Our two cats
have clearly established a pecking order and Hope is at the bottom! She is wonderful with our niece and two nephews, who she visits quite often.
They roll on her, give her commands, pull, poke and all other things that kids do. Hope takes it all in stride and readily comes back
for more! Unfortunately, our girl has had a rough year health-wise. After living with us for a couple of weeks, we noticed that she
was incredibly itchy. Several vet and allergy specialist appointments later, we found out that our poor girl is allergic to everything
(including human dander!) except for pecans, wool, and feathers! She now receives two shots weekly and will begin food trials in the
future. Shortly after that, we discovered that she had demodicosis. Thankfully this cleared up easily with a few dips at the vet's
office (who often did not want me to take her home they like her so much). Thankfully, the recurring ear infections we worried about
when we adopted her seem to be a thing of the past! We can't believe that it's already been a year since Hope joined our family and can't
imagine our life without her. Thanks HOT Lab for rescuing this wonderful dog so that she could become a member of our family! |
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Bailey- Adopted April 2008
The day you suggested we give Bailey a chance with a weekend sleepover was
the day our lives changed completely and forever. She is our girl. She is
very specifically her daddy's girl, though she loves her mama too. She would
like to love the cats, though that is still being negotiated. One of our
cats, Lily, who is real pretty but not so bright, thinks Bailey is just a
big cat and lines up with her to get treats. Bailey is so good that not only
does she not counter-surf, she doesn't raid the cats' kibble. She is a
first-class shortstop who can catch a tennis ball on the first hop, a super
swimmer who is equally happy leaping into our pool or into Lady Bird Lake at
Red Bud Isle, and a steady walking companion. She gives sweet, tidy little
kisses, and we are getting used to all the snores and snorts and 30-second
sighs that are part of having Bailey sleep on the floor in the bedroom. The
only thing we really need to work a little more on is some my-house my-dad
my-mom barking. We love Bailey, and we love Heart of Texas Lab Rescue for
bringing her to us! |
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Sydney (AKA Daisy)- Adopted 2008
Dear Margaret & HoTLR,
Sydney (the dog formerly known as Daisy) is settling into her new home with us well. Her victory laps have gone from the Indy 500 to just a couple. She likes to run around the land, play fetch, swim in the pool and lay on the couch watching movies with us. Her first vet checkup showed that other than needing to gain a few lbs. everything looks good. The peanut butter filled bones have made her a fan of her crate and are helping her gain a little weight slowly as well. We're halfway through our obedience classes and are doing nicely since she's so smart.
Thanks,
Syd's new parents
Katie & Charles
PS. To see pictures of Sydney: http://www.metzroth.com/thumbnails.php?album=283 |
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Apollo- Adopted November 2007
We adopted Apollo (aka Lancelot) in November of 2007. I am happy to
report he has fit seamlessly into our family; I can't remember what life
was like without him in it. He has developed quite a personality and
has taken over our ottoman in the living room as his new bed. The other lab in the picture is our 6 yr old chocolate lab, Belle. Belle and Apollo have quickly become best friends and you don't find one without the other close behind. We did not get to make the picnic this year but are looking forward to it next year. Thanks again for all the hard work and time you put into making
sure that these dogs find the perfect fit. Apollo has been a blessing
and we are so thankful he is part of our family. |
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Addie and Kimberly- Adopted 2007/2008
Addie, on the right, was welcomed home several months ago. About 8 years old and with a tumor recently removed from her rear haunch, she continues to run like a gazelle. Beautiful. She has a wonderful nature and a happy smile. Kimberly, The World's Smallest Lab, come home several weeks ago. She's an oldie but a goodie. At her age (10) you'd expect her to lag a bit on walks. Nope, she's the leader of the pack on a wonderfully loose lead. Perhaps a bit too friendly, she runs in the park each morning, staying close to us (no she does NOT retrieve) until another dog and its people arrive. She runs joyously to meet them, then follows them. As a result, we retrieve Kim.
The big galoot on the left is Dusty and weighs twice as much and is about three times bigger than Kim. He's our grand dog who came to live with us when our daughter was deployed to Iraq.
Altogether the Gang of Three is a happy pack. Thanks HOTLR. |
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Reggie- Adopted November 2008
I just wanted to drop a line about Reggie who I adopted from
HOTLR in November 2007. He and I are doing great; we sure make just the
right match for each other. Reggie adapted to his new forever home
very quickly. He really enjoys the neighborhood and our daily walks
because there are lots of cats, dogs, squirrels, and even the
occasional rabbit which he can sniff out... and he desperately wants
to chase that rabbit so I have to keep a tight grip on the leash at
all times. He loves the dog park, especially Redbud Isle or
Auditorium Shores where he can go for a swim, just like a lab will
do. He's a very social dog, loves people and other dogs. He's what
you might call aggressively friendly with other dogs - he likes to get
up there and give them a really good sniff, but he never pushes it
too far and he'll move right off if directed by a human. He's pretty
well mannered and only occasionally needs a reminder about
boundaries. It's just his great zest for life. |
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Picnic 08 Picture Links- Adopted
http://s199.photobucket.com/albums/aa36/hotlr/picnic%202008/http://picasaweb.google.com/HotLabRescue/HotLabPicnic2008
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Bailey (AKA BJ)- Adopted 2008
We wanted to let you know that Bailey is doing great. He fit right into our family from the first day, and we now can₼t imagine life without him. He is very sweet and so wants to please his people. He and our dog, Magic, are best friends and they love to go running with us, or go anywhere with us. Our cat not only tolerates Bailey, but he actually likes playing with him. They are pretty cute together. We₼ve decided that there must be an imaginary monster in our hot tub that only Bailey can see. As you can see in the pictures, Bailey is fascinated with the hot tub and would spend hours circling, peering into, and swimming in it if we let him. Thank you so much for matching us with a great dog! |
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Peyton (AKA Sparky)- Adopted 2008
She is doing EXCELLENT! She knows her name very well now, she does not run at all when we are in the front yard together, she stays right by my side! Her best friend is Lola, my Aunt and Uncles dog, they play together for hours! She has not had one accident at all but I do sense that she gets almost jealous when I am home and someone else is over and I am hanging out with them rather then giving her all of my attention....Last week my friend came by for dinner and I was not paying attention to Peyton 100% and she went over and chewed up one of my coasters! But for the most part she is an amazing dog! Attached are a few pictures of her! |
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Ginger- Adopted
Just wanted to send a picture of Ginger with her two biggest fans - Skylar and Makayla. We adopted her from hotlr a couple of years ago. She is such a wonderful dog and great family member. She is just super with the kids and other dogs as well. She is all lab outside and loves to play ball non-stop. She's very laid-back and mellow inside. Hopefully we can come to an event sometime so she can play with some other labs. Thanks for all the work you do. |
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Mavis- Adopted 2007
Hello! I?ve been wanting to update you for ages, but was waiting until I had nothing but the best of news to report. Since the start, Mavis has been an incredible dog, and the perfect fit for our family. She was a little worried when she first got here, and not quite sure how to fit in. But in no time, she learned the routines, our language and silly games, and exactly which couch she was and which couch she was not allowed on. And she never had an accident in the house, not even once. Within just a couple of days, she enjoyed the same freedoms and boundaries our Cass has known by heart for 5 years ? and once Mavis learns a rule, she never forgets it.
We noticed the first night that Mavis had a cough, and over the next couple of days that it was quite bad ? she was clearly uncomfortable with it, and was coughing up mucus. After a few trips to the vet and a few false starts at treating possible causes, we decided to go for the x-ray, and they found that she had pneumonia. She began a month-long course of antibiotics, then some follow-up testing and? she has just been declared pneumonia-free and the cough has stayed away for several weeks! She also had very advanced yeast ear infections in both ears when she came to us, but frequent cleaning and a new diet has cleared those up as well.
So now she is the best dog AND in perfect health. She and Cass play all day, and frequently entertain their friend Rosco (the third head in one of the attached photos). She is lively but very mellow, and has bonded very deeply with all of us. She and Lukas, our three-year-old son, are best of friends. We really can?t say enough wonderful things about her, and are so glad that she has found a home in ours. Thank you for helping her find her way here!
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Colt- Adopted September 2007
Ever since I adopted Colt from your group the beginning of September 2007, it has been a real adventure. As I may have updated you in the past, the early months were not without mishap, but were a joy compared to what I expected. He's never had an accident in the house, counter-surfed, or chewed up the furniture. He's settled in very well, having bonded with me early on and learned the routine quickly. Early on, he had pretty severe separation anxiety. But, that has dissipated through patience and hard work. He recently graduated from Beginner's Obedience School, where he was the star of the class. It was a great benefit to both me and him. Everyone that has met him has remarked on what a great Lab he is, and couldn't believe that he's only been with me for just a few months. All along the way, I mentally thanked you guys for providing me with such a fabulous companion. Every chance I get, I mention your group and the fine work you are all doing. |
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Jonas- Adopted
I adopted Jonas on 3 Nov 07 and what a wonderful dog he's been! I moved up to Abilene from San Antonio right before I got him so we both settled into the new place together. We've been running together just about every morning and he's improving all the time on the leash. He rides great in the car and absolutely loves going to the park! He just made the jump from wading in the water to swimming. We've also been doing PetSmart training and, of course, Jonas is a favorite of the teacher. He got to spend a weekend with my girlfriend's 10-year old Golden Retriever, Maggie, shortly after I got him and they had a great time together. We had him off the leash and you could definitely tell that he was learning from her! Jonas really has been an amazing dog. He gets compliments every day. I can't thank you enough for the opportunity to adopt Jonas and more importantly, for the tireless work you do to find forever homes for all of these great dogs. |
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Davey- Adopted 2007
Davey is doing great! The past month has been a blast having him around. One weekend he was in the mountains playing in knee deep snow and the next on the beach. He is really smart and knows sit, stay and high five. He also walks great on a leash. He has not had any accidents inside and seems to tolerate the cat. He would rather sleep on the bed but we have been working with him on staying in the crate. I have attached a few pictures of Daveys adventures. |
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Howdy (AKA TV)- Adopted 2007
Oh what fun the boys had together at the beach. Howdy is fitting right in like he?s been a part of the family all along. He and Austin adore each other. Austin is teaching him the ropes. We had Howdy pretty much leash free the entire weekend on the beach and around the condo and he did awesome. He stuck to our side like glue. We did lots of training?.sit, stays, recall, socialization, kids, people?. etc?.He?s a star pupil. So proud of him. He loved the birds, water, fetching sticks etc? He is definitely a retriever. We love that boy.
He was wonderful in the car and out and about with us. He had many experiences. He was an absolute delight to watch in the sand and full of discovery.
He thought smelly seaweed was really neat.
They really started feeling better by Friday. Still a few coughs and hacks but oh so much better. We have a few meds left and they should be good to go. So glad to have that behind us. He is passed out on the downstairs bed right now after a huge play session with Austin and the talking gorilla toy. He is really growing too. |
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Bella- Adopted Baylee
In a few weeks, Bella (aka Baylee) will celebrate her one year anniversary
as a member of our family. As we were scrolling through the HOT website
tonight, we realized we never submitted our "happy tail." Although it was a
rough start with some hidden health issues and uncertainty with our black
lab, Midnight, all is so fun now that we can't remember her being the "new
kid on the block." We love her quirky ways.from laying her short, stocky
body spread eagle on the floor, rolling her pads up when she is standing
still, kneeling on her back knees, belching like a huge man, and racing like
a bunny rabbit to keep up with long, lean Midnight. They love to chase in
the back yard (and of course the house!) and go on morning walks. Her
favorite pastime is to gaze out the front windows watching for suspicious
critters or hanging her front feet off the back porch. Of course, her
ultimate favorite thing to do is eat. Each morning and each night she takes
up post at her bowl and patiently waits for our youngest daughter to feed
her (I've attached a pic of her most pathetic hungry look). If she runs out
of patience, she begins to lick the edge of her bowl and eventually starts
to slowly scoot it along the floor until the food arrives. We initially
decided to adopt another lab to occupy Midnight. What we didn't realize was
how much happiness, entertainment, and love she would bring to our whole
family! Thank you for enabling so many people to experience the love of
labs.they are truly family!
Keep up the good work! |
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Tillie- Adopted 2007
Tillie is doing great and is a very healthy and
happy labrador. No complaints. She is a constant companion
to my kids, sleeps on their beds at night (and snoozes
on their beds during the day) and goes everywhere
with
us. Loves riding in the car and riding in my
brother's
ski boat out on the lake. She likes to sit up front
in
the bow with her nose to the wind. And yes...the
water...this dog loves the water. Its impressive to
watch her launch off a boat dock, catch big air as
far
as possible, swim back and do it as long as I let
her.
I've also put 8 lbs on her with Eukenuba fish-based
formula which has made her fill out perfectly and it
makes her coat look really good.
She is very well behaved, and of course, is a master
food thief so you have to watch her in the kitchen
at
dinner time and she loves to lap up the steamed milk
on a Starbucks latte.
We just taught her to lie down and roll over and its
hilarious. She is also extremely fast and retrieves
fetch toys at lighting speed. Very cool stuff.
Even my vet commented on how good of a Lab she was.
Friends of mine with Labs are also envious because
of
her good temperament and her ability to stay inside
without causing a ruckus. Has not had one accident
inside my house either. Anyhow thanks for matching
us
with a great dog. |
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Mochi (Muffin)- Adopted 2006
Hi guys
Can you believe its been a year since we adopted Mochi (Muffin) ? I
wanted to share some recent photos of our gal |
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Shelby- Adopted Bambi
I just wanted to give you an update on Shelby (adopted Bambi). This
past weekend she went to an agility trial and got her AX and AXJ
titles. We got Shelby an ILP number so she can compete in AKC events
and have now been competing in AKC agility for a little over a year.
She has exceeded all of our expectations qualifying 25 times with 16
first places, 7 second places, and 2 third places. I'm running out of
space to put all of her ribbons! We started her out in the Preffered
classes, jumping a lower height, and she earned her Novice Preffered
titles. Then we moved her up to regular competition and she earned her
Novice, Open, and now Excellent titles making her, Shelby's Sweet
Allure AX AXJ NAP NJP CGC. We hope to eventually earn the title of
MACH (Master Agility Champion). I'm looking forward to future shows as
we will be collecting legs for her MX and MXJ titles and earning
points and double Q's towards her MACH. We couldn't have asked for a
better dog than Shelby. Her future looks to be even brighter as I hope
to compete in Obedience and Rally and get her registered as a Therapy
Dog. Thank you so much for helping us find such a great companion.
Keep up the great work! |
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Wally and Vince- Adopted
We finally have a digital camera, so we can send pictures of our boys. Wally and Vince (you knew him as Rex) are good buddies they are rarely apart. Wally is still mellow, but Vince has inspired him to run and play in the yard. They run around so much they have worn out spots of the grass. Wally has taught Vince how to mellow out a bit. Right after I shot the picture where they are playing tug a war, they were both laying down tugging (that is mellow). Wally has lost quite a bit of weight we can sometimes almost see his ribs. They are learning slowly how to behave, they sit at open doors without darting out, although by the picture you can tell they don't like it.
The news here is that we are moving to Wisconsin. The boys don't want to go
because they like their pool, but we promised them they could go swimming
in the lake near our new home. As soon as we get an address we will send
it. Thanks for the great dogs; they have very different personalities, but
both are wonderful in their own special way. By the way, Jill, Wally still
does the duck dance and it's still adorable.
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Harlee- Adopted Harlee
Harlee was adopted May 2006 - his name did not change. Harlee has been such a blessing in our life. My girlfriend and I are truly amazed at his little habits. He enjoys running, swimming, napping, catching bugs, and hanging out with his best friend, Austin, who is my girlfriend's Border Collie mix. Harlee is still the best head-rester there is. He constantly comes up and nudges and rests his head. He loves being around other dogs and has made many trips to Town Lake to swim, Dog Boys Dog Ranch, and Taurus Training for doggy day care and boarding. We all know when Harlee is sleeping due to his groans and snoaring. We can't believe his treat eating habits. He loves carrots and celery for his treats. Thanks so much to Heart of Texas Lab Rescue. You guys are the best!!!!
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Bella- Adopted Dana
I just wanted to give you another brief update. Dana (we call her Bella) is doing so great! She is so sweet -- just a big cuddle bug. She actually took a nap on my lap this afternoon. She cracks me up on a daily basis, whether she's lunging at the broom while I'm trying to sweep (she thinks it's a game), or she sits and sometimes plops down (still a little clumsy). She is just a goofy little girl with so much love to give. She and Jade get along great and love to play together. Now both of them sleep in the bed with us at night. It is a
little crowded, but we love it.
I just wanted you to know that we love Bella, and she is a great addition to the family.
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Pixel- Adopted Donnie
Just wanted to let you know that Donnie is continuing to do really well. He loves playing with Kuttu, or having us toss toys when he is awake. When he is lazy he likes nothing better than lying next to us, head resting on our feet if we are sitting, or on our shoulder/stomach if we are lying in bed. He is an incredible cuddler.
His housebreaking is coming along well - only one accident so far. We even found treats he loves and are able to do a lot of obedience work with him. As a nod to the geekiness of our family, we'll be renaming him Pixel, though I already bought him a "Donnie" tag.
He weighed in at 50lbs yesterday. I am curious to see if he will just fill out this year or grow any taller. Either way, he is getting a giant crate like Kuttu's, so it will give him room to grow :)
Having two dogs is definitely very entertaining!
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Chula- Adopted Betty
We just wanted to check in with you and let you know how Betty is doing in our home in Fredericksburg. We have changed her name to Chula and she has been such a joy! She's put on some of weight and filled nicely - you'd never know she had the big shaved area from her surgery when she came to us. It is hard to believe that her life was ever anywhere but here - she never missed a beat and adjusted immediately to her new home. She has the sweetest disposition and has been such a wonderful addition to our family. Our 18 month old daughter follows her around and talks to her all day, loves to give her hugs and kisses and won't go to bed at night without telling "chu-chu" (as she calls her) goodnight. Chula is very laid back and so she always makes us laugh when she gets a big energy burst and starts playing really hard in the yard or starts running laps after she takes a dip with Taylor in the baby pool. Her favorite field trips are out to the creek at my parents house, just outside of town, where she can run as fast and as far as she can thru the shallow water. She's in doggie heaven!
Thank you for all the hard work that you put into the program - for the dogs
and for the families alike. We are so happy that Chula is a part of our
lives! Thank you for making that happen for so many families. You save the
lives of so many animals, but you also change the lives of the families you
place them with. We appreciate everything that all the volunteers at the
HOTLR do to make this amazing program possible!
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Cassi (aka Louie)- Adopted February 2007
I just wanted to let you know how much I have been
enjoying my new family. Thank you HOTLR for placing
me with my new parents. We've had a blast! Some of my favorite
times are the weekdays when I can curl up under my
daddy's desk right by his feet while he works. I also
love the weekends (the days that I can run out and
retrieve the newspaper) because I can spend all day
with my family. They've taught me so many new things
and taken me to some fun places. I love to camp and
fish, but my all time favorite is to swim. I love the
water!
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Earl and Trudy- Adopted
I wanted to drop you a note about Earl and Trudy since it has been so long.
They are both doing great. Earl is something around 14 now and Trudy is
somewhere around 8 or 9.
Trudy gets her meals supplemented with canned green beans as nutritious
filler. She has lost weight and is down to around 78 pounds. She is as
compulsive as always about chasing a ball. With the weight off and regular
exercise, she doesn't have as much pain in her hips with the mild hip
dysplasia. She's extremely energetic and still thinks she's a lap dog.
Earl's meals are supplemented with an occasional peanut butter sandwich (he
also gets meaty wet food). He is now up to 82 pounds and looking very fit.
At 14, he's incredibly energetic. He loves to play fetch in the backyard or
nearby creek. He will run all day long if we let him, but we usually keep it
abbreviated because he will pay for it the next day. But he gets so excited
when we hold up his ball and he will start jumping up and down like a little
puppy. He's overcome some of his issues too. He rides in the car fairly well
now. And he no longer dislikes being alone in the backyard. He enjoys our
large yard so much; he usually spends half the night and a large portion of
the morning out there just sleeping in the cool grass. However, his age is
starting to manifest more problems he will soon have to face. His eyesight
and hearing are fading. And his arthritis is getting (understandably) worse.
He will soon have to be confined to the downstairs as he has so much trouble
climbing the stairs to sleep next to our bed. But you'd never know he has
any joint problems the way he runs around and plays. So we'd say he is very
happy.
They are both spoiled rotten (Trudy is usually referred to as The Princess).
The Vet loves them both and they are always cooperative.
On our horizon, we are looking at purchasing our own ranch property so we
don't have to board our horses. We looked at a promising one this weekend in
Elgin. The tank doesn't hold water yet, but if we purchase it, you can count
on the dogs having a tank on their own 50-acre ranch! Sometime in the near
future, we may be able to host one of the annual Lab picnics.
Thanks so much again for letting us give them homes! I attached a couple
recent photos for you... |
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Ava- Adopted February 2007
We wanted to check-in (a little late :-) ), and let you know that Ava is
doing great! She has fully settled in, and she is being spoiled rotten! She
almost always has someone home with her, as Jacqui works in the home. And
now that the girls are home for the summer, she gets all that attention too!
The cats have adjusted to her, and they all get along great.
Ava is a really sweet dog. She loves attention and will try to get right in
your lap. She is actually pretty lazy, but she'll go for a walk almost
anytime. I usually take her in the morning before work around 5:30. She'll
get right up to go, but comes back home and goes right back to sleep :-) She
also loves to play catch and her favorite toys are empty plastic bottles
meant for the recycling. She loves batting them around the yard! She's been
camping and she enjoyed that too.
We had a really funny incident right after we got her. You had told us she
would do something in the first weekend we had her, e.g. potty, tear
something up. Anyways, we went through the first weekend without incident
and we were thinking that she was perfectly well behaved. I was out Monday
evening and Jacqui went to bed. She left Ava out in the living room. I got
home about 30 minutes later and she greeted me at the door. As we walked
into the living room I noticed some empty food wrappers on the floor. Ava
went and laid on her bed behind the couch when I went into the kitchen. I
heard some strange rustling noises, so I went over to where she was. Lo and
behold, there's a box of Girl Scout cookies (Do-Si-Dos) on her bed ripped
open. She managed to eat and entire sleeve! She had the other one behind her
bed, apparently saving it for later :-) She just laid there and gave me that
"innocent look."
Anyways, we are so glad we had the opportunity to adopt her and give her a
home for life. Thanks for saving her! Oh, and Ava thanks you too. We've
attached some pictures of our newest baby! |
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Mudpie- Adopted
Mudpie is doing really well! She took a couple of weeks to warm up to us, but since then she has relaxed a lot and we have had a lot of fun getting to know her personality. She makes me laugh just about every day.
We try to take her with us to as many places as possible (including the coffee shop and the pub at happy hour). She goes to the dog park at least once a
week, and we try to take her swimming often too. We've discovered that she loves the frisbee! Though she doesn't catch it in the air, she will chase it for hours! |
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Ollie- Adopted
We just wanted to let you all know how much we are enjoying our new family member. Ollie is a sweet girl who is full of energy. She loves going on walks and sleeps through the night. Although our cats were not too happy when we first brought her home, they have come to realize that she isn't going anywhere :). Ollie has tried to engage them in a game of chase, but they don't share her enthusiasm for the idea. She loves to fall asleep on top of our feet, and enjoys the cold tile floor after being on a walk. Ollie is very bright and has learned where we keep the food. She will wait in front of the pantry when she senses it is time to eat. She has learned to wait at the door when she has to go out, and goes in her kennel very easily. She is a wonderful dog, and makes a bad day disappear. We want to thank the rescue for helping us find a great addition to our family. We also want to send a big thank you to Ted Arnold and his family for fostering Ollie. She is a fabulous dog and we are grateful for all the work the organization and its volunteers do. |
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Shiner- Adopted May 2007
Just wanted to give you an update on Shiner. He has been with us for two weeks now and has completely settled in. He gets along great with everybody. He actually has gotten our other Lab, Happy, to play - something she will only do if you smell of treats or look like a tennis ball. They are both fetch-freaks and love the kiddy pool in the backyard on a hot day. We walk two hours every day and Shiner is such a sweetheart on leash. He only barks when someone comes to the door and sounds very fierce. If they only knew that his tail is wagging like crazy.
Shiner loves to be around us and will follow us around carrying his favorite stuffed animal in his mouth. His favorite spot is right behind my chair or at our feet. He sleeps through the night but the second you walk by him, his tail starts thumping. "Hey, you are up". We have gotten him started on some supplements that have pretty much taken care of his gas issues, so we are on the right track and he seems so happy. I know we are :)
I am in contact with Shiners previous owner who told us that Shiner can find your keys if you throw them in a field and tell him to "go find it". (Due to his previous life as a police dog) For now we have only been brave enough to try it in the backyard :)
Shiner has wandered right into our hearts on those big paws of his. Thank you for rescuing this sweet boy, so he could have his forever-home with us.
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Rolo- Adopted May 22, 2007
Rolo is one big lover. He is such a happy boy. We couldn't have adopted a better dog for us! He fits in perfectly! Rolo loves being close to us... either while we are watching movies in the family room, cooking dinner in the kitchen or just sitting by us while we are on the computer. He is always at our side. Rolo enjoys going on walks and is friendly with everyone he meets, including other 4 legged friends. He loves going to the hike and bike trail and is starting to learn how to run well on a leash with Eric. Rolo is very easy to train and he aims to please. He is extrememly affectionate and gives tons of kisses! He is always wagging his tail! Rolo enjoys sitting on the balcony and watching neighbors walk by. He loves to be brushed while he is outside too. Rolo has fun going with Melissa to work to see all the other dogs and friends at the veterinary hospital. Rolo still isn't very keen on getting in and out of Melissa's big SUV, but he is learning. Rolo mastered going up and down the stairs at the apartment which he wasn't very sure of the first couple weeks we had him. He likes to sleep in the funniest positions and we wonder how he can bend in those ways. Rolo LOVES when we put peanut butter on his nose and try to lick it off! Rolo's favorite spot is Mozarts Coffehouse... where he can sit and relax by the lake and stare down the swans, or go up to different people and make friends. We love him so much, we try and take him as many places with us as possible. We are so happy he is part of our family! Here is a video we took of him with some peanut butter on his nose... it's so funny!
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=melsteve101
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Sophie (AKA Ophelia)- Adopted April 2007
Just thought I?d let you know that Sophie (Ophelia) is doing quite well. She is losing all of her puppy teeth and only has about a ? mouth full of teeth right now. She just gums her chew bones! Right now she knows ?no?, ?sit? and ?stay? and we?re working on ?down?. A lot of the time she will do what Ranger does. Her and Ranger LOVE to play with each other, although she is definitely the instigator when it comes to those two getting in trouble. She?s made it her mission to get the cats to play with her but will settle for Kitty letting her follow her around and sniff and lick her. Aero has decided that Sophie?s no good to have around, but then again it did take Aero two years to warm up to Ranger! So in the meantime he?s tolerating her. Sophie loves to do the Labrador lean and especially to cozy up and sit on my feet. She will also scoot right up to Ranger as he?s lounging around and sit on his head or use another part of him as a stool! She also has developed one ear that sticks straight out to the side when she perks them up. I took her with to a golf tournament a few weeks ago and she liked riding in the cart and watching all the people. But she had the most fun batting a pine cone around the fairway! |
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Luci- Adopted
Just wanted to send an update on how Miss Luci has been doing. Well,
she has made herself at home as you can see from the photos. Luci is such a
smart and loving dog with a lot more personality that we had expected.
She loves (and I mean loves) taking long jogs with her Dad and then
crashing for a mid afternoon nap. She also likes playing endless ball
with me and then playing again while I take a turn exercising on the
treadmill. She likes dropping her ball on the treadmill and watching it
roll off for entertainment which is quite funny. Luci has also been
attending doggie daycare and gets along famously with her doggie
companions. Her favorite activity is splashing in the dog bone shaped
pool with her other lab playmates. Needless to say, we always bring
home a very damp but happy dog.
Anyway, we just wanted to say thanks for taking such good care of Luci
before she found her forever home. It is apparent everyday how much
time and effort you spent with her. She is the sweetest dog and we are so
happy she came to live with us.
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Kia (AKA Tasha)- Adopted April 2007
Hi Margaret and Greg,
I wanted to let you know that Tasha is doing great. We are so happy
to have
her. She got her first bath from us tonight. We were all outside
this
afternoon working in the yard and she found the creek. It is normally
a dry
creek but with all the rain we've had lately it's quite full. Anyway,
she
had a lot of fun splashing around in it. Both her and Koa are
dog-tired
tonight. :)
I think that she feels very comfortable here. She's not jumpy anymore
unless we move too fast toward her. She comes right up to us when we
call
and she stays very close to us. I think she knows she's my dog as she
follows me around wherever I go.
I'm trying out a new name on her and I think she's getting used to it.
It
may be to confusing to her and Koa so we'll see. I call her Kia
(don't
laugh). I know they're very close in sound but I'm going to try it
out and
see how it works.
Thank you so much for saving her. She is so precious to us. And
thank you
for trusting us with her care.
Come see her anytime.
I've attached a couple pictures of her. |
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Brandy (AKA Happy)- Adopted July 2006
Just wanted to let you know that Brandy has been a great addition to our family, and a very good friend to our older dog, Cody. All that exercise by the dogs has shed 10 pounds from Cody, along with some dieting. Brandy is well trained, can sit, stay, wait, down, no, and knows the names of several of her toys. Her favorite is "tennis ball". She loves riding in the back sit of the Tahoe, smelling out of the window. She has never chewed anything in the house, and never an accident.
All the chemical burns on her neck have been healed, and with a good diet with Omega 3 & 6 supplements, her fur is just beautiful and shiny. She is very affectionate and loving, and like the name given to her by Margaret, is happy all the time.
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TJ (AKA Cookie)- Adopted April 2007
TJ - stands for Tabitha Junior (formerly Cookie). Thank you HOTLR for placing me with my new family. It has only been a few days but I have been able to accomplish a lot of training. Notice how I have them trained to 'help' me retrieve my ball should I 'accidentally' push it under the freezer, desk, bed or any other piece of furniture my ball will fit under. I am enjoying these wonderful spring days in my very own backyard. There is plenty of room for me to teach my new family the best way to throw a ball so I can catch it and still have plenty of stopping space..........
Hugs and lots of kisses - TJ |
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Zeus (AKA Owen)- Adopted April 2007
Quick update on our new family member: He is as perfect as a puppy can be. He knows the words "No" and "Sit". He will go use the restroom outside each time I take him, so there really has not been a bad problem with him doing this inside the house. We are just having a problem with him recognizing his name and coming to us when called. This is what we will concentrate on this week. He is so lovable and snores when sleeping. For the most part he only chews on his toys. So we feel so lucky to have picked him. Frosty and him play for a long time each day. Except for when he takes his playing too far, I think she is also really enjoying her new little brother.
I attached a few pictures of Zeus' regular work day with me. |
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Shiner- Adopted summer 2006
Shiner, previously known as Melody is doing well at the gym. In fact she has really become a career girl. Check her out on the job: http://georgetownfitness.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=22&Itemid=51
Shiner (Melody) has turned into a beautiful dog ? shiny coat and lean. She has been steady at about 75-77 pounds for months now. She is non-stop fetching. I just need to work on her social skills with other dogs. |
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Maui (AKA Kinsey)- Adopted April 2007
Wanted to share some pix of Maui. Maui made an easy transition as our new beloved family member. She has already bonded with her big brother Kozmo......they are inseparable! Of course, all of Kozmo's toys are now Maui's toys. : ] Kozmo has been such a gracious big brother that he doesn't mind her climbing on him and tugging on his various body parts. Poor guy. He seems to be very content with her snuggling up to him for a nap.
We took Maui on her first leashed walk with Kozmo yesterday and she did very well and trailed very close to Kozmo. She is very intelligent and has taken to crate and house training very well.....but as expected, we have had some long nights as she would rather be with Kozmo instead of being in the crate at night. They are quickly becoming best of friends! We love our little girl!
Thank you again for rescuing her and her family! We will keep you posted as she develops. |
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Kaikoura (Tootsie)- Adopted 2006
Kaikoura and I have been doing well since I adopted her last March. I have attached a couple of pictures of her. She is the same girl that she was when you brought her to my house that first time: she lives to play fetch and to be in the water. She can hardly control herself when we drive to Town Lake. I couldn't have asked for a better, more livelier companion. |
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Joy- Adopted 2007
Joy is doing very well with her family. She is happy to be with her canine sisters, and she has gotten in some good sniffs with her feline siblings, so we are hopeful that she is going to quit barking at them! She spends her day lounging around on the bed with both of her sisters and one of the cats! Joy is such a loving girl. She seems to be very happy here, and we are very happy with her. Thank you for all that you have done for this little girl, and thank you for getting her home, where she belongs. |
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Lacey- Adopted
Remember us, Jules and Cynthia and our daughter Hannah? A couple of months ago you helped us find Lacey the lab. We brought her into our family and it has been wonderful with her. She fit like a warm glove into our routines and is now a valuable member of our family. Thanks so much and please don't forget us. We never will forget you. :- )
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